Fears of ‘full-scale war’ as clashes between Israel, Palestinians kill 56
Relentless rocket fire and rioting in mixed Jewish-arab towns fuelled growing fears on Wednesday that violence between Israel and Palestinians that has claimed 56 lives could spiral into “full-scale war”.
Israel’s Defence Minister Benny Gantz vowed more attacks on Hamas and other Palestinian fighter groups in Gaza to bring “total, long-term quiet” before considering a ceasefire.
Fighters have launched more than 1,000 rockets since Monday, said Israel’s army, which has launched hundreds of air strikes on fighter groups in the crowded coastal enclave of Gaza.
The most intense hostilities in seven years have killed at least 48 people in Gaza, including 14 children, three Palestinians in the West Bank, and five Israelis since Monday.
The bloodshed was triggered by weekend unrest at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque compound, which is sacred to both Muslims and Jews.
As world powers voiced growing alarm and the UN Security Council readied for another emergency meeting on the bloody crisis, the UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland warned that “we’re escalating towards a full-scale war”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of emergency in the mixed Jewish-arab Israeli city of Lod, where police said “wide-scale riots erupted among some of the Arab residents”.
There were fears of widening civil unrest as protesters waving
Palestinian flags burnt cars and properties, including a synagogue, clashed with Israeli police and attacked Jewish motorists in several Jewish-arab towns.
Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin said Israelis needed “to be ready and armed, strong and determined, prepared to defend our home”.
‘STEP BACK FROM BRINK’
Palestinian groups, mainly Hamas and militants, have launched more than 1,000 rockets, Israel’s army said, including hundreds at Tel Aviv, where air sirens wailed overnight.
Of these, 850 rockets have hit in Israel or been intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system, while the rest have crashed inside Gaza, the army said.
Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes at Gaza, the Israeliblockaded strip of two million people that Hamas controls, targeting the Palestinian sites.
At least 230 Palestinians and 100 Israelis have been wounded.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged both sides to “step back from the brink”.
The chief prosecutor of the International
Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, voiced concern at the escalation and said “crimes” may have been committed.
Bensouda announced in March that she had opened a full investigation into the situation in the Israeli-occupied territories, infuriating Israel, which not a member of The Hague-based court.