One dead as militants fire rockets from Gaza

Gaza militants fired dozens of rockets at southern Israel yesterday, killing a man in a strike on a residential building and vowing to escalate their attacks if Israel keeps bombing the Palestinian territory. As fighting raged, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his Security Cabinet for six hours. The Cabinet ordered the military to “continue operations as needed.”

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh signaled a readiness to halt the latest round of fighting, saying the Islamic militant group would stop its rocket fire if Israel halts its airstrikes.

The heavy exchange of fire, which was triggered by a botched Israeli undercover raid into Hamasruled Gaza on Sunday, marked the most serious escalation since an Israelhamas war in 2014.

International mediators appealed for restraint, hoping to avert another war. The Israeli military said some 400 rockets and mortars have been launched from Gaza since Monday.