Palestinian deaths are continuing to mount as Israel and militants in Gaza traded fresh rounds of rocket and missile-fire on Saturday.
At least 127 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began its operation five days ago, Palestinian sources say.
The UN says three-quarters of those are civilian deaths.
Israel says it was hit by 34 rockets, also on Saturday, causing damge. It has vowed to press on with its offensive until rocket attacks stop.
Israel says it is targeting militants and militant facilities, including the homes of senior operatives. It says "dozens of terrorists" are among those killed.
In the latest violence
* An israeli air strike killed six unidentified men in the Sheikh Radwan district of Gaza City on Saturday,
Palestinian medics said.
* A large fire broke out in a UN humanitarian relief compound in the east of Gaza City. Israel Said it was caused by Hamas rockets falling short, though this has not been confirmed.
* Israel hit a residential home for disabled people in Beit Lahiya overnight, Palestinian officials said. Two female residents were killed and four other people seriously injured, they said. Israel did not comment.
* Two people were killed in the north of Gaza City, and three other people, including an Islamic Jihad activist, died when a house in Jabaliya refugee camp was hit, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
* At least one mosque in the central Gaza Strip was bombed overnight, according to Hamas, which said it was the first attack of its kind since israel began its offensive. Israel's military said the building had been used to store weapons.
* Israeli forces said they had destroyed two missiles lounched by militants in flight on Saturday. hamas said it had fired four rockets at the Israeli ciy of Ashdod.
There is no sign of both sides agreeing on a ceasefire, despite intense diplomacy at the United Nations.
Israeli Prime Minister benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that his contry will resist foreign pressure to halt its operations.
"The objective is to restore quiet to the cities of Israel, and i intend to achieve thi objective." he said.
Thousands of Israeli troops have massed along the border with Gaza amid warnings by Israel that it is prepared to launch a ground offensive.
Analysis: BBC Middle East correspondent Kevin Connolly
To the outside world the Gaza rockets may seem ineffective partly because many are homemade and partly because they're hopelessly overmatched by Israel;s iron Dome anti-missile defence system.
But Israeli civilians judge the rockets by the intent behind hem and not by their military effectveness. They are grimly familiar with the ritual of running for shelter with their children when they hear a 15 second warning. They expect their government to put a stop to it.
The problem is that there's no easy way of doing that.
Even if you believe in the myth of the accuracy of modern weapons systems, you have to accept that air raids are going to kill innocent people.
What can israel and Hamas gain from latest conflict?
The palestinian health ministry says in addition to those killed, at least 940 people mainly civilians have been injured in Israel;s Operation Protective Edge since it began on Tuesday.
The UN Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said earlier that 77% of the people killed in Gaza had been civilians.
Israel said on Saturday morning it had hit over 60 "terror targets" overnight and had carried ot, 1,160 strikes since the start of its of its offensive. it said Hamas had fired 689 rockets in the first four days.
The rockets have caused damage and some injuries in Israel.
If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a telephone number that we can contact you on. In some cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. When sending us picture, vieo or eyewitness accouns at no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment