The Israeli military has intensified its attacks on Gaza, as Palestinian militants continue to fire rockets into Israel on the fifth day of hostilities. Israel’s army said air and ground forces were involved in attacks on Friday but had not entered Gaza.
The escalation was confirmed by army spokesman John Conricus, although he did not specify the scale of the operation.
Israeli military affairs correspondents who are briefed regularly by the armed forces said it was not a ground invasion, and that troops were firing artillery from Israel’s side of the border.
Residents of northern Gaza, near the Israeli frontier, said they had seen no sign of Israeli ground forces inside the enclave but reported heavy artillery fire and dozens of air strikes.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the death toll had climbed to 109 Palestinians, including 28 children and 15 women, with 621 people wounded.
Seven people have been killed in Israel, including a six-year-old boy, Israeli authorities said.
Security Council Meet:
The United Nations said the Security Council would meet on Sunday to address the conflict, while the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was “deeply concerned about the violence in the streets of Israel”.
“We believe that Israelis and Palestinians deserve equal measures of freedom, security, dignity and prosperity,” Blinken said.
Operation would continue as long as necessary:
In a statement released early on Friday morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli military operation against Palestinian militants in Gaza would continue for as long as necessary. He said Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza, would pay a heavy price.
A Hamas military spokesman said the group was ready to teach Israel’s military “harsh lessons” should it decide to go ahead with a ground incursion.
This week’s violence in Gaza and Israel is the worst since 2014. It was initially fuelled by weeks of Israeli-Palestinian tension in East Jerusalem which led to clashes at a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews. This spiralled into an incessant exchange of Palestinian rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes.
President Joe Biden calls for de-escalation:
President Joe Biden called for a de-escalation of violence on Thursday and said he expected to have more talks with leaders in the region, as weary Palestinians somberly marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with muted Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
