A wave of heavy airstrikes on the Gaza Strip from the Israeli military was unleashed early today, leaving 9 miles of what Israel said were militant tunnels and the homes of nine alleged Hamas commanders destroyed. Meantime, international calls for a ceasefire are mounting.
A night of heavy Israeli airstrikes in which rockets, missiles and artillery were used to devastate the Gaza Strip have left Palestinians scrambling to save lives in the midst of the rubble, as Israel last night smelled blood and moved in for the kill. Residents living in the Gaza Strip were awakened by the overnight rocket barrage, and apartment buildings were reduced to rubble in the aftermath of last night’s airstrikes.
The military warned residents in a three-story building in Gaza last night that a rocket attack would be carried out, and everyone was able to evacuate before the attack was launched. Nearby farmlands were also destroyed.
Fighting has entered the second week as the Israel-Gaza war continues. Hamas fired long-range rockets at Jerusalem after weeks of clashes in the Holy City between protesters and Israeli police during the holy month of Ramadan this year.
At least 188 Palestinians have been killed, including 55 children and 33 women, with 1,230 people wounded. Rocket attacks launched from Gaza have also left 8 people killed. No new reports of casualties yet on either side of the border after last night’s airstrikes.
This emergency rescue official (Samir al-Khatib) in Gaza says he’s never seen this level of destruction through his 14 years of work, and said this is the deadliest outbreak of violence on record.
Yesterday, an Israeli airstrike destroyed a building housing the Associated Press in the Gaza Strip has the Associated Press’ top editor, Sally Buzbee, calling for a probe into Israeli airstrike. After the attack on the building was considered “a day of shame” for press freedom, AP’s top editor says the AP will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of why the Israeli military launched the airstrike on the building housing AP and several media.
Amid the fighting, international calls for a ceasefire and calm are mounting. U.N. Security Council diplomats and Muslim foreign ministers presided over emergency meetings last weekend to demand a stop to civilian bloodshed. However, the United States now has China, along with some other countries crying foul, as it has reportedly blocked days of efforts by China, Norway and Tunisia to get the Security Council to issue a statement, including a call for a cessation of hostilities. Meantime, the U.S.’ ambassador to the United Nations, said during the meeting that the United States was “working tirelessly through diplomatic channels” to stop the fighting. But President Joe Biden gave no signs of stepping up pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make Israel agree to an immediate ceasefire despite calls from some Democrats for the Biden administration to get more involved.
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