Death toll in Gaza rises to 103, health authorities say, as Israel boosts troops and tanks near the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Israeli fighter jets have continued attacking high-rise buildings and other targets in the Gaza Strip as Israel boosted its deployment of troops and tanks near the besieged Palestinian enclave on Thursday.
Palestinians marked the first day of the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday under relentless aerial bombardment with Gaza’s health ministry saying that 103 people, including 27 children, have been killed since the Israeli offensive began late on Monday. More than 580 others have been wounded.
At least six Israelis and one Indian national have also been killed. The Israeli army said hundreds of rockets have been fired from Gaza towards various locations in Israel and they have added reinforcements near the enclave’s eastern lands.
There have also been more violent confrontations between Jewish Israelis and Palestinian citizens of Israel in several cities inside Israel.
Here are the latest updates:
Israel shells north Gaza, destroys houses in the south
Al Jazeera’s Safwat Al Kahlout, reporting from Gaza City, said that in a new development Israel has begun firing barrages of artillery shells into the north of the Gaza Strip.
“Hundreds of families are now evacuating their homes in the north of Gaza because of the heavy artillery shells landing. The ambulance services told us that some of the artillery shells had directly hit some houses in the so-called Bedouin village which is very close to the border,” he said.
“It’s the same scenario of the war of 2014 when hundreds of families also evacuated their homes because of the random shooting.”
Al Kahlout said the Gaza ambulance service told Al Jazeera it has also received appeals for assistance from citizens in the south of the Gaza strip, mainly in Rafah, as Israeli jets had destroyed houses in air raids without warning.
“They believe that there are lots of people under the rubble. So far the ambulance services say they have managed to retrieve five bodies – including children and women – from one of the destroyed houses.”
Blinken says rocket attacks against Israel must cease
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated that rocket attacks by Palestinian militants against Israel must cease, and also said the United States had been clear that Israel has the right to defend itself.
Blinken made the comments at a joint briefing with Australia’s foreign minister.
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