In a statement on Twitter, the Israel Defense Forces said military forces are attacking Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett, reporting from southern Israel, described sounds artillery being fired into Gaza and machine-gun fire from a helicopter as a column of Israeli armoured vehicles headed toward the border. Fawcett said the an intensive artillery barrage lasted about an hour and a second barrage came about an hour later.
Israel continued to bombard the Gaza Strip with air strikes and artillery shells and said it had deployed ground and air forces to attack 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 109 people, including 28 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.
In another potential escalation, at least three rockets were fired from southern Lebanon toward Israel.
Al Jazeera
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