Israeli air raids on Gaza killed 24 Palestinian martyrs: All the latest updates
Israel pounds Gaza for a second day in most violent assault in months as UN envoy heads to Cairo for mediation talks.
Israeli forces have killed a top Islamic Jihad commander in an air raid on his home in Gaza City, unleashing a new spiral of violence.
Shortly after the attack on Tuesday morning that killed Bahaa Abu al-Ata and his wife, salvos of rockets were launched from Palestinian groups in the besieged Gaza Strip into Israel.
In response to the rocket barrage, dozens of air raids were launched on Gaza. Overall, 24 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli bombardment in Gaza, according to health officials.
Separately, Syrian state media said a separate missile attack on Tuesday hit the home of Islamic Jihad official Akram al-Ajouri in Damascus, killing two people including one of his sons. Syria said Israel carried out the Damascus attack. Israel did not comment.
Here are the latest updates:
Wednesday, November 13
Turkey ‘strongly’ condemns Israeli attacks in Gaza
Turkey has denounced Israeli attacks in Gaza Strip, calling on the country to stop its state policy of aggression.
“Israel has massacred many innocent Palestinian brothers in the attacks it has carried out in Gaza since yesterday. We strongly condemn these attacks,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Defence minister: Israel ‘will hunt down every terrorist’
Israel’s new defence minister said the country will not hesitate to target more members of the Islamic Jihad group.
“Over the past 24 hours the Jihad Islamic terrorists shot over 250 rockets and missiles on Israelis,” Naftali Bennett said.
“Israeli security forces will hunt down every terrorist, until our children are secure and safe,” he added.
Dozens of houses damaged by Israeli strikes
Officials in Gaza said more than 50 air raids and 21 artillery attacks targeted Palestinian homes, agricultural lands, poultry and vegetable farms, as well as positions belonging to the “resistance”, Maan News Agency reported.
The enclave’s information ministry put the total number of housing units damaged at 48 – some of which were “totally destroyed”.
Two Palestinians killed in new Israeli air raid
Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for Gaza’s health ministry, said two Palestinians have been killed in an air raid that targeted Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
One Palestinian has been injured, he added.
UN mediator in Cairo for de-escalation talks
Egyptian officials said Nickolay Mladenoy, a United Nations Middle East envoy, arrived in Cairo to lead de-escalation efforts.
The officials cited by news agencies said Mladenoy landed from Tel Aviv and was scheduled to meet Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi.
22 Palestinians killed, 69 wounded
Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for Gaza’s health ministry, said at least 22 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air raids since the start of the latest escalation on Tuesday morning.
At least 69 others were wounded, he added.
Palestinian Authority condemns Israeli attacks
A spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, said the “Israeli escalation” must immediately stop, Wafa news agency reported.
Abbas is exerting efforts to stop the escalation, Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement.
He called on the international community to immediately intervene to pressure Israel to stop its “continued aggression”, and to respect international law, Wafa added.
Netanyahu warns Israel prepared to step up attacks
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was prepared to keep bombarding Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza as long as rocket fire continued.
“They have one choice: to stop these attacks or absorb more and more blows. Their choice,” Netanyahu said in remarks made during a cabinet meeting.
18 Palestinians killed, over 50 wounded
Ashraf al-Qidra, spokesman for Gaza’s health ministry, confirmed to our reporters that at least 18 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air raids since the start of the latest escalation on Tuesday morning.
At least 50 others were wounded, he added, with injuries ranging from minor to moderate.
Three Palestinians killed in new Israeli air raid
Al-Qidra said three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air raid that targeted central Gaza.
Israeli fighter jets bombarded a wood-working shop in al-Tuffah neighbourhood, killing the three Palestinians and wounding more than 20 others, Maan News Agency reported.
Two Palestinians killed in Israeli air raid
Al-Qidra said two more Palestinians were killed in an air raid.
The Islamic Jihad group said one of the two killed was a member of its group, identifying him as 38-year-old Khaled Faraj.
The deaths bring the overall toll in Gaza to at least 12 Palestinians, including Abu al-Ata and his wife.
Palestinian factions fire rockets towards Israel
Palestinian factions launched rocket fire towards towards southern Israel.
It appeared that Hamas, the group that governs the Gaza Strip, was opting out of the fighting for now.
A diplomatic source told Reuters News Agency the United Nations Middle East envoy was on his way to Egypt’s Cairo to begin mediation efforts.
Gaza: Ministry of Education suspends classes
Universities in the Gaza Strip have suspended classes until further notice, Maan News Agency reported.
The Ministry of Education has also announced the suspension of classes in schools run by the United Nations’ agency for Palestinian refugees across the enclave.
Air raids resume in Gaza Strip: local media
Israel has resumed bombardment of the Gaza Strip, according to local media reports.
Israeli fighter jets targetted various areas of the coastal enclave, including the city’s centre, as well as agricultural lands in the eastern part of the Strip, Maan News Agency said.
