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| Hostilities flare up as rockets hit Israel from Gaza | Hostilities flare up as rockets hit Israel from Gaza |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Militants in the Gaza Strip have fired more than 200 rockets into Israel, the army says, prompting air strikes and tank fire on the Palestinian territory. | Militants in the Gaza Strip have fired more than 200 rockets into Israel, the army says, prompting air strikes and tank fire on the Palestinian territory. |
| Three Israelis were wounded by the rockets, while Israeli fire killed four Palestinians. including a mother and her baby daughter, Gaza officials say. | Three Israelis were wounded by the rockets, while Israeli fire killed four Palestinians. including a mother and her baby daughter, Gaza officials say. |
| However, Israel said the mother and baby were killed by a Palestinian rocket that fell short of its target. | |
| This flare-up followed a truce in the run-up to Israeli elections in April. | |
| Four Palestinians, including two Hamas militants, were killed on Friday after an attack injured two Israeli soldiers. | Four Palestinians, including two Hamas militants, were killed on Friday after an attack injured two Israeli soldiers. |
| The latest violence marks yet another increase in hostilities despite attempts by Egypt and the United Nations to broker a longer-term ceasefire, says the BBC's Tom Bateman in Jerusalem. | |
| One of the air strikes has hit the offices of Turkish news agency Anadolu, prompting condemnation from Istanbul. | One of the air strikes has hit the offices of Turkish news agency Anadolu, prompting condemnation from Istanbul. |
| What happened on Saturday? | What happened on Saturday? |
| The rocket barrage began at 10:00 (07:00 GMT) - and was still continuing some 12 hours later, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. | The rocket barrage began at 10:00 (07:00 GMT) - and was still continuing some 12 hours later, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. |
| Several homes in parts of Israel bordering the Gaza Strip have been hit. Many residents rushed to bomb shelters. | Several homes in parts of Israel bordering the Gaza Strip have been hit. Many residents rushed to bomb shelters. |
| The injured include two men in Ashkelon, 10km (six miles) north of Gaza, and an elderly woman in Kiryat Gat, further east. | The injured include two men in Ashkelon, 10km (six miles) north of Gaza, and an elderly woman in Kiryat Gat, further east. |
| The country's Iron Dome missile-defence system shot down dozens of the rockets, the IDF said. | The country's Iron Dome missile-defence system shot down dozens of the rockets, the IDF said. |
| In response the IDF said it had launched air and artillery strikes against 120 Gaza sites belonging to Hamas, a militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, and against groups including Islamic Jihad. It blamed both for the attacks. | In response the IDF said it had launched air and artillery strikes against 120 Gaza sites belonging to Hamas, a militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, and against groups including Islamic Jihad. It blamed both for the attacks. |
| Palestinian officials say a 22-year-old man was killed. Reuters news agency quotes a small pro-Hamas militant group as saying he was one of their fighters. | Palestinian officials say a 22-year-old man was killed. Reuters news agency quotes a small pro-Hamas militant group as saying he was one of their fighters. |
| The other deaths included those of a 37-year-old woman and her 14-month-old daughter who were killed in an air strike in the east of the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian officials. | The other deaths included those of a 37-year-old woman and her 14-month-old daughter who were killed in an air strike in the east of the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian officials. |
| Several Gaza residents were wounded. | Several Gaza residents were wounded. |
| However, Israel questioned whether an air strike had killed the mother and baby. | |
| "According to indications the baby and her mother died as a result of the terrorist activities of Palestinian saboteurs and not as a result of an Israeli strike," tweeted Avichay Adraee, without giving further details. | "According to indications the baby and her mother died as a result of the terrorist activities of Palestinian saboteurs and not as a result of an Israeli strike," tweeted Avichay Adraee, without giving further details. |
| Israel's Consul General in New York, Dani Dayan, tweeted that the pair were killed by a Palestinian rocket which fell short. | |
| Turkey's Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, condemned the attacks against civilians as "a crime against humanity". | Turkey's Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, condemned the attacks against civilians as "a crime against humanity". |
| Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also issued a condemnation of the Anadolu strike. | |
| The Israeli military defended targeting the building in a statement, saying the structure was used by Hamas's West Bank task force and as an office for senior members of the Islamic Jihad. | The Israeli military defended targeting the building in a statement, saying the structure was used by Hamas's West Bank task force and as an office for senior members of the Islamic Jihad. |
| What triggered the latest unrest? | What triggered the latest unrest? |
| The violence began during weekly Friday protests in Gaza against the tight blockade of the area. Israel says this is needed to stop weapons reaching Gaza. | The violence began during weekly Friday protests in Gaza against the tight blockade of the area. Israel says this is needed to stop weapons reaching Gaza. |
| A Palestinian gunman shot and wounded two Israeli soldiers at the boundary fence. The IDF blamed Islamic Jihad for the shooting. | A Palestinian gunman shot and wounded two Israeli soldiers at the boundary fence. The IDF blamed Islamic Jihad for the shooting. |
| The Israeli air strike in response killed two Hamas militants. Another two Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire at the fence. | The Israeli air strike in response killed two Hamas militants. Another two Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire at the fence. |
| Islamic Jihad said it had launched the rocket attacks on Saturday in response to Friday's violence. | Islamic Jihad said it had launched the rocket attacks on Saturday in response to Friday's violence. |
| Its statement also accused Israel of failing to implement last month's ceasefire deal, which was brokered by Egypt. | Its statement also accused Israel of failing to implement last month's ceasefire deal, which was brokered by Egypt. |
| Saturday's rocket attacks coincided with Palestinians burying the two militants. | Saturday's rocket attacks coincided with Palestinians burying the two militants. |
| "The resistance will continue to respond to the crimes by the occupation and it will not allow it to shed the blood of our people," Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said in a statement on Saturday. He made no explicit claim for Hamas firing the rockets. | "The resistance will continue to respond to the crimes by the occupation and it will not allow it to shed the blood of our people," Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said in a statement on Saturday. He made no explicit claim for Hamas firing the rockets. |
| About two million Palestinians live in Gaza, which has suffered economically from the Israeli blockade as well as recent foreign aid cuts. | About two million Palestinians live in Gaza, which has suffered economically from the Israeli blockade as well as recent foreign aid cuts. |