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| Gaza conflict: Rocket barrage and Israeli strikes intensify | Gaza conflict: Rocket barrage and Israeli strikes intensify |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Israel and militants in the Gaza Strip have stepped up their attacks on each other, in some of the most intense exchanges of recent years. | Israel and militants in the Gaza Strip have stepped up their attacks on each other, in some of the most intense exchanges of recent years. |
| The army says Palestinian militants have fired 600 rockets into Israeli territory over the weekend, leaving four Israelis dead. | |
| Israel says it has hit 260 targets in the Gaza Strip and threatened further "massive" strikes. | Israel says it has hit 260 targets in the Gaza Strip and threatened further "massive" strikes. |
| At least 15 people have died so far in Gaza, the Health Ministry there says. | At least 15 people have died so far in Gaza, the Health Ministry there says. |
| On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to "continue its massive strikes on terror elements in the Gaza Strip". | On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to "continue its massive strikes on terror elements in the Gaza Strip". |
| Israeli forces around Gaza would be "stepped up with tank, artillery and infantry forces", he added. | Israeli forces around Gaza would be "stepped up with tank, artillery and infantry forces", he added. |
| The flare-up comes despite a truce agreed last month. Egypt and the United Nations have recently been trying to broker a longer-term ceasefire. | The flare-up comes despite a truce agreed last month. Egypt and the United Nations have recently been trying to broker a longer-term ceasefire. |
| How did the latest round of violence develop? | How did the latest round of violence develop? |
| It began on Friday, during protests in Gaza against the blockade of the area - which Israel says is needed to stop weapons reaching militants. | It began on Friday, during protests in Gaza against the blockade of the area - which Israel says is needed to stop weapons reaching militants. |
| A Palestinian gunman shot and wounded two Israeli soldiers at the boundary fence. Israel retaliated with an air strike that killed two militants. | A Palestinian gunman shot and wounded two Israeli soldiers at the boundary fence. Israel retaliated with an air strike that killed two militants. |
| The rocket barrage from Gaza began on Saturday morning. Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system shot down dozens of the rockets, but a number of homes in Israeli towns and villages were hit. | The rocket barrage from Gaza began on Saturday morning. Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system shot down dozens of the rockets, but a number of homes in Israeli towns and villages were hit. |
| What do we know about casualties? | What do we know about casualties? |
| Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, 10km (six miles) north of Gaza, has said it has treated more than 100 civilians in the last 24 hours. | Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, 10km (six miles) north of Gaza, has said it has treated more than 100 civilians in the last 24 hours. |
| Out of those, three people died and three more were seriously wounded - including an elderly Israeli woman. | Out of those, three people died and three more were seriously wounded - including an elderly Israeli woman. |
| Those killed included a 58-year-old man struck in a garden, Israeli media say. | Those killed included a 58-year-old man struck in a garden, Israeli media say. |
| Israel air strikes targeted sites belonging to the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Saturday and Sunday. | Israel air strikes targeted sites belonging to the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Saturday and Sunday. |
| On Sunday, the Israeli military said they had killed a Hamas commander named Hamed Hamdan al-Khodari in one of their strikes. | On Sunday, the Israeli military said they had killed a Hamas commander named Hamed Hamdan al-Khodari in one of their strikes. |
| Gaza's Health Ministry say the 15 killed there include two pregnant women and an infant. | Gaza's Health Ministry say the 15 killed there include two pregnant women and an infant. |
| Israel has contested the account of the death of one woman and her 14-month-old niece killed on Saturday. They blamed their deaths on a Palestinian rocket that fell short of its target. | Israel has contested the account of the death of one woman and her 14-month-old niece killed on Saturday. They blamed their deaths on a Palestinian rocket that fell short of its target. |
| The sites destroyed include a multi-storey building in Gaza City, which Israel said included Hamas intelligence offices. | The sites destroyed include a multi-storey building in Gaza City, which Israel said included Hamas intelligence offices. |
| Turkey said its state news agency Anadolu had an office there. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called Israeli strikes on civilians "a crime against humanity". | Turkey said its state news agency Anadolu had an office there. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called Israeli strikes on civilians "a crime against humanity". |
| How does the flare-up in violence compare? | |
| It is the one of the most surges in violence since the conflict of July and August 2014. | |
| In that year, Israel launched a ground offensive on Gaza following the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers. | In that year, Israel launched a ground offensive on Gaza following the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers. |
| The conflict resulted in the death of 67 Israeli soldiers. Hamas and its allies launched more than 4,500 rocket strikes that killed six civilians in Israel. | The conflict resulted in the death of 67 Israeli soldiers. Hamas and its allies launched more than 4,500 rocket strikes that killed six civilians in Israel. |
| On the Palestinian side, 2,251 people, including 1,462 civilians, were killed in the seven-week conflict, according to the UN. | On the Palestinian side, 2,251 people, including 1,462 civilians, were killed in the seven-week conflict, according to the UN. |
| Since then, Palestinian militants have continued to carry out sporadic strikes on Israel. | Since then, Palestinian militants have continued to carry out sporadic strikes on Israel. |
| In a previous wave this year, in March, several rockets were fired into southern Israel, triggering raids on Gaza by the Israeli air force. No fatalities were reported on either side. | In a previous wave this year, in March, several rockets were fired into southern Israel, triggering raids on Gaza by the Israeli air force. No fatalities were reported on either side. |
| In early April a ceasefire was brokered by Egypt, but Hamas and allied militant groups later accused Israel of violating its terms. | In early April a ceasefire was brokered by Egypt, but Hamas and allied militant groups later accused Israel of violating its terms. |
| What has the reaction been? | What has the reaction been? |
| Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, has condemned the recent violence and said the UN is working with both sides to calm the violence. | Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, has condemned the recent violence and said the UN is working with both sides to calm the violence. |
| Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Israelis have "every right to defend themselves" from rocket attacks. | Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Israelis have "every right to defend themselves" from rocket attacks. |
| "I hope we can return to the ceasefire that had been in place for weeks and had been holding significantly before this," he added.. | "I hope we can return to the ceasefire that had been in place for weeks and had been holding significantly before this," he added.. |
| The European Union on Sunday called for rocket fire to "stop immediately". | The European Union on Sunday called for rocket fire to "stop immediately". |
| Iran's foreign minister, condemned what he labelled as Israel's "savage" attacks on Gaza, while also hitting out at "unlimited American support" of Israel. | Iran's foreign minister, condemned what he labelled as Israel's "savage" attacks on Gaza, while also hitting out at "unlimited American support" of Israel. |
| Save the Children has said it has had to suspend all but essential programs in the Gaza strip. | Save the Children has said it has had to suspend all but essential programs in the Gaza strip. |
| Jeremy Stoner, their Middle East Regional Director, said the group were "deeply alarmed" by rapidly rising casualties on both sides, and called for de-escalation. | Jeremy Stoner, their Middle East Regional Director, said the group were "deeply alarmed" by rapidly rising casualties on both sides, and called for de-escalation. |