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Scores die in Israeli air strikes | Scores die in Israeli air strikes |
(30 minutes later) | |
Israeli F-16 bombers have launched a series of air strikes against key targets in the Gaza Strip, killing and injuring scores of people. | |
Medical staff and Hamas officials said at least 140 people were killed when missiles hit security compounds and militant bases across Gaza. | |
The strikes, the most intense Israeli attacks on Gaza in recent times, come after the expiry of a truce with Hamas. | The strikes, the most intense Israeli attacks on Gaza in recent times, come after the expiry of a truce with Hamas. |
Israel said it was responding to continued rocket attacks from Gaza. | |
Palestinian militants frequently fire rockets against Israeli towns from within the borders of Gaza. | |
In a statement, Israel's military said it targeted "Hamas terror operatives" as well as training camps and weaponry storage warehouses. | |
In the West Bank, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas - whose Fatah faction was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in 2007 - condemned the attacks and called for restraint. | In the West Bank, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas - whose Fatah faction was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in 2007 - condemned the attacks and called for restraint. |
But Hamas quickly vowed to carry out revenge attacks on Israel in response to the air strikes, firing Qassam rockets into Israeli territory as an immediate reply. | |
"Hamas will continue the resistance until the last drop of blood," spokesman Fawzi Barhoum was reported as saying. | |
Israel also stood firm, saying operations "will continue, will be expanded, and will deepen if necessary". | |
Rising toll | |
Reports of the casualties in Gaza mounted swiftly after news broke of the Israeli operation. | Reports of the casualties in Gaza mounted swiftly after news broke of the Israeli operation. |
Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, initially said at least 40 people had been killed when a missile hit security headquarters in and around Gaza City. | Palestinian militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, initially said at least 40 people had been killed when a missile hit security headquarters in and around Gaza City. |
That figure quickly rose until both Hamas and Palestinian doctors said at least 140 were killed and some 400 people injured. | |
Egypt opened its border crossing to the Gaza Strip at Rafah to absorb and treat some of those injured in the south of the territory. | |
Most of the dead and injured were said to be in Gaza City, where Hamas's main security compound was destroyed. | |
But casualties were also reported around Gaza, including in the southern town of Khan Younis, where Reuters news agency said at least 20 people were thought to have died. | |
Hamas said all of its security compounds in Gaza were destroyed by the Israeli air strikes, which Israel said hit some 40 targets across the territory. | |
The air strikes are the most intense Israel has launched against Gaza for some time, and come amid rumours that a ground operation is imminent. | |
Israeli security officials have been briefing about the possibility of a new offensive into Gaza for some days now, says the BBC's Paul Wood, in Jerusalem. | Israeli security officials have been briefing about the possibility of a new offensive into Gaza for some days now, says the BBC's Paul Wood, in Jerusalem. |
But most reports centred on the possibility of a ground offensive, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was not expected to authorise any operation until Sunday at the earliest. | But most reports centred on the possibility of a ground offensive, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was not expected to authorise any operation until Sunday at the earliest. |
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Are you in Gaza? Have you been affected by the Israeli military action? Please send your comment using the form below: | Are you in Gaza? Have you been affected by the Israeli military action? Please send your comment using the form below: |
Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or you have a large file you can upload here. |
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