All news

Over 20 killed, 69 wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza, reports Healthcare Ministry

Palestinian groups and the Israeli army have been exchanging strikes for a second day after a senior commander of Islamic Jihad Baha Abu al-Ata was killed along with his wife in an air strike on the Gaza Strip in early on Tuesday

CAIRO, November 13. /TASS/. As many as 22 people have been killed and another 69 have been wounded in Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, Dunya Al Watan news portal reported on Wednesday referring to the Healthcare Ministry of the Palestinian enclave. Earlier reports put the death toll at 16.

Palestinian groups and the Israeli army have been exchanging strikes for a second day after a senior commander of Islamic Jihad Baha Abu al-Ata was killed along with his wife in an air strike on the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Tuesday. Since then, more than 250 missiles and mortar rounds have been launched out of Gaza against Israel. The Israeli Air Force is carrying out mass attacks on Islamic Jihad military installations in the Gaza Strip.

According to Dunya Al Watan, combat planes have made more than 50 strikes on the enclave in the past 24 hours, and about 20 artillery strikes have been reported. As many as 48 buildings have been destroyed totally or partially. Deaths in attacks have been reported in Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, Khan Yunis, Rafah and Gaza City. Most of the victims are activists from radical groups. Ten Palestinians have been killed alone on Wednesday.

Earlier reports said that Cairo is currently negotiating with the warring sides, making active attempts to stop the escalation. Cairo traditionally acts as a mediator when confrontation escalates. Nothing is known as of yet whether there has been any progress in these efforts.

At a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Islamic Jihad against new attacks, saying that otherwise it would see more strikes, that Israel will keep striking "with no mercy". "We are not interested in escalation, but we are responding to every attack against us by attacking," Netanyahu said, urging Islamic Jihad "to understand that now, before it is too late for them.".