Israeli airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave continue early morning as health officials say at least 197 civilians, including 58 minors, have so far been killed.

More than 250 wounded people were evacuated to Egypt for treatment, according to medical and border sources.

Three convoys transporting a total of 263 Palestinians crossed the Rafah border post into Egypt’s restive North Sinai region. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-pm-netanyahu-defends-media-house-attack-says-building-was-legitimate-target-385466">Also read | Israel PM Netanyahu defends media house attack, says the building was 'legitimate target'</a> 
 
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City flatten three buildings and kill at least 42 people on Sunday, as reported by Aljazeera news.

Gaza health authorities said 40,000 people had been displaced from their homes, and the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, announced over 40 of UNRWA's schools had been converted into shelters. 
 
Watch | Israel-Palestine Conflict: Israel bombs Hamas Gaza chief's home

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Israel's bombardment of Gaza entered its eighth consecutive day after raids on Sunday killed at least 42 Palestinians, wounded dozens more, and flattened at least two residential buildings.

The home of Gaza's Hamas chief, Yehya al-Sinwar, was also targeted, as reported by Aljazeera news.

The United Nations Security Council met on Sunday to discuss the worst outbreak of violence in years in Palestine and Israel.

US President Biden conferred with Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, about efforts to broker a cease-fire. While supporting Israel's right to defend itself from rocket attacks by Hamas militants, Biden urged Netanyahu to protect civilians and journalists.

Over the past week, the 15-member U.N. Security Council met privately at least twice to discuss ways of reducing tensions. But efforts to reach an agreement on a statement or to hold an open meeting had faced resistance from the United States, Israel's biggest defender on the council.

Even before Sunday morning's attack, Israeli airstrikes had intensified over the weekend, with an attack on a house in a refugee camp in Gaza that killed 10 members of an extended family, including women and children, and another that destroyed a high-rise that housed media outlets of Al Jazeera.

The cross-border fire has sparked inter-communal violence between Jews and Arab-Israelis, as well as deadly clashes in the occupied West Bank, where 19 Palestinians have been killed since Monday.

A rocket on Sunday damaged a synagogue in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, shortly before prayers for the Shavuot Jewish holiday.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israeli airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave continue early morning as health officials say at least 197 civilians, including 58 minors, have so far been killed.

Israeli airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave continue early morning as health officials say at least 197 civilians, including 58 minors, have so far been killed. More than 250 wounded people were evacuated to Egypt for treatment, according to medical and border sources. Three convoys transporting a total of 263 Palestinians crossed the Rafah border post into Egypt’s restive North Sinai region. Also read | Israel PM Netanyahu defends media house attack, says the building was 'legitimate target' Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City flatten three buildings and kill at least 42 people on Sunday, as reported by Aljazeera news. Gaza health authorities said 40,000 people had been displaced from their homes, and the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, announced over 40 of UNRWA's schools had been converted into shelters. Watch | Israel-Palestine Conflict: Israel bombs Hamas Gaza chief's home Israel's bombardment of Gaza entered its eighth consecutive day after raids on Sunday killed at least 42 Palestinians, wounded dozens more, and flattened at least two residential buildings. The home of Gaza's Hamas chief, Yehya al-Sinwar, was also targeted, as reported by Aljazeera news. The United Nations Security Council met on Sunday to discuss the worst outbreak of violence in years in Palestine and Israel. US President Biden conferred with Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, about efforts to broker a cease-fire. While supporting Israel's right to defend itself from rocket attacks by Hamas militants, Biden urged Netanyahu to protect civilians and journalists. Over the past week, the 15-member U.N. Security Council met privately at least twice to discuss ways of reducing tensions. But efforts to reach an agreement on a statement or to hold an open meeting had faced resistance from the United States, Israel's biggest defender on the council. Even before Sunday morning's attack, Israeli airstrikes had intensified over the weekend, with an attack on a house in a refugee camp in Gaza that killed 10 members of an extended family, including women and children, and another that destroyed a high-rise that housed media outlets of Al Jazeera. The cross-border fire has sparked inter-communal violence between Jews and Arab-Israelis, as well as deadly clashes in the occupied West Bank, where 19 Palestinians have been killed since Monday. A rocket on Sunday damaged a synagogue in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, shortly before prayers for the Shavuot Jewish holiday. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Palestine conflict: Gaza fighting enters second week, death toll nears 200

The deadly clashes between Israel and Hamas militants escalated in what has become the heaviest flare-up since the 2014 Gaza War.&nbsp;

Fighter jets of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unleashed a series of heavy airstrikes at multiple locations in Gaza City earlier today.&nbsp;

This came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled the fourth war with Gaza's Hamas rulers would rage on. Hamas also pressed on, launching rockets from civilian areas in Gaza toward civilian areas in Israel. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-pm-netanyahu-defends-media-house-attack-says-building-was-legitimate-target-385466">Also read | Israel PM Netanyahu defends media house attack, says the building was 'legitimate target'</a>

The Israeli attack destroyed 15 kilometres (nine miles) of militant tunnels and the homes of nine alleged Hamas commanders, according to a news report by Israeli media outlet The Times of Israel. 
 
Watch: Several injured in car-ramming attack in Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah 
&nbsp;

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Israel's army said in a statement that it hit the homes of nine "high-ranking" Hamas commanders, without providing details on casualties.

The overnight bombardment also included the third round of strikes on what the army calls the "Metro," its term for a Hamas underground tunnel network.

Fifty-four fighter jets pounded 15 kilometres (nine miles) of tunnels, which the army has previously acknowledged runs in part through civilian areas.

Gazan Mani Qazaat said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "should realise we're civilians, not fighters", adding "I felt like I was dying". 
 
'Legitimate'

The renewed strikes come a day after 42 Palestinians in Gaza -- including at least eight children and two doctors, according to the health ministry -- were killed in the worst daily death toll in the enclave since the bombardments began.

In total, 197 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including at least 58 children, and more than 1,200 wounded since Israel launched its air campaign against Hamas on May 10 after the group fired rockets. The heaviest exchange of fire in years was sparked by unrest in Jerusalem.

In Israel, 10 people, including one child, have been killed and 294 wounded by rocket fire launched by armed groups in Gaza.

Israel's army said about 3,100 rockets had been fired since last Monday from Gaza -- the highest rate ever recorded -- but added it's Iron Dome anti-missile system had intercepted over 1,000.

Netanyahu said in a televised address Sunday that Israel's "campaign against the terrorist organisations is continuing with full force" and would "take time" to finish.

The Israeli army said it had targeted the infrastructure of Hamas and armed group Islamic Jihad, weapons factories and storage sites.

Israeli airstrikes also hit the home of Yahya Sinwar, head of Hamas's political wing in Gaza, the army said, releasing footage of plumes of smoke and intense damage, but without saying if he was killed.

On Saturday, Israel gave journalists from Al Jazeera and AP news agency an hour to evacuate their offices before launching airstrikes, turning their tower block into piles of smoking rubble.

Netanyahu on Sunday said the building also hosted a Palestinian "terrorist" intelligence office.

"It is a legitimate target," he said.

Inter-communal clashes

The violence between Hamas and Israel is the worst since 2014 when Israel launched a military operation on the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of ending rocket fire and destroying tunnels used for smuggling.

The war left 2,251 dead on the Palestinian side, mostly civilians, and 74 on the Israeli side, mostly soldiers.

Opening the first session of the UN Security Council on the renewed violence on Sunday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the fighting "utterly appalling".

"It must stop immediately," he said.

But the UN talks, already delayed by Israel's ally the United States, resulted in little action, with Washington opposing a resolution.

President Joe Biden's administration says it is working behind the scenes, and that a Security Council statement could backfire.

Israel is also trying to contain inter-communal violence between Jews and Arab-Israelis, as well as deadly clashes in the occupied West Bank, where 19 Palestinians have been killed since May 10, according to a toll from Palestinian authorities.

Major clashes broke out at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound -- one of Islam's holiest sites -- on May 7 following a crackdown against protests over planned expulsions of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

Sheikh Jarrah has been at the heart of the flareup, seeing weeks of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces.

On Sunday, a car-ramming attack in Sheikh Jarrah wounded seven police officers, police said, adding that the attacker had been killed.

Police also said "several suspects" had been arrested during clashes in another east Jerusalem neighbourhood overnight Sunday to Monday.

Guterres warned the fighting could have far-reaching consequences if not stopped immediately.

"It has the potential to unleash an uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis and to further foster extremism, not only in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel but in the region as a whole."

(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly clashes between Israel and Hamas militants escalated in what has become the heaviest flare-up since the 2014 Gaza War. Fighter jets of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unleashed a series of heavy airstrikes at multiple locations in Gaza City earlier today.

The deadly clashes between Israel and Hamas militants escalated in what has become the heaviest flare-up since the 2014 Gaza War. Fighter jets of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unleashed a series of heavy airstrikes at multiple locations in Gaza City earlier today. This came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled the fourth war with Gaza's Hamas rulers would rage on. Hamas also pressed on, launching rockets from civilian areas in Gaza toward civilian areas in Israel. Also read | Israel PM Netanyahu defends media house attack, says the building was 'legitimate target' The Israeli attack destroyed 15 kilometres (nine miles) of militant tunnels and the homes of nine alleged Hamas commanders, according to a news report by Israeli media outlet The Times of Israel. Watch: Several injured in car-ramming attack in Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah Israel's army said in a statement that it hit the homes of nine "high-ranking" Hamas commanders, without providing details on casualties. The overnight bombardment also included the third round of strikes on what the army calls the "Metro," its term for a Hamas underground tunnel network. Fifty-four fighter jets pounded 15 kilometres (nine miles) of tunnels, which the army has previously acknowledged runs in part through civilian areas. Gazan Mani Qazaat said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "should realise we're civilians, not fighters", adding "I felt like I was dying". 'Legitimate' The renewed strikes come a day after 42 Palestinians in Gaza -- including at least eight children and two doctors, according to the health ministry -- were killed in the worst daily death toll in the enclave since the bombardments began. In total, 197 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including at least 58 children, and more than 1,200 wounded since Israel launched its air campaign against Hamas on May 10 after the group fired rockets. The heaviest exchange of fire in years was sparked by unrest in Jerusalem. In Israel, 10 people, including one child, have been killed and 294 wounded by rocket fire launched by armed groups in Gaza. Israel's army said about 3,100 rockets had been fired since last Monday from Gaza -- the highest rate ever recorded -- but added it's Iron Dome anti-missile system had intercepted over 1,000. Netanyahu said in a televised address Sunday that Israel's "campaign against the terrorist organisations is continuing with full force" and would "take time" to finish. The Israeli army said it had targeted the infrastructure of Hamas and armed group Islamic Jihad, weapons factories and storage sites. Israeli airstrikes also hit the home of Yahya Sinwar, head of Hamas's political wing in Gaza, the army said, releasing footage of plumes of smoke and intense damage, but without saying if he was killed. On Saturday, Israel gave journalists from Al Jazeera and AP news agency an hour to evacuate their offices before launching airstrikes, turning their tower block into piles of smoking rubble. Netanyahu on Sunday said the building also hosted a Palestinian "terrorist" intelligence office. "It is a legitimate target," he said. Inter-communal clashes The violence between Hamas and Israel is the worst since 2014 when Israel launched a military operation on the Gaza Strip with the stated aim of ending rocket fire and destroying tunnels used for smuggling. The war left 2,251 dead on the Palestinian side, mostly civilians, and 74 on the Israeli side, mostly soldiers. Opening the first session of the UN Security Council on the renewed violence on Sunday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the fighting "utterly appalling". "It must stop immediately," he said. But the UN talks, already delayed by Israel's ally the United States, resulted in little action, with Washington opposing a resolution. President Joe Biden's administration says it is working behind the scenes, and that a Security Council statement could backfire. Israel is also trying to contain inter-communal violence between Jews and Arab-Israelis, as well as deadly clashes in the occupied West Bank, where 19 Palestinians have been killed since May 10, according to a toll from Palestinian authorities. Major clashes broke out at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound -- one of Islam's holiest sites -- on May 7 following a crackdown against protests over planned expulsions of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem. Sheikh Jarrah has been at the heart of the flareup, seeing weeks of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces. On Sunday, a car-ramming attack in Sheikh Jarrah wounded seven police officers, police said, adding that the attacker had been killed. Police also said "several suspects" had been arrested during clashes in another east Jerusalem neighbourhood overnight Sunday to Monday. Guterres warned the fighting could have far-reaching consequences if not stopped immediately. "It has the potential to unleash an uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis and to further foster extremism, not only in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel but in the region as a whole." (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Palestine conflict: IDF strikes Hamas tunnels in Gaza, world leaders call for de-escalation

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended Israel's attack on Gaza tower housing Al-Jazeera and The Associated Press offices. He called the attack "perfectly legitimate attack'. His comments are sure to attract criticism for Israel which is already facing global heat.

"An intelligence office for the Palestinian terrorist organization (was) housed in that building that plots and organizes the terror attacks against Israeli civilians," Netanyahu told CBS News.

"So it is a perfectly legitimate target. I can tell you that we took every precaution to make sure that there were no civilian injuries, in fact, no deaths."

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On Saturday (May 15), an Israeli air attack flattened the building in Gaza that housed the media offices.

The attack sent alarm bells ringing across world that is already voicing concern about the escalating Israel-Palestine violence. The attack on media houses elicited a response even from the US, a strong ally of Israel. The US on Saturday asked Israel to protect the journalists.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-3000-rockets-fired-from-gaza-towards-israel-army-claims-385423">Nearly 3,000 rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel, army claims</a>

On Sunday, several strong statements came from the Israeli camp. Israel army chief said that Hamas had 'misjudged' Israel's strength.

"Hamas misjudged the strength of our response," said Aviv Kochavi, the army's chief of general staff, saying Gaza had since been enduring an aerial bombardment of unprecedented "intensity".

'Premeditated violence', says Israel at UN

Israel alleged that violence by&nbsp;Hamas was 'premeditated'.&nbsp;

"It was completely premeditated by Hamas in order to gain political power," said Israel's ambassador to the world body, Gilad Erdan. He was speaking during a session called by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the crisis.

Hamas said its rocket fire into Israel was in response to Israeli forces' entry into the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, amid high tensions over moves to evict Palestinian families in the city.

"Do you really believe that this property dispute is what caused Hamas to launch these large-scale attacks on the people of Israel?" Erdan said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended Israel's attack on Gaza tower housing Al-Jazeera and The Associated Press offices. He called the attack "perfectly legitimate attack'.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended Israel's attack on Gaza tower housing Al-Jazeera and The Associated Press offices. He called the attack "perfectly legitimate attack'. His comments are sure to attract criticism for Israel which is already facing global heat. "An intelligence office for the Palestinian terrorist organization (was) housed in that building that plots and organizes the terror attacks against Israeli civilians," Netanyahu told CBS News. "So it is a perfectly legitimate target. I can tell you that we took every precaution to make sure that there were no civilian injuries, in fact, no deaths." × On Saturday (May 15), an Israeli air attack flattened the building in Gaza that housed the media offices. The attack sent alarm bells ringing across world that is already voicing concern about the escalating Israel-Palestine violence. The attack on media houses elicited a response even from the US, a strong ally of Israel. The US on Saturday asked Israel to protect the journalists. Also Read | Nearly 3,000 rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel, army claims On Sunday, several strong statements came from the Israeli camp. Israel army chief said that Hamas had 'misjudged' Israel's strength. "Hamas misjudged the strength of our response," said Aviv Kochavi, the army's chief of general staff, saying Gaza had since been enduring an aerial bombardment of unprecedented "intensity". 'Premeditated violence', says Israel at UN Israel alleged that violence by Hamas was 'premeditated'. "It was completely premeditated by Hamas in order to gain political power," said Israel's ambassador to the world body, Gilad Erdan. He was speaking during a session called by United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the crisis. Hamas said its rocket fire into Israel was in response to Israeli forces' entry into the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, amid high tensions over moves to evict Palestinian families in the city. "Do you really believe that this property dispute is what caused Hamas to launch these large-scale attacks on the people of Israel?" Erdan said. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel PM Netanyahu defends media house attack, says building was 'legitimate target'

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