We support Israel 100% in defence of its citizens, says Donald Trump on Gaza escalation

President Donald Trump assured Israel on Sunday that it has Washington's full support after the Jewish state led waves of retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rockets.

"Once again, Israel faces a barrage of deadly rocket attacks by terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We support Israel 100% in its defence of its citizens," Trump tweeted.

"To the Gazan people — these terrorist acts against Israel will bring you nothing but more misery. END the violence and work towards peace - it can happen!"

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Four people were killed in Israel and 19 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, both countries' authorities said, during the most serious escalation since a 2014 war.

Israel carried out a series of strikes in response to rocket barrages fired from the Hamas-run territory.

In total, 19 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza on Sunday, the enclave's health ministry said.

The ministry said among those killed on Sunday were a pregnant woman and a four-month-old baby. The Israeli military declined to comment on the claim.

At least nine of those killed were confirmed to be militants affiliated with the Palestinian territory's leaders Hamas or the allied Islamic Jihad group.

On the Israeli side four civilians were killed as Hamas and Islamic Jihad fired barrages of rockets and at least one anti-tank missile from the enclave, Israeli authorities said.

Three of the dead were identified by authorities as Israeli citizens, with the nationality of the fourth not announced.

Israeli targets included internal security headquarters in the Palestinian enclave, an interior ministry statement said.

The building in Gaza City was destroyed, the statement said.

Rocket fire and Israeli strikes continued Sunday evening.