The death count from escalating violence in Gaza rose to 24 on Saturday, including six children, as Israel extended its bombardment of Palestinian terrorists who have retaliated with a barrage of rockets.
The updated fatality count from health authorities in Hamas Islamist-run Gaza said six children were among those killed since the start of the “Israeli aggression” on Friday, in addition to 204 injured.
But Israel said it has “irrefutable” evidence that stray rocket from Islamic Jihad terrorists was responsible for the death of multiple children in Jabalia, northern Gaza, on Saturday.
It was not immediately clear how many children were killed in the incident in Jabalia. An AFP photographer saw six dead bodies at an area hospital, including three minors.
Israel’s military has warned its aerial and artillery campaign against Islamic Jihad could last a week, but Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Cairo is talking “around the clock” with both sides to ease the violence.
Israel has said it was necessary to launch a “pre-emptive” operation against Islamic Jihad, saying the group was planning an imminent attack following days of tensions along the border with Gaza.
Civilians meanwhile took refuge in air raid shelters on the Israeli side, with AFP journalists hearing sirens warning of incoming fire in the Tel Aviv area on Saturday evening.