MIDDLE EAST: Israeli strikes destroy buildings in Gaza near border, while offensive deepens in hunt for tunnels

Record ID: 335829

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: Israeli strikes destroy buildings in Gaza near border, while offensive deepens in hunt for tunnels
  • Date: 30th July 2014
  • Summary: GAZA (FILMED FROM ISRAEL SIDE OF BORDER) (JULY 30, 2014) (REUTERS) BUILDING EXPLODING IN GAZA NEAR BORDER SMOKE RISING FROM BUILDINGS BUILDING EXPLODING SMOKE RISING ON GAZA SIDE ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER, ISRAEL (JULY 30, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TANK MOVING NEAR WALL GAZA (FILMED FROM ISRAEL SIDE OF BORDER) (JULY 30, 2014) (REUTERS) EXCAVATOR DIGGING GROUND SMOKE R
  • Embargoed: 14th August 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Gaza, Israel
  • City:
  • Country: Gaza Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVACMFYGG43817N4JQ8SZ5X1DHLO
  • Story Text: Israel exploded buildings on the Gaza border on Wednesday (July 30), as a three-week offensive continued with Israel balking at Hamas's demands for a lifting of a siege until they are disarmed.
    More than 60 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip died from early Wednesday as Israel said it targeted Islamist militants at dozens of sites across the coastal enclave, while Egyptian mediators prepared a revised ceasefire proposal.
    Israeli channels reported that a humanitarian ceasefire was imminent, while a Palestinian delegation was expected to arrive in Cairo for discussions.
    Israel launched its offensive on July 8 in response to rocket salvoes fired by Gaza's dominant Hamas Islamists and their allies.
    In ground operations launched 10 days later, the army has said its main mission is to locate and destroy tunnels that militants have built under the frontier and have used to launch attacks inside Israel.
    Five rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel on Wednesday, landing harmlessly in open areas, Israeli police said.
    The health ministry in Gaza said 1,283 Palestinians, most of them civilians including around 200 children, have been killed since Israel began its offensive on July 8 with the declared aim of halting cross-border rocket fire.
    On the Israeli side, 53 soldiers and three civilians have been killed. Public support remains strong for continuing the operation in the hope of preventing future flareups.
    Both U.S. President Barack Obama and the U.N. Security Council have called for an immediate ceasefire to allow relief to reach Gaza's 1.8 million Palestinians, followed by negotiations on a more durable end to hostilities.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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