- Title: GAZA: More Israeli air strikes hit Gaza as cross border violence escalates
- Date: 22nd August 2011
- Summary: AMBULANCE DRIVING AWAY
- Embargoed: 6th September 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Gaza, Gaza
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA5RKWQ6N6PKQ3ZZBISBKB8PFRU
- Story Text: A series of Israeli air strikes on Gaza wounded seven Palestinians and damaged a Hamas compound, the Islamist group said on Sunday (August 21).
The wounded, one of which was a Hamas security man, were evacuated to a hospital in Gaza city.
Palestinian militants fired at least 12 rockets into southern Israel on Sunday, drawing an Israeli threat to step up attacks in the Gaza Strip in a surge of cross-border violence.
The bloodshed began on Thursday (August 18), when gunmen whom Israel said came from the Gaza Strip and crossed into its territory near the Red Sea resort of Eilat via Egypt's Sinai peninsula, killed eight people in attacks on a desert road.
Five Egyptian security personnel and seven gunmen were also killed in that day's violence.
Cairo said on Saturday (August 20) it would recall its ambassador to Tel Aviv over the killing of its men, but welcomed Israel's promise of a joint investigation.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Israel regretted the deaths, which have sparked the most serious crisis in ties with Egypt since long-time ruler Hosni Mubarak's overthrow in February. Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty in 1979.
Israel has carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip since Thursday that medical officials said have killed least 15 people, among them gunmen and five civilians. Israel said more than 100 rockets have been fired from the Hamas Islamist-controlled enclave at its southern towns and villages.
In Sunday's attacks, rockets from the Gaza Strip hit an empty school in Beersheba and struck the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon. There were no reports of casualties. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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