Israel strikes Gaza
July 19, 2014
The latest Israeli airstrike was directed at the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis and killed at least six people. Twenty others were injured in the attack early Saturday, according to the Palestinian territory's Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra. The death toll on day 12 of the Israeli operation against Gaza had reached 303.
One Israeli civilian and one Israeli soldier have been reported killed since the Jewish state launched its campaign July 8 to stop rocket fire out of the area controled by the militant Palestinian movementHamas.
On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to be ready for "a significant broadening of the ground activity." The Israeli army said 53,000 reserve troops were to be enlisted.
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA has opened 34 of its schools to act as shelters. It said on Friday that the number of people in Gaza seeking safety away from their homes had more than doubled in one day from 22,000 to more than 47,000. The World Food Programme said it aimed to reach 85,000 people in Gaza with food distributions. There have also been serious power shortages in Gaza after electricity lines from Israel were damaged.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was due in the region Saturday to express solidarity with the Israelis and Palestinians," under secretary general for political affairs Jeffrey Feltman told emergency talks at the Security Council on Friday. He said Ban would help Israelis and Palestinians "in coordination with regional and international actors, end the violence and find a way forward."
The US has said it supports Israel's right to defend itself but President Barack Obama said Washington was "deeply concerned about the risks of further escalation and the loss of more innocent life."
The European Union has called for an immediate ceasefire and a lasting peace, expressing concern for "too many civilian deaths, including many children."
jm/av (AP, AFP, Reuters)