Gaza conflict death toll mounts
July 19, 2014
The death toll on the Palestinian side rose to 342 on the 12th day of bloodshed in the Gaza Strip. On Israel's side, three soldiers and two civilians died.
As Israel continued its ground offensive as well as aerial bombardments in Gaza, the number of displaced people seeking sanctuary in shelters set up by the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) exceeded 50,000 - more than in the previous conflict in 2008-2009.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed in a cross-border attack by Hamas militants on Saturday, according to the Israeli army.
Israel decided to send ground forces into Gaza on Thursday, after 10 days of air and naval operations failed to stop rocket fire from the Palestinian territory. The Israeli army aimed to destroy Hamas's tunnel network, which it says is being used to launch attacks on Israel.
On Saturday, Israeli bulldozers and engineers worked along a mile-wide strip of Gaza's eastern frontier, uncovering 13 tunnels, at least one of them 30 meters (90 feet) deep.
The Israeli death toll has been kept low due to the rockets' relative inaccuracy, a network of air raid sirens and shelters and the "Iron Dome" rocket interceptor's 90-percent success rate.
UN chief to mediate
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was due to start a tour of the Middle East, arriving Sunday in Qatar. He was expected to travel on to Kuwait City, Cairo, Jerusalem, Ramallah in the West Bank and Amman, Jordan, according to the UN.
UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman told the UN Security Council on Friday that Ban would help both sides "in coordination with regional and international actors, end the violence and find a way forward."
The United States has supported Israel's right to defend itself, but US President Barack Obama said Washington was "deeply concerned about the risks of further escalation and the loss of more innocent life." He added that he hoped Israel would proceed "in a way that minimizes civilian casualties."
In the European Union, however, there were calls for a ceasefire.
"We call on all parties to immediately agree to a ceasefire," read a statement from the Council of the European Union on Friday. "We have already witnessed too many civilian deaths, including many children."
ng/jm (AFP, Reuters, dpa)