On Thursday, Twenty-nine Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, mainly in attacks on targets in vehicles and on motorcycles, Palestinian officials reported. The death toll in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge stands at over 2,050, while some 10,300 have been wounded as of yesterday afternoon, according to Gaza's health ministry.
In Israel, the condition of a 33-year-old man wounded by mortar shrapnel in Eshkol worsened from moderate to serious as Gazan militants fired 104 rockets and mortar shells at the country, mainly toward the south but reaching as far north as the Samaria Regional Council in the upper West Bank. Eighty-four rockets exploded in open areas and 11 were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system.
An Israeli strike late Wednesday killed three Hamas commanders in Rafah, two of which, Raed Attar and Mohammed Abu Shamaleh, were regarded as the two top Hamas commanders in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the Shin Bet.
Germany, France and Britain have begun working on a UN Security Council resolution that would end the fighting in the Gaza Strip, a document obtained by Haaretz revealed. Later, the U.S. joined the European initiative, diplomats said.
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Latest updates [Friday]:
6:37 A.M. Israeli army strikes 10 targets in the Gaza Strip overnight, the IDF says, raising the number of attacks over the last 24 hours to 50 targets, including rocket launching pads, weapons stashes and rocket launchers, the IDF said. In addition, an Israel Air Force strike hit five militants. (Gili Cohen)
6:14 A.M. Rocket sirens sound in Hof Ashkelon Regional Council (Haaretz)
4:02 A.M. American diplomats said the U.S. had joined the European effort to produce a UN Security Council resolution that would call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and advance the goal of a durable peace. (AP) Read more here
11:53 P.M. Israel is examining the option of renewing the Egypt-mediated truce talks in order to reach a long term deal with Hamas, a government official said. 'The end of the operation, we believe, must go through Cairo,' the official said. Cabinet ministers, among them Bennett, Lieberman and Livni, voiced their opposition in recent days to negotiating with Hamas. During a stormy debate on the issue in the last cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu reprimanded Bennett for his public stance on the subject. Read full story here. (Jonathan Lis)
11:42 P.M. Hamas's Gaza-based deputy political leader Ismail Haniyeh issues a statement following the deaths of three commanders in Hamas' military wing: 'Their martyrdom is a natural price in our journey. The way is long, and the warriors of al Qassam will reap a heavy price from the enemy. The enemy's crimes only strengthen our resolve to seek an end to aggression, a removal of the siege and liberty. Those involved in the cease-fire initiative must know that the Palestinian people will not settle for less than an end to the aggression and the final removal of the Gaza blockade.' (Jacky Khoury)
10:59 P.M. Rocket sirens sound in Ramat Negev Regional Council. The alarm is believed to be a false one. (Shirly Seidler)
10:56 P.M. According to the IDF, 109 rockets and mortar shells launched from Gaza since midnight. 95 projectiles landed, including seven in built-up areas, and 13 interceptions. More than 60 targets have been struck in Gaza. (Gili Cohen)
Entities 0 Name: Hamas Count: 6 1 Name: Gaza Count: 5 2 Name: Gaza Strip Count: 4 3 Name: IDF Count: 3 4 Name: Israel Count: 3 5 Name: Haaretz Count: 3 6 Name: Israeli Count: 2 7 Name: Gili Cohen Count: 2 8 Name: U.S. Count: 2 9 Name: UN Security Council Count: 2 10 Name: Bennett Count: 2 11 Name: Shirly Seidler Count: 1 12 Name: Palestinian Count: 1 13 Name: France Count: 1 14 Name: Jacky Khoury Count: 1 15 Name: P.M. Hamas Count: 1 16 Name: Raed Attar Count: 1 17 Name: Netanyahu Count: 1 18 Name: Israel Air Force Count: 1 19 Name: Germany Count: 1 20 Name: Ramat Negev Regional Council Count: 1 21 Name: Hof Ashkelon Regional Council Count: 1 22 Name: Ismail Haniyeh Count: 1 23 Name: Jonathan Lis Count: 1 24 Name: Lieberman Count: 1 25 Name: Mohammed Abu Shamaleh Count: 1 26 Name: AP Count: 1 27 Name: Eshkol Count: 1 28 Name: West Bank Count: 1 29 Name: Cairo Count: 1 30 Name: Samaria Regional Council Count: 1 31 Name: Britain Count: 1 32 Name: Rafah Count: 1 33 Name: Livni Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1ttrT0w Title: Hamas says 3 senior leaders killed in Gaza strike Description: GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed three senior commanders of the Hamas military wing Thursday, delivering a likely blow to the organization's morale and highlighting the long reach of Israel's intelligence services.