BICOM

Fierce fighting in Gaza yesterday saw civilian casualties continue to mount, sparking increased concerns from international leaders.

At least 15 Palestinians were killed yesterday when a shell struck a United Nations-run school in Jabaliya, where thousands had sought refuge from the fighting. The Israeli military said that its forces had come under mortar fire from the school’s vicinity. Meanwhile, an apparent Israeli air strike reportedly killed 17 people in a market in the Shejaiya neighbourhood yesterday afternoon. It came after Israel had declared a four-hour humanitarian truce, which Hamas had rejected, continuing to fire rockets at Israel.

Prime Minister David Cameron said, “what is happening in Gaza is completely tragic and ghastly, the loss of life is appalling” and called for “an unconditional, immediate ceasefire.” However, he emphasised that recent temporary ceasefires have invariably “been obeyed and observed by Israelis” but not by Hamas. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told BBC Radio Four that while Israelis are “defending their security,” the death toll is “undermining the support for Israel that exists in the West.” This morning, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel told his Israeli counterpart Moshe Ya’alon that the United States is concerned over the “worsening humanitarian situation” in Gaza, but also called for the disarmament of Hamas.

During yesterday, Hamas fired at least 130 rockets and mortars into Israel, including a number towards Tel Aviv’s southern suburbs yesterday evening, which were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system. There was almost total quiet overnight although rocket fire resumed this morning towards Beer Sheva, Ashdod and Ashkelon. Meanwhile, Channel Two reports that some 300,000 Israelis have left their homes in southern Israel due to continued rocket attacks and the threat of infiltration via Gaza tunnels. Overnight, the IDF attacked 19 targets in the Gaza Strip, including five houses which were being used as command centres. Head of IDF Southern Command, Sami Turgeman yesterday said Israeli forces are “days away” from destroying Hamas’s complex tunnel network used to attack Israel.