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Israel-Gaza conflict continues to escalate, death toll rises

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Sun, 16 May 2021, 4:30PM
People gather to stage a demonstration in support of Palestinians and to protest against Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. (Photo / Getty)
People gather to stage a demonstration in support of Palestinians and to protest against Israeli attacks on Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. (Photo / Getty)

Israel-Gaza conflict continues to escalate, death toll rises

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Sun, 16 May 2021, 4:30PM

The conflict between Israel and Gaza is now in its seventh day.

At least 148 people have been killed in Gaza, while 10 have died in Israel.

The international community, including US President Joe Biden, has called for an end to the escalating clash.

AFP News Agency Reporter Daniella Cheslow is in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, and told the Weekend Collective the scenes there are chaotic.

"Israel rockets are disruptive and dangerous, but in Gaza the airstrikes are deadly and near-apocalyptic. Yesterday the army levelled the El Jallad building - it's a tower of 12 stories."

Meanwhile, despite the rising death toll and international efforts to broker a cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled the fourth war with Gaza's Hamas rulers would rage on.

In a televised address, Netanyahu said the attacks were continuing at "full-force" and will "take time". Israel "wants to levy a heavy price" on the Hamas militant group, he said, flanked by his defence minister and political rival, Benny Gantz, in a show of unity.

Hamas also pressed on, launching rockets from civilian areas in Gaza toward civilian areas in Israel. One slammed into a synagogue in the southern city of Ashkelon hours before evening services for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, Israeli emergency services said. No injuries were reported.

The hostilities have repeatedly escalated over the past week, marking the worst fighting in the territory that is home to 2 million Palestinians since Israel and Hamas' devastating 2014 war.

"I have not seen this level of destruction through my 14 years of work," said Samir al-Khatib an emergency rescue official in Gaza. "Not even in the 2014 war."

- with AP

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