Violence escalates as Israel-Gaza conflict enters second week

The violent exchanges between Israel and Palestinian militants have entered a second week, with signs that the destruction and bloodshed are increasing.

Sunday saw the deadliest attacks by Israel on Gaza to date, killing 42 Palestinians. Another Israeli onslaught early on Monday was reportedly broader and more intense, but there are no reports yet on casualties.

In response, Palestinian militant group Hamas has now fired more rockets from the occupied territory into Israel than in the entire 2014 war. Sirens have sounded across parts of Israel for seven consecutive days.

The UN coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, outlined the week’s depressing data: 950 Israeli airstrikes on Gaza killed 181 Palestinians, including 52 children; more than 2,900 rockets fired by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad killed 10 people, including two children.

There has been no ceasefire to allow medics in Gaza to recover people, alive or dead, from under collapsed buildings.

UN Secretary General António Guterres said the conflict was becoming an ‘uncontainable security and humanitarian crisis,’ but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country’s attacks would continue at ‘full force’ and would ‘take time,’ adding that he ‘wants to levy a heavy price’ on Hamas.

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