The Israeli military continued bombarding the Gaza strip in occupied Palestinian territory for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, May 12, mostly targeting civilians resident areas. Israel claimed it killed 16 members of Hamas, including the commander for Gaza. The death toll in Israeli attack has increased to 56 including at least 14 children. According to the authorities in Gaza, at least 335 people have also been injured in the attacks.
Israel also targeted a high-rise residential building inside Gaza strip on Tuesday night leading to its collapse. At least 80 Palestinian families were living in the building. Most of them were evacuated safely.
Israeli warplanes dropped a bomb on this apartment building, completely demolishing the homes of 80 Palestinian families in the blockaded Gaza Strip. Here's what the building looked like before the bombs, and after. pic.twitter.com/HYiCyfPe4t
— IMEU (@theIMEU) May 11, 2021
Israeli officials claimed that at least seven people, including one Indian nurse, were killed in the rocket attacks from Gaza. Some of the rockets fired by Hamas reportedly landed inside the Israeli city of Tel Aviv leading to suspension of flight operations.
Rockets fired by Hamas also landed in the city of Ashkelon.
Pictures taken from the northern #Gaza Strip showing fire in the Israeli power plant in "Ashkelon" city due to resistance retaliatory rockets fired tonight from the besieged Strip. pic.twitter.com/aI4KjoPQSM
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 11, 2021
Hamas claimed that it fired at least 130 rockets as a response to Israel’s targeting of citizens inside the Gaza strip, TRT World reported. In a televised address on Tuesday, Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will intensify its operation against Hamas and what has happened so far is “just the beginning.”
Meanwhile, social media posts and local press have confirmed movement of Israeli forces towards the Gaza border in large numbers on Wednesday.
Fear of increased Israeli offensive has forced several Palestinian families to evacuate their homes and move to safer places. Gaza is besieged by Israel from land, sea and air since 2006.
Several international groups and countries condemned Israel for its attacks on civilian targets inside Gaza strip and asked to stop all hostilities immediately. The UN special envoy to the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland wrote on Twitter on Wednesday asking “leaders on all sides” to “stop the fire immediately” to avoid a full-scale war between Israel and Palestine.
Stop the fire immediately. We’re escalating towards a full scale war. Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of deescalation. The cost of war in Gaza is devastating & is being paid by ordinary people. UN is working w/ all sides to restore calm. Stop the violence now
— Tor Wennesland (@TWennesland) May 11, 2021
The African Union issued a statement criticizing Israeli attacks inside Gaza and the storming of Al-Aqsa compound in East Jerusalem on Monday injuring hundreds of Palestinians.
