Smoke billows following an Israel air strike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. The heaviest fighting of Israel's war on Hamas raged in Gaza City early on Tuesday as the Israeli government parried appeals to stop the death toll from mounting further. (AFP/Said Khatib)From Bloomberg:
Israeli soldiers and Hamas gunmen engaged in pitched battles last night throughout the Gaza Strip, as increased diplomatic efforts to end the 11-day conflict failed to make headway.
Fighting was heavy in northern Gaza and on the outskirts of Gaza City, the Haaretz newspaper said. The army refused to comment on ongoing operations.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, speaking to reporters yesterday, vowed to continue the operation until Hamas stopped its rocket attacks on Israeli communities.
The armed wing of Hamas issued a statement in Gaza saying it had “lots of surprises” waiting for Israel’s soldiers and would “fight against the aggression.”
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