Despite international calls for a cease-fire, the worst Israeli-Palestinian military conflict in years appears to be intensifying. Palestinian militants continued to fire rockets into Israel on Tuesday, while Israel renewed its airstrikes on Gaza. There were reports of rockets being fired in the direction of Lebanon as well.
According to the Washington Post, “At about 11:30 p.m. Monday (May 17), UNIFIL spotted rockets being fired from the area of Rashay Al Foukhar, north of Kfar Chouba in southern Lebanon.”
UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL) tweeted, “Israel Defense Forces (IDF) returned artillery fire to the rocket launch site.”
Israel said half a dozen rockets from southern Lebanon failed to enter Israeli territory. It was not immediately clear who the rockets came from.
Reuters reported that Israeli leaders said they would now continue their offensive to destroy the fighting strength of Hamas militants and Islamic militant groups.
“The fighting will not stop until we bring complete and long-term calm,” Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said in a video statement. He accused Hamas of being responsible for the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hamas began firing rockets into Israel eight days ago, saying it was in response to the court’s expulsion of several Palestinian families from East Jerusalem and in retaliation for the treatment of Palestinian rioters by Israeli police.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said riots broke out near Al-Aqsa Mosque (or Al-Aqsa), the city’s third holiest site, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on May 10. The clashes were sparked by Palestinians throwing artillery shells at Israeli security forces. It quickly escalated into the worst violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in years.
Israel said Hamas fired more than 3,450 rockets at it from Gaza, some of which fell short and others were shot down by its Iron Dome air defense facility. Israel then responded with air strikes.
Medical officials in Gaza said 213 Palestinians were killed, and Israeli authorities said 10 people, including two children, were killed in their own country.
According to data from the Israeli side, its forces killed about 130 Hamas members and 30 militants of the Islamic militant group.
Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union.
White House: Biden Again Supports Israeli Self-Defense Action
The international community is closely watching the development of a new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has called on both sides to cease fire.
The Associated Press reported that President Joe Biden spoke again Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated his support for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza.
It was Biden’s second phone call to Netanyahu in three days. In a statement released by the White House, he reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas’ indiscriminate rocket attacks, while “encouraging Israel to do everything it can to ensure the protection of innocent civilians.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah said his kingdom is engaged in stopping the bloodshed through diplomacy; Egypt and U.N. mediators have also stepped up diplomatic efforts, and the U.N. will meet on Thursday for related discussions.
However, Army Gen. Mark Milley, the top U.S. military official, warned Monday that a new round of violence between Israelis and Palestinians could spread.
The Israeli military said it killed a Palestinian who tried to attack them with a gun and improvised explosives in the West Bank and shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near the border with Jordan on Tuesday.
Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman, Israel’s chief military spokesman, said the military will continue to operate in Gaza in the next 24 hours according to a list of targets against Hamas and other militants.
“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) does not talk about a cease-fire,” he told Army Radio, “We are focused on firing.”
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