Death Toll From Israeli Operation In Gaza Exceeds 40
The death toll from Israel’s Operation Breaking Dawn against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has risen to 41, the Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip announced late on August 7.
According to the ministry, the casualties include 15 children and four women. One of the casualties was also a member of the Hamas Movement, the de-facto ruler of Gaza. More than 311 people have been also wounded.
In the recent hours, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stepped up its strikes on PIJ positions in Gaza. The al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the PIJ, responded by intensifying its rockets attacks. One of the attacks targeted the Israeli capital, Tel Aviv.
According to the IDF, more than 900 rockets have been launched from Gaza by the PIJ and other factions since the start of Operation Breaking Dawn.
The escalation by both sides came just hours after reports of a near ceasefire in Gaza. Now, it appears that the battle may go on until at least midnight.
The IDF kicked off Operation Breaking Dawn on August 5, with the aim of deterring the PIJ. The faction has been very active politically and militarily in the West Bank, especially in the Jenin refugee camp, for a few months now. This provoked Tel Aviv.
Israel has clearly failed to deter the PIJ or damage its ability to carry out rocket attacks. Despite this, it appears to be planning to concluded its operation within 24 hours.
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