GAZA CITY
The Israeli army intensified its air, naval and artillery attacks against several areas across the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Wednesday, leaving at least 12 Palestinians dead and 30 others wounded since midnight, eyewitnesses said.
Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that the Israeli warplanes and artillery pounded houses and lots of farmland in the eastern areas of Khan Younis in the south and Jabalia and Beit Hanoun towns in the north as well as Gaza City.
Israeli raids also totally destroyed the three mosques in Al-Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City, Sheikh Ijlin district in southern Gaza City and Beit Lahia town in northern Gaza Strip, the witnesses added.
Several casualties were also reported in the aftermath of an Israeli shelling of several eastern areas of Gaza City, they added.
Israeli warships, meanwhile, opened fire at several areas along the northwestern coasts of Gaza, but no injuries were reported.
The latest fatalities brought up to 1241 the number of Palestinians killed in the ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza, now in its fourth week, Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qodra told Anadolu Agency.
Since July 7, Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip – from air, land and sea – with devastating bombardments with the ostensible aim of halting rocket fire from the strip.
Israel claims that the offensive, now in its fourth week, aims at halting rocket fire from the blockaded Palestinian territory.
At least 56 Israelis – 53 soldiers and three civilians – have been killed since the hostilities began.
Israel's military operation, dubbed operation "Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip – which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians – within the last six years.
In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed in Israel's three-week-long operation "Cast Lead."
By Mustafa Haboosh
englishnews@aa.com.tr
www.aa.com.tr/en
