JERUSALEM
The Israeli army on Thursday asked Gazans who live near the border to leave their homes for their own safety amid an ongoing military campaign against the Gaza Strip that has killed 86 Palestinians since late Monday, Israeli media has reported.
According to Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post, the move came as Israel amassed ground troops along the strip's borders in advance of a possible ground assault.
The Israeli army on Thursday said its aircraft had carried out 800 airstrikes against targets in the Gaza Strip since its military offensive on the Palestinian enclave – which remains ongoing – began late Monday.
The army, speaking on Twitter, said that of the 800 airstrikes launched since Monday, 60 had been carried out Thursday.
For the last three days, Israeli warplanes have pounded the Gaza Strip as part of a military offensive – dubbed "Operation Protective Edge" – with the stated aim of ending rocket fire from Gaza.
At least 86 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured since Israel's operation began, according to Palestinian medical sources.
Gaza-based resistance factions, meanwhile, have continued to fire rockets into Israel – causing no casualties thus far – in response to the unrelenting airstrikes.
The Israeli army claimed earlier that Hamas had fired over 365 rockets at Israel from Gaza within less than three days.
No Israeli deaths have been reported thus far as a result of the recent spate of Palestinian rocket fire.
By Alaa Rimawi
www.aa.com.tr/en
