Gaza/Jerusalem: Israel on Tuesday bombed several mosques, a hospital and a stadium in the Hamas-ruled Gaza even as international efforts intensified to broker a ceasefire to end the 15-day conflict that has killed 604 Palestinians and 29 Israelis.
As the death toll mounted, the US and the UN appealed to both sides to end the hostilities that has claimed the live civilians, including children. US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN chief Ban Ki-moon are in Egypt to try to arrange a ceasefire.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) struck some 190 terrorist targets over the past 24 hours in the Gaza Strip, including over 100 in Shejaia. However, Israeli justice minister Tzipi Livni ruled out any ceasefire until the IDF finishes an operation aimed at destroying tunnels used by militants for cross-border attacks.
Several mosques, a football stadium and a hospital were destroyed in Tuesday’s strikes, Palestinian officials said. The US and European airlines halted flights to Israel after a rocket landed near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.
Delta Air Lines, United and US Airways scrapped their flights to Tel Aviv Tuesday. Germany’s Lufthansa and Air France also suspended flights.
