Israel hits Gaza as battle flares after West Financial institution clashes By Reuters

By James Mackenzie

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli jets struck Gaza in a single day on Friday in retaliation for 2 rockets fired by Palestinian militants, additional escalating tensions after one of many worst days of violence within the occupied West Financial institution in years.

The rockets fired from Gaza in a single day set off alarms in Israeli communities close to the border with the southern coastal strip managed by the Islamist motion Hamas however there have been no studies of casualties.

The cross-border fireplace got here after an Israeli raid on a refugee camp within the West Financial institution on Thursday that killed at the very least 9 Palestinians, together with militant gunmen and at the very least two civilians, the best single-day loss of life toll in years.

One other man died in a separate incident in al-Ramm exterior Jerusalem, bringing the Palestinian loss of life toll to this point in 2023 to at the very least 30.

The raid, the most recent in a near-daily sequence of clashes within the West Financial institution over the previous 12 months, got here days earlier than U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was as a result of go to Israel and the West Financial institution.

The months of violence, which surged after a spate of deadly assaults in Israel final 12 months, have drawn fears the battle may spiral uncontrolled, triggering a broader confrontation between Palestinians and Israel.

The U.S. State Division issued an announcement on Thursday saying it was “deeply involved” with the violence within the West Financial institution and urged either side to de-escalate the battle.

In Gaza, giant rallies have been deliberate for the afternoon following Friday prayers.

Within the aftermath of Thursday’s raid, the Palestinian Authority, which has restricted governing powers within the West Financial institution, mentioned it was suspending a safety cooperation association with Israel that’s broadly credited with serving to to maintain order within the territory and stopping assaults towards Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who returned to energy this 12 months on the head of probably the most right-wing governments in Israel’s historical past, mentioned Israel was not trying to escalate the scenario, though he ordered safety forces to be on alert.

The Israeli Defence Pressure mentioned Friday’s air strikes in Gaza focused an underground rocket manufacturing website and a army base utilized by Hamas.