Israel launches new air raids on besieged Gaza Strip
The Israeli military renewed its bombardment of the beleaguered Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning, targeting several areas after rockets were fired from the enclave.
The new attacks come hours after at least 24 Palestinians – including nine children – were killed in overnight Israeli air strikes on the strip after Hamas launched rockets from the coastal territory towards Israel, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
The rocket fire came after Gaza’s rulers Hamas issued an ultimatum demanding Israel stand down its security forces from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem after days of violence against Palestinians.
Israeli police stormed the compound on Monday for a third consecutive day, firing rubber-coated steel rounds, stun grenades, and tear gas at Palestinian worshippers inside the mosque in the final days of the holy month of Ramadan.
More than 700 Palestinians were hurt in Jerusalem and across the occupied West Bank over the past 24 hours.
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