As violence continues to escalate the latest Israeli strikes on Gaza kill a top commander of the group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The group Palestinian Islamic Jihad has confirmed an Israeli air strike on an apartment block in the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning killed one of its top members and two colleagues.
The Israeli military said Ali Ghali was the chief of Jihad’s rocket squad.
The latest violence comes a day after Israeli strikes on Gaza killed three top Islamic Jihad militants and 12 others, including four children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
On Wednesday, Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system intercepted hundreds of rockets launched from the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army and Gaza militants are continuing to trade heavy cross-border fire, with at least 24 Palestinians killed amid the worst escalation of violence to hit the coastal territory in months.
Although most of the rockets from Gaza are intercepted a number got through causing significant damage.
The office of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced “deep concern” over the violence and warned Israel it must adhere to international law. He also condemned the indiscriminate launching of rockets from Gaza into Israel.
Egypt, a frequent mediator between the sides, reportedly brokered a cease-fire, but the truce efforts appeared to falter as fighting intensified late on Wednesday, with neither side showing any sign of backing down.