A renewed push towards unity between the two main Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, is causing concern in the Israeli military.

Violence continued to escalate at the Gaza border this morning as two more rockets and ten mortar shells were fired by Hamas terrorists into residential areas in the south of Israel, in Beersheva and Ashdod.

A 56-year-old man was injured in one attack, while three others were treated by doctors following the blasts.

Britain’s Foreign Office minister for the Middle East has condemned Hamas for sending more than 50 mortars into Israel in just a few hours, and called on the terrorist organisation to immediately halt its behaviour.

Alistair Burt said that the barrage from the Gaza Strip – the heaviest in two years – by a group allied to Hamas was “unacceptable”.

The capture of an arms shipment from Syria, bound for Gaza, revealed attempts by Hamas to obtain advanced capabilities with which to threaten Israeli shipping and natural gas installations in the Mediterranean.

The German-owned Victoria, a container-ship on a routine voyage through ports in the eastern Mediterranean, took on a shipment in the Syrian port of Latakia on Monday.

A freighter carrying a significant amount of weaponry believed to be for use by terrorists in the Gaza Strip has been intercepted by the Israeli navy.

The Victoria, which set sail from Syria and went via Turkey, was bound for Egypt but intelligence suggested it was carrying weapons from Iran for Hamas to smuggle across the border.

The White House has demanded an “unequivocal condemnation” from the Palestinian Authority over the brutal stabbing of five Israelis last night, including a three-month old baby and two other children.

George Galloway has said Hamas are not tyrants and defended elections in Iran during a lecture about the fall of dictatorships.

Speaking to LSE students on Monday, the former Respect MP called Israel an “apartheid” state and compared scenes in Gaza after Operation Cast Lead to those in the Second World War.