The death toll in the escalating violence between Israel and Palestinians grew to 49 on Wednesday as Hamas fired a barrage of rockets into Israel and airstrikes targeted Gaza.
There was also unrest in the Israeli city of Lod where PM Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of emergency after a dozen people were reportedly injured amid mass riots.
At least six Israelis and 43 Palestinians have died since Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Footage as the Gaza factions attempt to disrupt the precision Israeli defenses with overwhelming rocket attacks over main population centers around Tel Aviv this night pic.twitter.com/IlcIoz8Q3K
— Gaza Report - اخبار غزة (@gaza_report) May 11, 2021
The flare-up set off air-raid sirens in major Israeli cities, with footage widely shared on social media showing Israeli interceptor missiles hitting rockets in Tel Aviv’s night sky.
Two tower blocks collapsed in Gaza after Israeli airstrikes, according to local reports.
Tor Wennesland, the UN’s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, warned the situation was “escalating towards a full-scale war.”
The escalating violence comes after weeks of tensions and clashes in Jerusalem.
