Israel bombs Hamas TV channels in the Gaza Strip

The Israeli Air Force bombed the Hamas radical Islamist television channel in the Gaza Strip. Al-Aksa television in Gaza City was destroyed, Palestinian officials said. Victim reports were not available at the outset.

The employees had left the TV channel before the bombing after Israel had telephoned the chain to evacuate the building. Also warned the air force before the attack with the firing of five missiles that struck nearby and did not explode. Al-Aksa TV resumed its activities after a short break and broadcasted martial music images.

The violence has degenerated

Recently, violence between Israel and the Palestinians has intensified further. Palestinians fired several rockets into Israeli territory, where a bus was destroyed and a soldier wounded. The Israeli army spoke of 200 rockets and mortar shells, about 60 of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.

Israeli warplanes responded by attacking more than 70 military targets in the coastal area, the army said. At least three people were killed according to Palestinian data. Nine other Palestinians were wounded, the Health Ministry said in Gaza.

Climbing yesterday

The bombing follows the deployment of Israeli security forces in the Gaza Strip yesterday, in which six Palestinians died. During Palestinian attacks, an Israeli lieutenant colonel was killed, according to the army. The new wave of violence challenges efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the UN to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The United Nations Special Envoy for the Middle East, Nikolay Mladenov, wrote on Twitter: "The escalation of the past 24 hours is extremely dangerous and inconsiderate." The United Nations has worked closely with, among others, Egypt to calm the situation.