GAZA CITY: Israel carried out waves of retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday after Palestinian rockets hit Israeli cities, in a deadly escalation that has shown no signs of slowing and raised fears of war.
Gazan authorities reported 16 Palestinians killed, including at least six militants, by Israeli strikes in the fighting that began Saturday with massive rocket fire from the strip. Israel however disputed their account of the deaths of apregnant woman and a baby, blaming errant fire from Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules the enclave. Three people were killed in Gaza rocket and missile strikes on southern Israel on Sunday. Two were confirmed as Israeli, the army said.
The flare-up came as Hamas sought further concessions from Israel under a fragile months-old ceasefire. The Palestinian dead included a commander for Hamas´s armed wing who Israel said it targeted due to his role in transferring money from Iran to militant groups in the Gaza Strip. It was a rare admission of a targeted killing by Israel´s army.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he instructed the military "to continue its massive strikes on terror elements in the Gaza Strip." He said he had also ordered "tanks, artillery and infantry forces" to reinforce troops already deployed near Gaza.