GAZA, July 31 (RIA Novosti) – Almost 130 Palestinians were killed Wednesday in Gaza Strip, where Israel conducts a military operation that has already claimed lives of over 1,300 people, health ministry official Ashraf al-Kidra told journalists.
“Today 129 people died, 400 were injured. The total number of those killed in course of the operation has reached 1,359 with 7,677 wounded,” al-Kidra said, adding that there are no more beds available in Gaza’s main hospital.
The most deadly episodes of the past days were the shelling of the market in Shejaiya near Gaza City and of the UN-run school full of refugees in the city of Jabalia. Both incidents happened during the humanitarian pause. Tel Aviv so far withheld comments.
Israeli Army has lost three servicemen who were killed by explosion during inspection of one of the tunnels in southern Gaza where Palestinian militants were hiding. Since the beginning of the offensive Israel has lost 56 people, including 53 officers and soldiers.
Tel Aviv launched its Gaza offensive on July 8, targeting the Hamas movement and its allied groups of rebels in response to Palestinian aggression. On July 17, following days of fighting, Tel Aviv switched to a ground offensive aimed at destroying underground tunnel used by Palestinians to smuggle arms and secretly enter Israeli territory.
