Fighting escalates between Israel and Hamas

Shortly after daybreak on Wednesday, Israel set off dozens of airstrikes on Gaza City, creating a gray cloud of smoke. The strikes, which began Monday, have destroyed several key locations of the Hamas militant group. Militants in Gaza have also fired dozens of rockets into several parts of Israel, setting off sirens and explosions. The fighting is the worst since 2014.

Has the unrest reached other regions? In some Arab communities across Israel, protesters threw stones and set cars on fire as they fought with police. In the West Bank, a 26-year-old Palestinian died when Israeli troops clashed with people at the al-Fawar refugee camp in southern Hebron. In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas and other smaller jihadist groups in Gaza “have paid, and I tell you here, will pay a heavy price for their aggression.” Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations, which all serve as mediators between the warring sides, are drawing up a ceasefire agreement.

Dig deeper: Read my earlier report in The Sift on conditions that triggered the fighting.