Gaza death toll rises to 16 amid Israeli bombardment

Five Palestinians have been killed in continued Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, Gaza's Ministry of Health said, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since the violence began on Friday to 16.

The latest victims have been identified as Bilal al-Bana and Abdullah Abu Al-Ata, the ministry confirmed. They were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a gathering of Palestinians in the Shujaiya area in eastern Gaza city, according to The New Arab’s correspondent.

Another Israeli strike targeted the town of Beit Lahiya in the north of the Gaza Strip, injuring a number of civilians.

Meanwhile, Palestinian armed groups announced they had targeted the Israeli cities of Beersheba and Ashkelon in retaliation.

Two Israelis were killed, and two others were wounded in Palestinian rocket strikes on the city of Ashkelon and the town of Sderot. One of the rockets hit a vehicle factory. Earlier, a 58-year-old Israeli man was killed in a Palestinian strike also on Ashkelon.

The New Arab’s correspondent in Gaza also reported that the Izzedin al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, used a guided missile to target an Israeli armoured vehicle - landing a direct hit.

Fighting broke out between Palestinian factions and Israel after four Palestinians were killed and two Israeli soldiers were wounded during a weekly demonstration at the Gaza-Israel border on Friday. 

Seven Palestinians were also killed in Israeli rocket strikes on the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed to increase strikes on “terror elements” in the Gaza Strip, amid reports that an Israeli ground invasion of the besieged Palestinian territory was imminent.

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