Summary
Israel launched more than 30 aerial attacks in Gaza Saturday, killing five Palestinians, and militants fired rockets at Israel as the conflict entered a second month, defying international efforts to negotiate an agreement for an extended cease-fire.
Since the end of a 72-hour truce Friday, Gaza militants have fired more than 65 rockets at Israel, military officials said. Two Israelis were hurt by a mortar attack Friday.
Israeli air strikes killed five Palestinians Friday, among them a 10-year-old boy near a mosque in Gaza City.
By resuming attacks against Israel, Gaza militants appeared to be trying to ramp up pressure and making it clear they were ready to fight on to fulfil a goal of ending a blockade of the territory that both Israel and Egypt have imposed.
Gaza officials say the war has killed 1,886 Palestinians, most of them civilians.
Israel expanded its air and naval bombardment of the Gaza Strip into a ground offensive on July 17, and pulled its infantry and armour out of the enclave on Tuesday after saying it had destroyed more than 30 infiltration tunnels dug by militants.
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