Further signs of increasing tensions in Israel indicate that Israel is expanding its military operations. The military said it would send additional troops to the Gaza border, and the Minister of Defense ordered the mobilization of 5,000 reserve soldiers.

In the past, the cross-border battle between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza, usually ended in a few days, usually thanks to behind-the-scenes mediation by Qatar, Egypt and other countries. It is not clear whether such a resolution will be reached this time.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that the fighting may “continue for some time”. Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, spokesman for the Israeli military, told reporters on Tuesday that the military is in the “early phase” of an early strike against targets in Gaza.

Prior to the overnight rockets and air strikes, there were hours of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, including a fierce confrontation at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem (a holy site for Jews and Muslims). More than 700 Palestinians were injured in fighting in the disputed city and throughout the West Bank, including nearly 500 people receiving treatment in hospitals.

Demonstration overnight

Signs of turbulence in Israel indicate that hundreds of residents of Arab communities across Israel have held overnight demonstrations, condemning the recent actions taken by Israeli security forces against Palestinians. This is one of the biggest protests by Palestinian citizens in Israel in recent years.

The escalation was carried out at a time when the political situation in Israel was tense.

Netanyahu has been the caretaker prime minister since parliamentary elections in March were undecided. He tried to form a coalition government with his tough and ultra-orthodox allies, but failed, and the task was handed over to his political opponents last week. The Israeli Minister of Defense is one of its competitors, and he is overseeing the battle in Gaza. Although the hostile camp has unanimously expressed support for a severe attack on Hamas, it is unclear whether and to what extent this harmful political atmosphere has spread to military decision-making.

Israeli media reported that the new round of violence is slowing Netanyahu’s rivals’ efforts to form a ruling coalition between political parties with a wide range of ideologies, but the common goal is to overthrow Netanyahu. The leader of the Arab leader Ra’am, Mansour Abbas, essentially said that he will work with any political camp to improve the biggest place in the Arab community, but the current tensions It may at least prevent him from joining the league for now.

The current violence in Jerusalem coincides with the beginning of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in mid-April. Critics say that severe police measures have contributed to the unrest at night, including the decision to temporarily close a popular meeting place where Palestinian residents meet after praying at night. Another tipping point was the Sheikh Jarrah community in Jerusalem, where dozens of Palestinians were threatened with deportation by Jewish settlers.

Confrontation in East Jerusalem

Last weekend, confrontation broke out in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, which was occupied and annexed by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War. Located in the Old City of Jerusalem, the compound is the third holiest place in Islam and the holiest place in Judaism.

For four consecutive days, Israeli police fired tear gas, grenades and rubber bullets at Palestinians who threw stones and chairs in the compound. Hundreds of Palestinians were injured and needed treatment in the hospital. Two officers were also injured. Sometimes the police fired vertigo grenades at the mosque.

On Monday night, after giving Israel a deadline to withdraw its security forces from the compound, Hamas began launching rockets from Gaza and sounding air strike sirens to Jerusalem. Since then, the upgrade has been rapid.

Army spokesman Conricos said that Gaza militants fired more than 200 rockets at Israel, of which about one-third failed and landed in Gaza.

The military said that a rocket hit a seven-story apartment building in the coastal city of Ashkelon in Israel. Photos and videos at the scene showed a large explosion hole on the side of the building. Israeli medical worker Madan David Adom said it rescued six people injured in the rocket attack. Both were moderately hospitalized.

Kongrisius said the military hit 130 targets in the Gaza Strip, including the high-rise residences of Hamas field commanders, and dug two tunnel militants on the border with Israel. Concrisius said that Israel killed 15 militants, including some who dig tunnels.

He did not report to the Gaza Ministry of Health that 24 Palestinians were killed overnight, including 9 children.

In Gaza, most deaths were attributed to air strikes. However, seven of them were members of a family, including three children, who were killed in a mysterious explosion in Beit Hanoun, a town in northern Gaza. It is not clear whether the explosion was caused by an Israeli air strike or the wrong rocket.

The Ministry of Health said more than 100 Gazans were injured in the airstrike.

According to health officials, an escalation showed that an Israeli missile hit the upper floors of an apartment building in the Shati refugee camp on the edge of Gaza City, killing two men and a woman.