ISRAELI PM MAKES STATEMENT ABOUT ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ LAST FEW DAYS

In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “what has been happening in the last few days in the cities of Israel is unacceptable”.

“Nothing justifies the lynching of Arabs by Jews and nothing justifies the lynching of Jews by Arabs.”

THE LATEST –

• Hamas launched an offensive after a 13-storey residential block in the Gaza Strip collapsed
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of emergency in the city of Lod
• National Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai called the events “unprecedented”
• Israel unleashed dozens of airstrikes in the course of a few minutes on Wednesday morning
• The death toll in Gaza rose to 62 Palestinians – including 14 children and five women
• Five Israelis, including three women and a child, have been killed
• The UN Security Council plans to hold its second emergency meeting in three days today over the escalating violence

FIRE AND FURY

The UN has warned Israel is heading for a “full-scale war” in Gaza as Hamas vows “we’re ready” for conflict and riots erupt near Tel Aviv.

Rockets streamed out of Gaza and Israel pounded the territory with airstrikes this morning in the most deadly outbreak of violence since the 2014 war – with no endgame in sight.

As the UN Security Council readied for another emergency meeting on the bloody crisis, the UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland warned that “we’re escalating towards a full-scale war”.

“Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation,” he said.

WHAT IS THE IRON DOME IN ISRAEL?

The Iron Dome is a mobile, all-weather air defence system in Israel designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and 155mm artillery shells fired from a distance of 4km to 70km.

It intercepts rockets that are travelling in the direction of a urban areas and brings them down – it is the first system of its kind in the world.

Developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, it can be operated in all weather conditions including fog, dust storm, low clouds and rain.

Israel hopes to increase the range of the dome’s interceptions to 250km and make it able to stop rockets coming from two directions.

The system was ready for use in March 2011 and in April it had successfully intercepted a BM-21 Grad launched from Gaza for the first time.

WHAT IS ZIONISM?

Zionism is a “movement to create a Jewish state in the Middle East, roughly corresponding to the historical land of Israel, and thus support for the modern state of Israel.

“Anti-Zionism opposes that,” says BBC News.

Zionism is Israel’s national ideology, explains Vox.

It adds: “Zionists believe Judaism is a nationality as well as a religion, and that Jews deserve their own state in their ancestral homeland, Israel, in the same way the French people deserve France or the Chinese people should have China.

“It’s what brought Jews back to Israel in the first place, and also at the heart of what concerns Arabs and Palestinians about the Israeli state.”

MOB ATTACK

Disturbing footage shows a mob of Israelis battering an “Arab” driver in the street after he was pulled from his car.

The video comes amid escalating violence between Israel and Hamas with the UN warning the two sides are heading for “all out war” as the death toll reaches 70 including 16 children.

Filmed in the coastal city of Bat Yam, the clip shows a black car reversing away from a crowd before it collides with another vehicle.

The car then desperately speeds forward towards the crowd before being stopped by the mob.

Then, in horrific scenes, the driver is pulled from the vehicle and the dozens of people descend on him, battering him senseless, local news outlet N12 reports.

MAPPED – BLOODSHED IN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE

SIX-YEAR-OLD ISRAELI BOY DIES OF WOUNDS

A six-year-old boy who was fatally injured in a rocket strike has died.

His tragic death brings the death toll in Israel to seven.

YOUNG ISRAELIS SEEN SMASHING UP ARAB OWNED ICE-CREAM PARLOUR IN CITY OF BAT YAM

PALESTINIAN DRIVER PULLED FROM CAR AND BEATEN BY JEWISH ISRAELI MOB

FIRE AND FURY

The UN has warned Israel is heading for a “full-scale war” in Gaza as Hamas vows “we’re ready” for conflict and riots erupt near Tel Aviv.

Rockets streamed out of Gaza and Israel pounded the territory with airstrikes this morning in the most deadly outbreak of violence since the 2014 war – with no endgame in sight.

As the UN Security Council readied for another emergency meeting on the bloody crisis, the UN Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland warned that “we’re escalating towards a full-scale war”.

“Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation,” he said.

JEWISH ISRAELIS ATTACK MOSQUE IN LOD

Jewish Israeli settlers attacked a mosque in the city of Lod on Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported.

The Israeli government declared a state of emergency in the city earlier today.

DEATH TOLL REACHES 62

The Palestinian ministry of health said that the number of Palestinians to have been killed since Monday has risen to 62.

The devastating number includes 14 children and give women.

Another 335 people were injured.

WATCH – LIVE FOOTAGE OF BOMBING OF REPORTED MEDIA BUILDING IN GAZA

ISRAEL VOWS NOT TO STOP ATTACKS ON GAZA UNTIL THERE IS ‘COMPLETE QUIET’

Israel’s defence minister said the country will not stop its military operation in Gaza until there is “complete quiet”.

“Israel is not preparing for a ceasefire,” Benny Gatz said.

“There is currently no end date for the operation. Only when we achieve complete quiet can we talk about calm.”

He added: “We will not listen to moral preaching against our duty to protect the citizens of Israel.”

WHAT IS ZIONISM?

Zionism is a “movement to create a Jewish state in the Middle East, roughly corresponding to the historical land of Israel, and thus support for the modern state of Israel.

“Anti-Zionism opposes that,” says BBC News.

Zionism is Israel’s national ideology, explains Vox.

It adds: “Zionists believe Judaism is a nationality as well as a religion, and that Jews deserve their own state in their ancestral homeland, Israel, in the same way the French people deserve France or the Chinese people should have China.

“It’s what brought Jews back to Israel in the first place, and also at the heart of what concerns Arabs and Palestinians about the Israeli state.”

FLEEING AIRSTRIKES

Palestinian families leave their homes and head to the UN offices in Gaza City for safety after Israeli forces targeted several buildings this morning.

14 CHILDREN AND 3 WOMEN AMONG 56 KILLED IN GAZA

Israel’s bombardment on the Gaza Strip continued today as forces launched intensive raids on the occupied territory.

Gaza’s ministry of health said the overall death toll now stands at 56 including 3 women and 14 children.

300 others have been wounded.

PICTURED

Heavy smoke and fire rise from Al-Sharouk tower as it collapses after being hit by an Israeli air strike, in Gaza City.

WHAT IS HAMAS?

Hamas is a Palestinian militant movement that also serves as one of the territories’ two major political parties, explains the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

Since 2008, Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza have fought three cross-border wars and have had numerous clashes since the group seized control of the Palestinian city of Gaza in 2007.

Hamas as a whole, or in some cases its military wing, is designated a terrorist group by Israel, the US, EU, and the UK, as well as other powers, explains BBC News.

The BBC adds: “To its supporters, though, Hamas is seen as a legitimate resistance movement.”

Hamas is a “resistance organisation, which is also responsible for administering the Gaza Strip”, explain researchers in The Conversation.

BREAKING POINT

Israeli and Palestinian protesters violently clashed in New York City on Tuesday as demonstrations erupted across the US and cops struggled to separate the warring crowds.

Scuffles broke out outside the Israeli consulate in Manhattan yesterday evening as hundreds gathered to protest deadly attacks in Gaza and Tel Aviv that have left at least 55 dead.

Crowds of demonstrators were seen waving the Palestinian flag in support of ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

A group of pro-Israel counter-protesters also descended on the consulate.

Tensions quickly boiled over, with the two feuding groups trading chants and insults, with some of those confrontations resulting in punches being thrown.

WATCH: ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN VIOLENTLY CLASH IN NYC AFTER PROTESTS ERUPT ACROSS US

HAMAS CONFIRMS DEATH OF SENIOR COMMANDER

Hamas has confirmed that its Gaza City commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday.

Bassem Issa was the highest-ranking military figure in Hamas to be killed Israel since 2014. Wednesday’s statement was the first time Hamas acknowledged the death of militants in this round of fighting with Israel.

The armed wing of Hamas said Issa was killed “along with a few of his fellow brothers of leaders and holy fighters” during the fighting that has been going on for two days in Gaza.

Israel’s internal security agency said a series of airstrikes had killed Issa and several other senior Hamas militants, including the head of rocket development and cyber warfare, the head of rocket production, and the Hamas engineering chief.

Issa and several other commanders responsible for the different districts of the Gaza Strip formed Hamas’ military council, the highest body deciding on the group’s militant operations. The military council is headed by Mohammed Deif.

ISRAELI FIREFIGHTERS EXTINGUISH MAJOR BLAZE

Israel’s firefighting service says it has almost completely extinguished a blaze at a petroleum facility in southern Israel that was set alight by a rocket fired by Hamas militants.

The rocket landed Tuesday night near a Petroleum and Energy Infrastructures Ltd. facility south of Ashkelon during a major barrage by Gaza militants. The result was a massive fire in a storage tank that blazed through the night and into Wednesday.

Israel Fire and Rescue Services said that 20 teams have been working for 25 hours to extinguish the inferno that issued a column of thick black smoke. Israeli state-owned Petroleum and Energy Infrastructures said the fuel had been transferred to another storage facility.

On Wednesday, the plume of smoke was still rising over Ashkelon. Israeli health and environment officials have instructed residents of the area to avoid prolonged periods outdoors.