GAZA CITY: Israel’s army and Gaza fighters traded heavy cross-border fire on Wednesday, with 22 Palestinians killed over two days amid the worst escalation of violence to hit the coastal territory in months.

Sirens in the Tel Aviv area and Israel’s south warned of incoming rockets in a fresh evening salvo, with an agency reporter in Gaza observing dozens of launches as Israeli officials said Egypt was working on a possible truce with the group Islamic Jihad.

Earlier in the day, smoke billowed from the densely populated coastal enclave after Israel announced it was targeting rocket launch sites of the Islamic Jihad.

Gaza’s health ministry said seven people were killed, a day after Israeli strikes on the Palestinian territory left 15 dead.

Seven Palestinians killed in latest strikes; Israel claims 270 rockets launched from Gaza

In a joint statement Palestinian factions said “hundreds of rockets” were fired, while the Israeli army claimed over 270 launches from Gaza prior to the latest salvos.

Four of those killed on Wednesday were fighters with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the group said in a statement.

The fatalities also included a 10-year-old girl, whose body was seen by a journalist in Gaza City’s Shifa hospital.

Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service said it had received no immediate reports of casualties.

Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system intercepted rockets above the coastal city of Ashkelon and elsewhere in the south.

Egypt ceasefire efforts

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was “ready for the possibility of an expanded campaign and harsh strikes against Gaza,” in a meeting with local leaders near the coastal territory.

Later in the day, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity that Egypt was “trying to facilitate a ceasefire,” which would be evaluated “based on acts on the ground and not Islamic Jihad declarations”.

Sources in Gaza close to the Islamic Jihad and Hamas confirmed Egyptian efforts to secure a truce, without providing further details.

The latest violence comes a day after Israeli strikes on Gaza killed three Islamic Jihad members and 12 others, including four children, according to a health ministry toll.

Speaking to public broadcaster Channel 11, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said the Islamic Jihad was pushing for a truce. “It’s clear why Jihad are begging for a ceasefire,” Cohen said of Israel’s surprise attack. “They didn’t expect that blow.” Islamic Jihad had vowed on Tuesday to retaliate, with Israel warning its residents near the border to stay near bomb shelters.

Ahead of Wednesday’s exchange of fire, Gaza’s usually bustling shops were closed. People in Gaza “expect the worst”, said resident Monther Abdullah.

“Everyone feels anxious and people aren’t on the street much. I definitely feel like there’s a war coming,” the 50-year-old said.

The latest violence comes on the second anniversary of a devastating 11-day war fought between Gaza fighters and Israel. Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou said on Wednesday “the strikes of the unified resistance are part of the process of responding to the massacre committed by (Israel).”

Among those killed on Tuesday were four children and three adults.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2023