Israel ‘set militants back by years’ – Netanyahu – KBC

Israel’s nine-day bombardment of Gaza has “set Hamas back by many years”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.

Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza again exchanged fire overnight into the early hours of Wednesday.

Diplomatic efforts to end the violence have met with little success.

France has filed a draft resolution with the UN Security Council, in co-ordination with Egypt and Jordan, calling for a ceasefire.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israel briefly opened a border crossing into Gaza to allow a convoy of aid to enter. However, the crossing was closed again after it came under fire from Palestinian mortars and rockets.

What did Netanyahu say?

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that runs Gaza, had been dealt “unexpected blows” and operations would “continue for as long as it takes to restore calm” for all Israeli citizens, he said.

At least 215 people, including almost 100 women and children, have been killed in Gaza so far, according to its health ministry.

In Israel 12 people, including two children, have been killed, its medical service says.

On Tuesday Israel said at least 150 militants were among those killed in Gaza. Hamas does not give casualty figures for fighters.

Israel estimated that at the start of the conflict, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the two main groups in Gaza, had an arsenal of about 12,000 rockets or mortars.

As of 15:00 GMT on Tuesday, militants had fired some 3,300 rockets at Israel, of which 450 to 500 fell short, causing casualties in Gaza, an Israeli military spokesman said.

What happened overnight?

Sirens sounded in southern and central Israel in response to the latest barrage of Palestinian rockets.

Israeli aircraft carried out dozens of raids, many of them on the city of Khan Younis.

What happened on Tuesday?