Gaza death toll growing as Israel continues massacre

Gaza death toll growing as Israel continues massacre
Sun Aug 3, 2014 09:04:50

Death toll from nearly two weeks of Israel’s massacre in the besieged Gaza Strip is on the rise with nearly 400 children among the dead.

According to Palestinian sources in Gaza, Tel Aviv’s warplanes launched more than 150 airstrikes on the blockaded strip on Saturday.

So far, Israel’s airstrikes and ground invasion has claimed 1,712 Palestinian lives while 9, 080 others have been injured.

Palestinian officials say 80 percent of those killed are civilians. Among the victims are more than 200 women and at least 19 medical staff.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said one of its soldiers, previously thought to have been captured in Gaza, was dead.

Tel Aviv had earlier accused the resistance movement Hamas of capturing Hadar Goldin in order to intensify its assault on Gaza.

Hamas denied the allegation, saying the soldier was probably killed by an Israeli airstrike.

The latest death brings to 64 the number of Israeli military fatalities. Hamas officials, however, put the Israeli death toll at much higher.

Earlier in the day, thousands of French protesters held a rally in support of Gaza. Also in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, anti-Israeli demonstrators shouted slogans in solidarity with Gaza.

Israeli warplanes have been pounding numerous sites in the Gaza Strip, since July 8, demolishing houses and burying families under the rubble. Israeli forces also began a ground offensive against the impoverished Palestinian land on July 17.

HH/HH

string(1416) "[{"id":"1618682","sort":"3239665","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2014/08/01/alalam_635425109934436375_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Gaza says Rafah Friday shelling death toll rises to 70"} ,{"id":"1618752","sort":"3239666","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2014/08/01/alalam_635425207622536173_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Gaza civilian death toll rises at alarming rate of 1500"} ,{"id":"1618788","sort":"3239664","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2014/08/01/alalam_635425273600923587_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"EU medics release shocking report over Gaza massacre"} ,{"id":"1618875","sort":"3239663","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2014/08/02/alalam_635425639053067263_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Israel bombs ambulance, Friday toll tops 100 in Gaza"} ,{"id":"1618889","sort":"3239662","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2014/08/02/alalam_635425686030654787_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Zionist forces bomb university in Gaza Strip"} ,{"id":"1619097","sort":"3239659","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2014/08/02/alalam_635425988978232252_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Gaza death toll hits 1,694, Hamas denies holding soldier"} ,{"id":"1619133","sort":"3239660","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2014/08/02/alalam_635426034733027415_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Nearly 300 Palestinian children killed in Gaza: UN"} ,{"id":"1619166","sort":"3239661","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2014/08/02/alalam_635426058134595227_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Israel uses British-made arms to target Gaza: Report"} ]"