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In Pictures: Israeli strikes devastate Gaza

The UN has expressed concern over the rising civilian death toll in Gaza, and extensive damage to local infrastructure.

At least 165 Palestinians have been killed and almost 1,000 others injured in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
By Wissam Nassar
Published On 13 Jul 2014

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Gaza Strip, occupied Palestinian territories – The United Nations Security Council has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to stop ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip.

More than 165 Palestinians have been killed, and nearly 1,000 others injured, as Israeli attacks on Gaza continued into a sixth day on Sunday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that civilian casualties constitute 70 percent of all Palestinians killed so far, and 30 percent of those have been Palestinian children.

The agency also expressed concern at the level of damage to Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, including electricity, water, and sanitation facilities.

According to the United Nations, three quarters of those killed in Gaza have been civilians.
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The Israeli army said it struck a total of 1,160 targets in Gaza since the beginning of its operation.
Israel said on Saturday that 680 rockets had been fired from Gaza into Israel since Tuesday, injuring nine Israelis.
Meanwhile, at least 70 Palestinian homes have been completely destroyed, according to the UN, while another 2,500 housing units in Gaza have sustained minor damage.
The UN estimates that 75 percent of homes in Gaza City are now without electricity.
Israel's army has defended its operation, accusing Hamas of hiding rockets and other weapons in 'houses, mosques, hospitals [and] schools', and of operating 'deep within residential areas'. 
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The UN has said that even if a home is being used for military purposes, 'any attack must be proportionate, offer a definite military advantage in the prevailing circumstances at the time, and precautions must be taken'.
The UN Security Council has called for a cessation of hostilities, but progress on securing a ceasefire appears to be stalled.
'No international pressure will prevent us acting with all our force against a terror organisation that is calling for our destruction. We will continue to forcefully attack anyone who is trying to hurt us,' said Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister.

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