Death toll rises to 26 in Israel-Gaza violence

In Palestine, the death toll from Israel-Gaza violence surged to 26. Exchanges of fire triggered by Israel's targeted killing of a top militant in Gaza raged for a second day and showed little sign of easing.

Fresh rocket barrages were fired at Israel which responded with strikes on what it said were Islamic Jihad militant sites and rocket-launching squads in the Gaza Strip.

In Gaza, residents surveyed the damage and mourned the dead outside a mortuary and at funerals.

UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov reached Cairo yesterday afternoon following reports he was to hold talks on halting the fighting. The UN and Egypt have been instrumental in mediating previous



ceasefires between Israel and Gaza-based militants.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Islamic Jihad must stop its stop rocket attacks. He warned that Israel would respond to attacks without mercy.

Islamic Jihad spokesman Musab al-Barayem said the group was not interested in mediation for now as it retaliated to the killing of one of its commanders.

Israel killed senior Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu al-Ata and his wife Asma in a targeted strike early Tuesday, prompting barrages of tit-for-tat rocket fire and airstrikes. Ata was allegedly responsible for rocket fire at Israel as well as other attacks.