Gaza chaos spirals as the death toll mounts; U.S offers to broker ceasefire

Israel continued deadly raids on Gaza on Friday as Palestinian militants continued firing long-range rockets across the border. A rocket fired from Gaza hit a petrol station in southern Israel on Friday, causing a huge explosion and injuring three people. Israel says rockets fired from Lebanon struck near Israel’s northern border early Friday, and the military responded with artillery fire toward the apparent source in southern Lebanon. There were no reports of injuries. More than 80 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the recent offensive. Israel launched its operation Protective Edge after a surge in rocket fire amid a crackdown on Hamas members in the West Bank last month, as Israel hunted for the abductors of three Israeli teenagers.

The United States remains prepared to facilitate a cessation of hostilities, including a return to the November 2012 ceasefire agreement.

U.S. President, Barack Obama

Meanwhile, the International community is calling for a truce. UN chief Ban Ki-moon called an emergency meeting with the UN Security Council on Thursday, and U.S. President Barack Obama said the U.S. is prepared to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants. His comments were made on a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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