Israel continues air strike,126 dead in Gaza

Israeli fighter jets hit targets in central Gaza overnight after a day of deadly violence rocked the West Bank and unprecedented unrest persisted inside Israel. Despite intensifying diplomatic efforts to ease five days of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza, Israel's air force struck several sites in the strip overnight, while rockets again tore towards the Jewish state. Overall Palestinian fatalities from strikes on Gaza have reached 126 -- including 31 children -- with 950 injured. Early Saturday, the Israeli army said it had hit a Hamas "operation office" near the centre of Gaza City, with additional overnight strikes targeting what the military called "underground launch sites". Air raid warnings continued to wail in southern Israel early Saturday.

Israel, which is also trying to contain an outbreak of internal Jewish-Arab violence, is facing a conflict in the Palestinian territories unlike any in its recent history. Its bombardment of Gaza began Monday in response to rocket fire towards Jerusalem from Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in the enclave. More than 2,000 rockets have been fired at the Jewish state since Monday, killing nine people, including a child and a soldier, with more than 560 people injured. Israel's response has seen it hit nearly 800 targets, including a massive assault Friday on a Hamas tunnel network dug under civilian areas.Towers and homes were levelled, forcing Gaza families to seek shelter in schools and mosques, ahead of another possible bombardment."All the children are afraid and we are afraid for the children," said Kamal al-Haddad, who fled with his family to a UN-supported school in Gaza City.