World

US envoy arrives for de-escalation talks

May 15, 2021 6:37 pm

A US envoy has arrived in Tel Aviv for de-escalation talks as unrest between Israel and the Palestinians continues.

Hady Amr will take part in talks with Israeli, Palestinian and UN officials in the hope of agreeing on a ceasefire.

Early on Saturday, the Israeli military conducted air strikes in Gaza and Palestinian militants there fired rockets into Israel.

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The clashes recorded over the past five days mark some of the worst violence in the region in years.

The conflict began on Monday and followed weeks of spiralling Israeli-Palestinian tension in East Jerusalem. The increased hostilities culminated in clashes at a holy site revered by both Muslims and Jews.

Hamas – the militant Islamist group which rules Gaza – began firing rockets after warning Israel to withdraw from the site, triggering retaliatory air strikes.

At least 133 people have been killed in Gaza and eight have died in Israel since the fighting began.

Palestinian medical sources say an Israeli air strike early on Saturday killed a family of 10, including children and women, at a refugee camp west of Gaza City.

Militants in Gaza launched rockets targeting the Israeli city of Beersheba.

On Friday, clashes spread to the West Bank, with at least 10 Palestinians killed and hundreds injured. Israeli forces used teargas, rubber bullets and live fire, as Palestinians threw petrol bombs.