Palestinian infant, mother martyred by airstrike: Gaza

By Anees Barghouthy

GAZA, Palestine (AA) – A Palestinian infant and her mother were martyred by an Israeli airstrike on Gaza strip, Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Saturday.

“14-month-old Siba Abu Erar and her mother Filstin Abu Erar, 34, were martyred in an Israeli airstrike on her family’s house in eastern Gaza,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the mother, who was also pregnant, was severely injured in the Israeli airstrike.

“She was transferred to the hospital and was announced dead shortly,” it said.

It added that three more Palestinians were injured in the airstrike.

Israeli army, for its part, said that over 200 rockets were fired from Gaza towards southern Israel since the morning.

“The Palestinian Islamic Jihad together with Hamas are responsible for firing 200 rockets from Gaza at Israeli civilians,” the army said.

The army said that its warplanes had destroyed a tunnel belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance group.

“The tunnel was crossing from Gaza into Israel,” it added.

The Israeli raids followed Friday's escalation when an Israeli air raid targeted the strip, leaving four Palestinians martyred and another 51 wounded.