In pictures: Gaza hit again after 'heaviest night'
- Published
The skies over Gaza City were filled with huge plumes of smoke again on Tuesday as Israel intensified its four-week offensive in the Palestinian territory.
Overnight on Monday Gaza saw one of its heaviest nights of bombardment, shortly after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a long conflict ahead.
Israeli forces struck by air, sea and land, lighting up the night sky with flare bursts and leaving long plumes of smoke trailing over Gaza City in the morning.
Gaza's only power plant was damaged as Israel carried out 60 air strikes, also targeting sites associated with Hamas, the Islamist group which controls Gaza.
At least 60 Palestinians were killed, according to local health officials. More than 1,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the fighting since 8 July.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern that Israel was reported to be dropping leaflets warning residents in northern Gaza to leave.
Mr Netanyahu said Israel would continue its operations until it had destroyed tunnels dug under the Gaza-Israel border, to prevent militants infiltrating Israel.
Rockets fired from Gaza continued to hit Israel on Tuesday. Recent polls say almost 90% of Israelis are in favour of Israel's military offensive.
The areas of Israel bordering Gaza have suffered worst from Hamas rockets but they have continued to land further across the country as well.
Five Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday when militants infiltrated the border, while a mortar bomb killed four and a tenth died in a clash in southern Gaza.
More than 50 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the offensive began. Three civilians have also died in Israel, including two Israelis and a Thai worker.