In Pictures

Israel army launches air attacks on Gaza

Hundreds of residents in the Gaza Strip have fled their homes to move away from the border with Israel.

Smoke billows from a residential building following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City — Smoke billows from a residential building following an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. [Mohammed Abed/AFP]

Israel’s military has launched air strikes on Gaza in response to a barrage of more than 2,000 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip that killed at least 22 Israelis and wounded hundreds.

“Dozens of IDF fighter jets are currently striking a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli military said.

Hundreds of residents fled their homes in eastern Gaza to move away from the border with Israel.

Men, women and children were seen carrying blankets and food as they fled, mostly in the northeastern part of the territory.

The latest escalation comes against a backdrop of surging violence between Israel and Palestinian fighters in the West Bank, which is part of territory illegally occupied by Israel, and the blockaded Gaza Strip.

It also comes at a time of political upheaval in Israel, which has been riven by deep divisions over moves to overhaul the judiciary, and as Washington works to strike a deal that would normalise ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Residents in the Gaza Strip flee their homes to move away from the border with Israel after barrages of rockets were fired from the coastal enclave into Israel — Residents in the Gaza Strip flee their homes to move away from the border with Israel. [Mahmud Hams/AFP]

Smoke billows from a residential building — Israel's military launched air strikes on Gaza, following a rocket barrage from inside the territory. [Mohammed Abed/AFP]

view of a destroyed building — A destroyed building after Israeli forces started attacking Hamas targets in Gaza City. [Ali Jadallah/Anadolu]

Residents in the Gaza Strip flee their homes — Hundreds of residents fled their homes in Gaza to move away from the border with Israel, mostly in the northeastern part of the territory. [Mahmud Hams/AFP]

People queue outside a bakery in Gaza City amid fears of retaliation after fighters from the Palestinian enclave infiltrated Israel. [Mohammed Abed/AFP]

Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in Gaza — Smoke rises from a building following Israeli strikes in Gaza. 'We are at war,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address, declaring a mass mobilisation of the country's army reserves. [Mohammed Salem/Reuters]