Israeli Bombardment Raises Death Toll to 200 in Gaza

Palestine's Health Minister on Monday reported that Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed 200 people and injured 1,305 Palestinians so far.

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Throughout the early hours of Monday morning, Israeli aircraft carried out more than a hundred strikes that caused loud explosions and widespread panic. Ambulances and civil defense faced great difficulties of access and movement to treat the wounded.

The bombardment hit roads, streets, homes, power lines, and infrastructure. Israeli fighter jets even hit a car with two missiles, killing three men.

The Israeli army claimed to have killed an Islamic Jihad commander, Hasam Abu Hardib, responsible for launching anti-tank missiles from the enclave.

On Monday, the European Union (EU) expressed its "extreme concern" over Israel's attacks on media outlets reporting from Gaza on the attacks that began on May 10.

"The media have to be able to work in an environment of freedom so that they can report independently on what is happening and this is most important in a conflict situation, where objective and unbiased reporting is crucial," European External Action Service Foreign Affairs spokesman Peter Stano said.

The Israeli army on Saturday bombed the tower where the U.S. news agency AP and Qatar's Al Jazeera television had their offices in Gaza. Four days earlier it had also bombed another building housing 13 media outlets. In neither case were there any fatalities because the Israeli army gave warning of its intentions.