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Trump backs Israel in Gaza Strip air strikes

This article is more than 12 months old

WASHINGTON : President Donald Trump assured Israel on Sunday that it has Washington's full support after the Jewish state led waves of retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian rockets.

"Once again, Israel faces a barrage of deadly rocket attacks by terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We support Israel 100% in its defence of its citizens," Mr Trump tweeted.

"To the Gazan people - these terrorist acts against Israel will bring you nothing but more misery. END the violence and work towards peace - it can happen!"

ESCALATION

Mr Trump's message came in the wake of the most serious escalation since the 2014 war, with 19 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip and four in Israel.

The tiny, densely populated enclave's Health Ministry said among those killed on Sunday were a pregnant woman and a four-month-old baby.

The Israeli military declined to comment on the claim.

At least nine of those killed were confirmed to be militants affiliated with the Palestinian territory's leaders Hamas or the allied Islamic Jihad group.

On the Israeli side, four civilians were killed as Hamas and Islamic Jihad fired barrages of rockets and at least one anti-tank missile from the enclave, the Israeli authorities said. - AFP

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