Gaza conflict: New exchanges amid Israeli soldier hunt

 

Israel has carried out fresh attacks on Gaza and militants have launched more rockets into Israel as a hunt continues for a missing Israeli soldier.

Palestinian officials said 55 people had died in Israeli strikes on Saturday, most in Rafah, where the soldier, Hadar Goldin, went missing.
A series of rocket attacks into Israel was reported on Saturday morning.
Later Israel sent messages to Palestinians in northern Gaza saying that they could return home.

"We have told Beit Lahia residents that they may return to their homes. We advised them to avoid explosives placed by Hamas across the area", the Israel Defence Forces tweeted.
Some 1,655 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 65 Israelis, all but two soldiers, have died in the conflict.
A Thai worker was also killed in Israel. Some 8,900 Palestinians have also been injured, the health ministry in Gaza says.
A 72-hour ceasefire had been agreed, starting from Friday morning, but collapsed hours later.
Hamas accused Israel of breaking the ceasefire but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had been forced to respond to militant rocket fire.
On Saturday, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi insisted an Egyptian ceasefire plan offered a "real chance" to end the bloodshed.
'Time is decisive' Palestinian officials said that there had been a series of Israeli air strikes around Rafah since midnight, killing at least 35 people.