HAMAS has sent a heavy barrage of rockets deep into Israel as the Israelis pounded Gaza with more air strikes and called up 9000 more reservists.

The relentless escalation of hostilities came even as Egyptian negotiators held in-person talks with the two sides. The artillery and tank shells that began falling into Gaza in the evening forced scores of families to flee their homes. The use of artillery fire in Israel’s offensive increased the likelihood of civilian casualties.

While some rocket attacks have reached the Tel Aviv area, Arab and Jewish mobs have rampaged through the streets, savagely beating people and torching cars. Israel diverted some incoming flights from Ben Gurion International Airport to the Ramon airfield in the country’s far south. Several flights have also been cancelled.

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Weary Palestinians, meanwhile, sombrely marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as militants fired one barrage of rockets after another and Israel carried out waves of bone-rattling air strikes.

Since Monday, Israel has toppled three high-rise buildings that it said housed Hamas facilities after warning civilians to evacuate. Gaza’s health ministry said the death toll has climbed to 87 Palestinians, including 18 children and eight women, with 530 people wounded.

Islamic Jihad confirmed the deaths of seven militants, while Hamas has acknowledged 13 of its militants killed, including a senior commander.

Israel says the number of militants dead is much higher.

Seven people have been killed in Israel.