Cairo (People's Daily) - Israel and militants in the Gaza Strip have stepped up their attacks on each other, in one of the worst surges of violence in recent months. By Sunday, eight Palestinians, including a pregnant woman and her toddler, were killed after tensions ratcheted up along the borders on Friday. At the same time one Israeli man was dead and four Israelis including an elderly woman and man were severely wounded as rockets from the Gaza Strip fell on the Israeli south on Saturday.

Palestinians stand in front of a destroyed multi-story building was hit by Israeli airstrikes late Saturday in Gaza City, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Photo: AP)

According to the Israeli media, Palestinian militants have fired more than 400 rockets into Israel, drawing dozens of retaliatory airstrikes on targets across the Gaza Strip in the new round of intense fighting that broke a month-long lull between the enemies. The Israeli army spokesperson said that the army has identified at least 450 rockets launched toward Israel from Gaza, and the Iron Dome has intercepted over 150 rockets. The Israeli Air Force has attacked over 230 targets in Gaza, and reports several members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad dead.

The mayor of Rishon Letzion, Raz Kinstlich, ordered bomb shelters to be opened throughout the city. It is reported that 2.5 million Israelis are hiding. Southern Israel residents worry the Gaza flare-up won't end soon.

The fighting is the most intense between the sides in months. It comes at a sensitive time for Israel, which is to mark its Memorial Day and Independence Day holiday. On the Gazan side, the holy month of Ramadan is about to begin in a few days. So the conflict continued as the Gazans prepare for the Muslim holy fasting month. 

The European Union called for an immediate halt to rocket fire from Gaza. United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov called on "all parties to immediately de-escalate and return to the understandings of the past few months.”

The United States condemned the rocket attacks on Israel and said the US fully supported Israel's "right to self-defense against these abhorrent attacks." US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt took to Twitter, backing Israel and condemning rocket fire.