Israel deploys more troops along the border with Gaza

KATHMANDU: The Israeli army has intensified its offensive against Palestinian rebels in the Gaza Strip.

The army has stepped up attacks both by air and land. The BBC reports that there has been widespread shelling in the north and east of Gaza, using military boats, fighter jets, and helicopters. Israel has deployed more military tankers and troops along its border with Gaza.

Two ground army units and another armored unit have been deployed near the Gaza border, the BBC reported. 7,000 troops have been called in to be deployed in case of need. The four-day violence in Gaza and Israel is the worst since 2014. The death toll in the clashes between the two sides has so far exceeded 100.

Diplomatic requests to stop the fighting have had no effect. The United States has postponed a UN Security Council meeting until next week, saying it wants to "give some time" to diplomatic efforts. Palestine and Israel have been launching airstrikes against each other since clashes broke out in East Jerusalem, which is revered as a holy site by both Jews and Muslims.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed police to use excessive force to quell the violence.