The Israeli military has bombed the studios of the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television station, Palestinian officials and witnesses have confirmed. Footage of a huge blast has appeared online.
The station was targeted as part of a series of airstrikes on Gaza by Israel on Monday. Those strikes were in response to a barrage of rockets launched from Gaza, and follow several days of tense cross-border flare-ups.
Al-Aqsa is the official Hamas-run television channel. Its programming includes news promoting Hamas, as well as children's programming and religiously inspired entertainment.
The bombing happened after the Israeli military launched at least five non-exploding missiles nearby, warning Palestinians to evacuate, according to sources cited by Reuters.
More than 300 rockets were fired towards Israel by Gaza on Monday, 60 of which were intercepted, according to the IDF. A bus which had been used to carry Israeli soldiers was struck by an anti-tank missile from Gaza, critically injuring one.
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) says it responded by striking over 70 targets in the Gaza Strip. At least two Palestinian civilians were killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. One person was injured.
The Monday tensions come after days of flare-ups between the two sides. On Sunday, an Israeli special forces raid in the Gaza Strip saw at least two Hamas commanders and four other Palestinians killed. One Israeli soldier was also killed and another wounded.
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