UN Middle East envoy warns Israel, Hamas heading to 'full-scale war'

UN Middle East envoy warns Israel, Hamas heading to 'full-scale war'
Tor Wennesland called on both sides to 'stop the fire immediately'
1 min read
Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 30 Palestinians in Gaza [Getty]
Spiralling violence between Israel and Hamas Islamists who control Gaza is "escalating towards a full-scale war", the UN envoy for Middle East Peace said on Tuesday. 

"Stop the fire immediately," Tor Wennesland said after a day that saw Palestinian militant groups fire more than 600 rockets towards Israel after the destruction of a residential high-rise building in an Israeli airstrike.

At least 30 Palestinians, including ten children, have been killed in Israeli bombardment against the densely populated coastal strip since Monday evening, while three Israelis have been killed by rocket fire.

"We're escalating towards a full-scale war. Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation," Wennesland said. 

Hundreds of Palestinians have been wounded in recent days as Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem.

The police violence and the threatened expulsion of several Palestinian families from their homes in east Jerusalem has galvanised protests in the occupied West Bank and among Palestinian communities in Israel.

Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram to stay connected