Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “further intensify attacks on Hamas”, as Israeli rockets made the ground shake every few minutes as they rained down on Gaza.  Hospital officials say 53 people are dead in Gaza, including 45 civilians and 12 children.

Israel’s military says Hamas fired more than 82 rockets into Israeli territory, some targeting the Dimona nuclear rector that is widely assumed to have a role in atomic weaponry.  The Iron Dome defense system stopped these and other Hamas rockets, including the terrorist group’s new, longer-range missiles built in Syria.  Israel says civilians were forced to take cover as far away as Jerusalem, but reports no deaths or injuries caused by the Hamas rockets.

The last time this seeming endlessly repeating drama played out, Egypt brokered a truce between Israel and Hamas.  That’s unlikely today because of the immense political changes in Egypt.  New President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is notoriously hostile towards Islamist militants, lessening his credibility with Hamas – and that’s assuming that Cairo were willing to intervene this time.

Netanyahu vows that Hamas will pay a high price.  Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says he wants a negotiated solution, although it seems he has little control over the Hamas militants the Palestinian Authority welcomed back into the fold.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on the crowing crisis on Thursday.