Gaza violence intensifies as Jerusalem clashes resume

By TIA GOLDENBERG
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel’s air force and Palestinian militants have traded fire across the Gaza frontier as clashes erupted again between Israeli police and Palestinians at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site. The developments early Thursday worsened an escalation that has been eerily similar to the lead-up to last year’s Israel-Gaza war. The Gaza violence, fueled by the unrest in Jerusalem, appears to be the heaviest-cross-border fighting since last year’s 11-day war. It comes despite efforts to prevent a repeat. Palestinian militants fired two rockets toward Israel from the Gaza Strip late Wednesday and earlier Thursday, and Israeli aircraft hit militant targets in Gaza.