15 killed in morning strikes from Israel: Gaza health ministry

At least 15 people have been killed so far in a heavy Israeli bombardment on Gaza City early Sunday morning, Gaza Health Ministry said.

Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted Al-Wehdat, a thoroughfare in Gaza City, late last night, The Times of Israel reported.

According to reports on social media, no warning was given to residents that an Israeli strike was on its way.

Paramedics have reported more fatalities at the scene as they continue to dig people out.

"We're hearing screams under the rubble," a member of Gaza's Civil Defense tells the Al-Jazeera network.

Meanwhile, Israel's security cabinet, the small committee of ministers empowered by Israeli law to make war decisions, is set to meet on Sunday morning to consider the next steps in the fighting in Gaza.

As violence continues, the Gaza Strip is expected to run out of fuel for its power station later today, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

With the outbreak of fighting last Monday, the Israeli military shuttered the Kerem Shalom Border Crossing, through which passes the primary pipeline into Gaza, blocking the flow of fuel to the Strip and reducing the amount of electricity in the enclave to between four and five hours per day.

Israel has carried out airstrikes in Gaza as Hamas and other Palestinian militants fired multiple rocket barrages towards Israeli cities following earlier violence. Amid the escalation of tensions, there are concerns of the conflict turning into a full-blown war.

Earlier this month, the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict started when the unrest began in East Jerusalem over an Israeli court's decision to evict several Palestinian families from the area.

( With inputs from ANI )

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