Gaza Strip fighting enters third day despite Egypt ceasefire efforts

Israeli airstrikes targeting homes of commanders in Palestinian Islamic Jihad spark off latest violence

Fighting between Israel and militant groups in the blockaded Gaza Strip has entered a third day despite ceasefire efforts brokered by Egypt, in the worst bout of violence in the region in months that has left 25 people in Gaza dead, including at least 10 civilians, and wounded 76.

The latest conflagration began in the early hours of Tuesday, when Israel launched surprise airstrikes targeting the homes of three senior commanders in Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second most powerful group in the strip after Hamas, despite a fragile ceasefire in place since a day of cross-frontier fire last week.