At least 20 people have died as a result of Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since Tuesday. Palestinian armed groups have responded with hundreds of rockets against Israel.
The fighting is described as the most serious in months. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the operation "is not over" and that "dark days lie ahead" for the Gaza strip.. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing information provided to Al Jazeera, the talks have failed and Israel was unwilling to agree to stop its "targeted attacks"