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16 November 2012 - 07:34 AMT

Israel calls up 30,000 reservists amid rising Gaza death toll

Israel's aerial bombardment of Gaza has intensified after it authorised the call-up of 30,000 army reservists, amid reports of a possible ground offensive, BBC News said.

Israel said it fired at more than 130 targets in Gaza overnight, saying militants fired 11 rockets from Gaza.

On Thursday, November 15 rockets were fired 70km (45 miles) north of Gaza towards Tel Aviv.

Fighting has intensified since Israel killed Ahmed Jabari, the military leader of the Islamist group that controls the territory, on Wednesday.

At least 18 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, including children, and three Israelis have been killed by Palestinian rocket fire into southern Israel.

Egyptian PM Hisham Qandil is to travel to Gaza later in a show of support. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country's offensive action would be suspended during the three-hour visit, as long as no rockets were fired from Gaza.