Injured arrive at Khan Younis hospital in Gaza

Palestinians crowded around the Khan Younis hospital on Wednesday as several injured residents arrived in cars and ambulances.

There has been no let-up in fighting in Gaza, where residents of the southern city of Khan Younis said Israeli forces blew up homes in the east and intensified tank shelling on eastern areas of the city center.

Palestinian health officials said Israeli strikes had killed at least 14 people so far on Wednesday, mostly in the center and south.

Israel said it was responding to Hamas rocket fire towards Tel Aviv on Tuesday and had struck rocket launching pads and militants among 40 military targets over 24 hours, including in central Gaza, Khan Younis, and western Rafah in the south.

On Wednesday, Hamas also confirmed it would not take part in a new round of Gaza ceasefire talks slated for Thursday in Qatar, dimming hopes for a negotiated truce that sources say could hold back an Iranian attack on Israel.