Aftermath of airstrikes in Gaza as Israel forces mass near border

(16 Nov 2012) SHOTLIST Gaza City, Gaza Strip 1. Wide of damage caused to Hamas interior ministry building 2. Various of damage and debris of interior ministry building 3. Various of firefighters attempting to put out fire 4. Close of damage to building 5. Wide of damage to Hamas interior ministry building 6. Mid of broken window of Hamas interior ministry building 7. Close up of rubble and fire ++NIGHT SHOTS++ Gaza City, Gaza Strip 8. Mid of wounded girl being carried into Shifa hospital 9. Various of girl in hospital 10. Mid of ambulance arriving at hospital 11. Mid of man being carried into hospital 12. Various of man in hospital 13. Mid of girl being taken into hospital 14. Close of girl being treated 15. Mid of injured man walking into hospital Israel-Gaza border, southern Israel 16. Wide of armoured personnel carriers (APCs) lined up 17. Various of tanks and soldiers STORYLINE Israeli aircraft missiles strikes hit rocket launching operations of Gaza militants early Friday as troops, tanks and armoured personnel carriers (APCs) massed near the Palestinian territory, signalling a ground invasion might be growing near. One missile hit the Interior Ministry, a symbol of Hamas power. Firefighters attempted early on Friday to put out the blaze. Much of the building was left in rubble. The death toll in the densely populated Palestinian territory climbed to 19, including five children according to Palestinian health officials, as waves of Israeli fighter planes and drones sent missiles hurtling down on suspected weapons stores and rocket-launching sites. Ambulance's brought the injured to Gaza's Shifa hospital overnight as the number of wounded rose. Fighting between the two sides escalated sharply on Thursday with a first-ever militant attack on the Tel Aviv area, menacing Israel's heartland. No casualties were reported, but three people died in the country's rocket-scarred south when a projectile slammed into an apartment building. Early on Friday, 85 missiles exploded within 45 minutes in Gaza City, sending black pillars of smoke towering above the coastal strip's largest city. The military said it was targeting underground rocket-launching sites. The Israeli military said early on Friday that its aircraft had struck more than 350 targets since the beginning of its operation against Hamas' rocket operations. The fighting has already widened the instability gripping a region in the throes of war and regime upheavals. Most immediately, it is straining already frayed relations with Egypt, which plans to send prime minister Hesham Kandil to Gaza later Friday in a show of solidarity with its militant Hamas rulers. Early on Friday ,an Israeli official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Egypt that Israel would be prepared to suspend its military offensive in the Gaza Strip during the Egyptian prime minister's visit there. The official in the prime minister's office says Israel would do so if Gaza militants also hold their fire during Kandil's three-hour visit later on Friday. The official said Netanyahu was acting on an Egyptian request. Israel and Hamas had largely observed an informal truce since Israel's devastating incursion into Gaza four years ago, but rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes on militant operations didn't halt entirely. The latest flare-up exploded into major violence Wednesday when Israel assassinated Hamas' military chief, following up with a punishing air assault meant to cripple the militants' ability to attack Israel with rockets. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...