Israel targets Gaza bank as diplomats negotiate truce

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It's estimated that nearly 40 Hamas militants have been assassinated in the last six days as the fighting escalates between Gaza and Israel. NBC's Richard Engel reports. By NBC News staffAs Israel and Hamas exchanged more fire overnight into Tuesday, diplomats in Cairo worked furiously toward a ceasefire agreement.

During the overnight strikes, of which there were 100, Israel Defense Forces targeted the National Islamic Bank, which Hamas uses to pay its employees, according to its blog.

It has been a lopsided fight since the violence began in southern Israel seven days ago, with more than 100 dead in Gaza and three dead in Israel.

Follow @NBCNewsWorld The conflict between the two sides ratcheted up after Israel launched an air strike Wednesday that killed Ahmed al-Jabari, Hamas’s top military leader. Hamas, deemed a terrorist organization by the U.S. and Israel, won parliament seats in Gaza in 2006 and took control of the area in 2007.




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