Israeli jets continued to bomb targets in the Gaza strip Thursday, as the death toll mounts inside the Palestinian territory.

Since the aerial attacks started Monday, 81 Palestinians have been reported killed, while more than 500 have been injured,  according to Palestinian reports.

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Many of the dead and wounded were women and children.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that the attacks would continue and may lead to ground operations later until Hamas militants stop raining rockets on Israeli communities.

Meanwhile, rockets continued to streak across the border hitting targets in Southern Israel.

There have been no reports of Israeli casualties caused by the rocket barrages, as of this time, other than the two Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers, who were slightly injured.

The IDF said it intercepted two of four rockets fired into Jerusalem on Thursday, while the two others impacted vacant areas and did no damage.

As to the possibility of a ground offensive, Israeli officials would not give definite details whether this would be pursued. The mobilization of 40,000 military reservists, however, indicates that a ground attack is imminent.

Prime Minister Netanyahu would not say what kind of expansion in the current military  operation is being planned by the IDF but he said the Israeli military is prepared for "all possibilities."

At the United Nations, Ambassador Riyad Mansour, permanent observer of Palestine to the UN, said Israel is terrorizing the Palestinians and killing dozens of civilians.

He accused Israel of carrying out military operations as open retaliation and revenge for the recent killing of three Israeli teenagers.

Israel's UN ambassador Rom Prosor meanwhile called on the UN Security Council to condemn Hamas and its continuing rocket barrage into Israeli neighborhoods.

Other Israeli officials in Jerusalem detailed how Israel waited for three days for the rocket attacks to stop, and when they did not, it was only then that the aerial bombardment was launched. 

TagsIsrael, Gaza Strip, Palestinian, Netanyahu, IDF