Israel, Hamas continue with air strikes as truce, cease-fire remains uncertain

Israel and Hamas on Thursday fired more airstrikes, dampening optimism about a cease-fire in their battle that’s now nearly 2-weeks-old.

Israel fired rockets into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, killing at least one Palestinian and wounding several others, according to the Associated Press. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to be resisting calls for an end or at least a de-escalation of the deadly attacks, as President Biden on Wednesday requested of him. 

Still, officials close to the negotiations say they expect a truce between Israel and the militant group to be announced in the next 24 hours, the wire service also reports. 

Hundreds have already been killed and more than 4,000 rockets have been fired in the battle – now in its eleventh day and the worst fighting since Israel and Hamas' 2014 war.

The fighting started May 10 when Hamas fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint site sacred to Jews and Muslims.  At least 230 Palestinians and 12 people in Israel have been killed in the airstrikes, the wire service also reports.