GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers traded fire and tough cease-fire proposals Monday, and threatened to escalate their border conflict if diplomacy fails. No deal appeared near.
An Israeli airstrike targeting a Gaza media center killed a senior militant and engulfed the building in flames. The Israeli military said the Islamic Jihad were using space there as a command center.
Gaza fighters fired 95 rockets at southern Israeli cities, nearly one-third of them intercepted by an Israeli missile shield.
A total of 38 Palestinians were killed Monday. Two more Palestinians were killed in airstrikes past midnight, bringing the death toll since the start of Israel's offensive to 111, including 56 civilians.
Over the weekend, civilian casualties in Gaza rose sharply after Israel began targeting the homes of what it said were suspected militants.