Children and militants killed as Israel unleashes airstrikes on Hamas in Gaza. Hitting the high-rise home of a Hamas field commander and two border tunnels dug by militants, as Hamas and other armed groups fired dozens of rockets toward Israel. The escalation in the conflict early on Tuesday morning was sparked by weeks of tensions in contested Jerusalem. Since sundown on Monday when the cross-border attacks began, 24 Palestinians including nine children were killed in Gaza, most by airstrikes, Gaza health officials said.