The worst violence in seven years has broken out between Israel and Palestinian groups in the Middle East, with a series of air strikes and rocket attacks causing devastation.
Dozens have been killed and hundreds wounded since fresh conflict broke out in Gaza this week.
Below we take a look at what's at the heart of the conflict.
What has happened?
Israeli fighter jets have been targeting Palestinian armed group sites, beginning on Monday and intensify since.
Gaza’s health ministry says almost 70 people have been killed, including 16 children, and 300 people are believed to be wounded after days of heavy bombardment.
The escalation is said to be the most intense since the seven-week war on Gaza in 2014, which saw the death of 2,205 Palestinians, including at least 1,483 civilians according to United Nations records.
What re-ignited the conflict?
There have been clashes on the streets of Jerusalem - a city both Israelis and Palestinians consider to be their capital - since April.
Palestinian families have been forced to leave their homes in the occupied area of Sheik Jarrah in East Jerusalem.
Pro-settler organisations claim that the land the families live on was once under Jewish ownership but many fear this is just an agenda to remove Palestinian people from the city.
Since the end of April, conflicts in the city have intensified after the Israeli court in October 2020 ruled that four Palestinian families must vacate their homes.
The date of eviction was scheduled for May 2. However, this has since been postponed twice.
What effect has the conflict had on Ramadan?
The Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Israel’s most sacred sites, was host to tens of thousands of worshippers on the final Friday of Ramadan.
Israeli police fired "rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades" at protesters who gathered there. More than 200 people were injured, including 17 Israeli police officers.
On Monday, police forces raided the mosque and fired tear gas at protesters who were staging sit-ins about the forced evictions. Again, more than 300 people were wounded including police officers.
What has been the response?
Hamas, the largest Palestinian militant group, responded by firing 200 rockets towards Israel, according to the Israeli military on Tuesday. Some were intercepted by Israel’s missile defence system but at least 20 hit targets such as buildings and cars.
Meanwhile, Israeli aerial attacks have continued, with apartment buildings being hit, killing at least 26 Palestinians, including children, according to health authorities in Gaza.
The UN has called for de-escalation as Tor Wennesland, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, fears a “full-scale war” is imminent.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for restraint and said the UK is alarmed at the mounting toll of civilian casualties.
He wrote on Twitter: "I am urging Israel and the Palestinians to step back from the brink and for both sides to show restraint. The UK is deeply concerned by the growing violence and civilian casualties and we want to see an urgent de-escalation of tensions."
As many as 10 senior Hamas military figures were killed on Wednesday as Israel pressed ahead with a fierce military offensive, while Hamas and other groups showed no signs of backing down and fired rockets at Israeli cities.
The death toll in Gaza rose to 69 Palestinians, including 16 children and six women, according to the health ministry.
A total of seven people have been killed in Israel, including four on Wednesday.
The latest upsurge in violence has been triggered by tensions in Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with clashes at a holy site sacred to both Jews and Muslims.
Preparations for Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end of a month of day-long fasting, have been sombre in Gaza, as residents brace themselves for further devastation and unrest.
