Death toll at least 345 as Israel's Gaza assault in third day

GAZA, Dec 29 - Israeli aircraft destroyed a bastion of Hamas's rule over the Gaza Strip on Monday, the third day of an offensive that has killed more than 300 Palestinians in the deadliest violence in the territory in decades.Palestinian medical sources say at least 345 Gazans have been killed and another 1,450 wounded in three consecutive days of Israeli bombardment in the heavily-populated territory.

Israeli warplanes struck by air-to-ground rockets early on Monday several buildings into the Islamic University of Gaza, witnesses and security source

Gaza - Israeli war jets struck shortly after midnight a building in the Islamic University of Gaza. Residents in Remal neighborhood in western Gaza City said they heard four huge explosions early Monday that wrecked the whole area, adding that white and gray pillars of smoke were seen coming out of the building.

Israeli drones and F16 warplanes hovered over Gaza City. The buzz of the drones was heard shortly before the four airstrikes were carried out.

A building at the female campus in the Islamic University compound that include chemical labs was completely destroyed, sources said.

Shortly before midnight, two Palestinian civilians, including a child, were killed and four were wounded in an Israeli airstrike on northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, medics and witnesses said.