Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed a fourth militant commander on Thursday, raising the Palestinian death toll from the latest burst of fighting to 25. Rocket fire toward southern Israel continued even as Egypt pressed on with attempts to broker a cease-fire.

It has been the worst bout of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza in months, and among the dead were also women and children. The conflagration comes at a time of soaring tensions and spiking violence over the past year in the occupied West Bank.