Fifty rockets were fired from northern Gaza at the southern Israel towns of Sderot and Ashkelon and smaller surrounding communities on Wednesday, wounding two people and sending numerous others into shock.

The barrage brought the number of rockets and mortar shells fired by Gaza-based Palestinian terrorists over the past two days to more than 90.

Israeli forces continued to respond with targeted strikes against terrorist cells using the Gaza populace as cover. In one strike, an Israeli missile narrowly missed a pickup carrying a known Hamas rocket maker and hit an adjacent vehicle, killing three civilians.

Israel has had a difficult time convincing the international community to demand that Palestinian forces dedicated to fighting Israel stop operating out of densely populated civilian areas.

Nevertheless, Israel did not ignore the diplomatic track amid the escalating fighting in and around Gaza. On Tuesday, Israel sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN Security Council insisting that the latest wave of violence emanating from Gaza be condemned and that Israel's right to defend itself against such aggression be recognized.