GAZA — Israel launched air strikes on Gaza for a second successive day on Sunday, piling pressure on Hamas after 229 people were killed in one of the bloodiest 24 hours for Palestinians in 60 years of conflict with the Jewish state. ‘Palestine has never seen an uglier massacre,’ said Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his Islamist group, which has controlled the coastal territory since June 2007, vowed revenge including suicide bombings in Israel’s ‘cafes and streets.’ Israel bolstered armored and infantry forces along the Gaza Strip border, and a military spokesman said on Sunday: ‘The (Gaza) operation is continuous. It is still taking place.’ The Jewish state said it was responding to ‘intolerable’ almost daily rocket and mortar fire by Gaza militants that intensified after Hamas ended a six-month ceasefire a week ago. The militant attacks caused some injuries, raising the stakes for Israeli leaders ahead of a February 10 election which surveys show the right-wing opposition Likud party may win. Israel said its warplanes mounted about 100 strikes on Saturday and that Palestinian militants had fired some 70 rockets at the Jewish state, killing one Israeli man. ‘There is a time for […]