On Tuesday, clashes intensified in several regions of the Gaza Strip as Israeli forces engaged with Hamas-led fighters, and Palestinian health authorities reported at least 57 fatalities due to Israeli strikes on the southern and central Gaza. Hamas has accused Israel of escalating its military actions to undermine ongoing ceasefire negotiations facilitated by Arab countries and the U.S. Israel maintains that its operations aim to dismantle Hamas’s militant capabilities.
In the city of Rafah, close to the southern border, an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential building resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians. In Khan Younis, another nearby city, a family of four was killed in a similar airstrike. The violence escalated further when an Israeli airstrike hit a vehicle in Khan Younis, killing 17 and wounding 26, amid a gathering of displaced families.
The Israeli military stated the strike was directed at a high-ranking member of the Islamic Jihad group, an ally of Hamas, and is investigating reports of civilian casualties.
Further casualties were reported in central Gaza, where separate bombings resulted in multiple deaths, including an airstrike on a U.N.-run school in the Nuseirat refugee camp that killed 23 people, claiming the life of a local journalist among others.
Israel’s military asserts that it targeted militants operating from within the school, claiming precautions were taken to minimize civilian harm. The ongoing conflict has been marked by significant casualties on both sides, with a substantial number of Palestinian deaths and a reported 326 Israeli soldiers killed.
Negotiations for a ceasefire have faced setbacks, notably after an Israeli operation aimed at Hamas’s military leadership resulted in extensive casualties. Despite these challenges, U.S. officials have indicated Israel’s continued interest in negotiating a ceasefire.
