Lagatar24 Desk
Gaza Strip: On Tuesday, Israeli forces engaged in intense battles with Hamas-led fighters across multiple regions of the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian health officials, at least 17 Palestinians lost their lives due to Israeli bombardments targeting southern and central areas.
The Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas has accused Israel of escalating attacks in Gaza to sabotage ongoing ceasefire negotiations mediated by Arab nations and the United States. Israel, however, maintains that its operations are aimed at eliminating Hamas fighters.
In Rafah, a southern border city where Israeli forces have been active since May, an airstrike on a house resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians. Nearby in Khan Younis, a family consisting of a man, his wife, and their two children were killed in another airstrike.
In the historic Nuseirat camp located in central Gaza, medics reported that at least four Palestinians were killed in separate shelling and aerial strikes. Additionally, an Israeli airstrike in Sheikh Zayed, northern Gaza, claimed the lives of four more individuals.
The Israeli military stated that its troops continued “intelligence-based” operations in Rafah, targeting militants, tunnels, and other Hamas military infrastructure. The air force reportedly struck around 40 targets throughout the enclave, including sniping and observation posts, military structures, and buildings rigged with explosives.
The armed wings of Hamas and its ally, Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility for attacking Israeli forces in various locations using anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs. Islamic Jihad’s armed wing also reported firing missiles at Sderot in southern Israel, though no casualties or serious damage were reported.
Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas following an October 7 attack by the militant group that killed 1,200 people and resulted in over 250 hostages being taken in southern Israeli communities. In retaliation, more than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive, according to health authorities in Gaza. Additionally, Israel has reported the loss of 326 soldiers in the conflict.
At Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, relatives gathered to say their final goodbyes before funerals. “This is so unfair, the number of martyrs (victims). Every minute there is a martyr,” said elderly Palestinian Sahar Abu Emeira. “We’re exhausted, we’re devastated, we are extremely tired, our patience is over. Whether Hamas or the others (Israel), they need to agree as soon as possible.”
Efforts mediated by Egypt and Qatar to end the conflict and secure the release of hostages, as well as Palestinians in Israeli jails, had shown signs of progress. However, negotiations stalled on Saturday after intense talks failed to yield a resolution, following an Israeli strike targeting Hamas’ top military chief, Mohammed Deif. The attack in the Khan Younis area resulted in over 90 deaths and hundreds of injuries, according to Gaza health authorities.
A Palestinian official involved in the negotiations told Reuters that Hamas remains committed to ending the war but insists on fair terms. “Hamas wants the war to end, not at any price. It says it has shown the flexibility needed and is pushing the mediators to get Israel to reciprocate,” the official stated. He also noted that Hamas believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to avoid a deal by imposing additional conditions on the return of displaced people to northern Gaza and maintaining control over the Rafah border with Egypt.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller indicated on Monday that two senior advisers to Netanyahu affirmed Israel’s commitment to reaching a ceasefire.
