DEIR al-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 33 Palestinians, according to hospital officials, as the Israeli military reported that it had targeted over 100 locations within Gaza in the preceding 24 hours. This escalation in military action occurs concurrently with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s preparations for a trip to Washington aimed at advancing ceasefire negotiations.
On the diplomatic front, an Israeli official disclosed that the Israeli security Cabinet had approved the dispatch of humanitarian aid to the northern region of Gaza, where civilians are facing severe food shortages. The official requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information and the absence of formal authorization to speak with the media.
Meanwhile, in Yemen, the Houthi rebel group claimed responsibility for launching ballistic missiles aimed at Ben Gurion Airport. The Israeli military has confirmed that these missiles were intercepted successfully, marking an additional layer of tension in the region.
Former President Donald Trump has proposed an initial 60-day ceasefire plan, which includes a partial release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for an increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza. This plan is intended to facilitate discussions aimed at ending the ongoing 21-month conflict entirely.
Details from the Israeli airstrikes indicate that a single strike on two houses in Gaza City resulted in the deaths of 20 individuals and left 25 others wounded, according to Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of Shifa Hospital. In a separate incident in Muwasi, located in southern Gaza along the Mediterranean coast, officials reported that airstrikes led to the deaths of 13 Palestinians, including five members from the same family, as confirmed by Nasser Hospital in nearby Khan Younis.
While the Israeli military did not provide immediate comments on specific strikes, it claimed to have attacked 130 targets across Gaza over the last day. These strikes were primarily aimed at disrupting Hamas’ command and control structures, along with storage facilities for weapons and launchers, claiming that many militants were killed in the northern region of Gaza.
The current conflict reignited on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack that resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities in Israel and left 251 individuals taken hostage. Israel's military response has since led to the deaths of over 57,000 Palestinians, with reports indicating that more than half of these casualties are women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
The Health Ministry, which operates under Hamas governance, does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, while the U.N. and other international agencies regard its casualty figures as some of the most credible available regarding the conflict's impact.
As discussions around a ceasefire continue to evolve, the plan for negotiations in Qatar has stirred some optimism. Netanyahu's office mentioned that a negotiating team would be dispatched for indirect talks, though they also noted that Hamas had proposed "unacceptable" modifications to the ceasefire proposal. This meeting in Qatar is set against the backdrop of Netanyahu’s anticipated visit to Washington to discuss these developments with President Trump.
Hamas is advocating for assurances that an initial truce would culminate in a complete cessation of hostilities and prompt the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Previous diplomatic efforts have faltered primarily due to Hamas's demands for guarantees that any future negotiations would lead to an end to the conflict, facing pushback as Netanyahu insists on continuing military actions to eradicate the militant group.
