Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 100 Palestinians in Gaza overnight, as reported by local health authorities. The health ministry in the enclave has stated that public hospitals in the northern region are now “out of service” following the siege of the Indonesian hospital by Israeli forces.
Since early March, Israel has restricted the entry of medical supplies, food, and fuel into Gaza, aiming to pressure Hamas to release Israeli hostages. Plans have also been approved that may involve taking control of the entire territory and managing aid.
Hamas has maintained that it will only release the hostages if Israel agrees to a ceasefire.
New indirect ceasefire negotiations between the two parties began yesterday, facilitated by mediators from Egypt and Qatar, with support from the United States. However, sources involved in the discussions indicated that no significant progress has been made.
The negotiations reportedly cover various issues, including peace proposals, a truce, and a potential hostage exchange, according to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
The statement emphasized that any resolution to the conflict must involve the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the exile of Hamas militants.
A senior Israeli official disclosed that advancements in the talks have been minimal thus far.
Reports from Britain’s Sky News Arabica and the BBC suggest that Hamas has proposed releasing around half of its Israeli hostages in return for a two-month ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.
A Hamas representative stated: “Israel’s position remains unchanged; they demand the release of their prisoners without agreeing to end the conflict.”
Smoke is observed billowing above Gaza amidst ongoing airstrikes.
One of the overnight strikes targeted a tent encampment in Khan Younis housing displaced families, resulting in the deaths of women and children, with dozens more injured and several tents set ablaze.
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Hamas condemned the strike as a “new brutal crime” and attributed blame for the escalating situation to the US administration.
Among the victims of this morning’s attacks were three journalists along with their families. Medical sources reported that another family in northern Gaza suffered the loss of at least 20 members.
Zakaria Al-Sinwar, a history lecturer at a Gaza university and brother of the former Hamas chief Yehya Al-Sinwar—who was killed by Israel last October—and three of his children were also killed in an Israeli airstrike on their tent in central Gaza, according to medical personnel.
The healthcare system in Gaza is barely functional due to continuous bombardments and assaults on hospitals. The blockade on aid supplies has exacerbated these challenges, contributing to widespread hunger, which Israel ties to Hamas’s actions.
The Israeli military stated yesterday that it was conducting extensive strikes across Gaza as part of its strategy to achieve its warfare goals.
Israel’s publicized aim in Gaza is the dismantling of Hamas’s military and governmental capacities, following the group’s attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 individuals and the capture of approximately 250 hostages.
The Israeli military campaign has inflicted severe devastation on Gaza, displacing nearly all residents and claiming over 53,000 lives, according to health authorities managed by Hamas.
