Gaza Conflict Intensifies: Israel Strikes Kill 23, Including Women and Children
Palestinian Territories: Israel Pounds Gaza Strip, Killing 23
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip, killing at least 23 people, according to rescuers, nearly 15 months into the war with Hamas Palestinian fighters. The latest deaths come after Israel late yesterday said indirect negotiations had resumed in Qatar for a truce and hostage release deal.
Death Toll Mounts
An air strike on a house in northern Gaza’s Sheikh Radwan area killed at least 11 people early today, according to civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal. The victims included women and children. "Rescuers are still searching for five people trapped under the rubble of the house," he said, adding his crew members were using "bare hands" in the effort.
Escalation in Israeli Military Strikes
The Israeli military said today it had struck more than 100 "terror targets" in Gaza over the past two days, marking an apparent escalation in its assault. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said a total of 88 people were killed over the previous 24 hours. In one strike, five people died when the house of the Abu Jarbou family was struck in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, rescuers said.
Casualties and Rescues
AFP footage from another strike showed rescuers transporting bodies and injured people to a hospital. In one scene, a medic attempted to resuscitate a wounded man inside an ambulance, while another carried an injured child to the hospital. Relatives cried over the bodies of two men wrapped in white shrouds, the images showed.
Situation on the Ground
The renewed fire from Gaza has triggered air raid sirens in Israeli communities that were largely destroyed during Hamas’s October 2023 attack that triggered the war. Rocket fire had become less frequent as the war dragged on but intensified since late December as Israel continues a three-month major land and air offensive in the territory’s north.
Negotiations for Truce and Hostage Release
The escalation coincides with indirect negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal that both sides said were to resume this weekend in Qatar. Mediators Qatar, Egypt, and the US have tried for months to strike a deal to end the war and secure the release of dozens of hostages held in Gaza.
Conclusion
The conflict in Gaza and the surrounding region remains a complex and sensitive issue, with both sides involved in a cycle of violence and retaliation. The latest escalation in violence is a worrying development, and it is crucial that all parties involved work towards a peaceful resolution.
FAQs
- What is the current death toll in the Gaza conflict?
- As of today, at least 23 people have been killed, according to rescuers.
- What is the latest development in the conflict?
- Indirect negotiations for a truce and hostage release deal are set to resume this weekend in Qatar.
- How many people have been killed in the conflict so far?
- According to official Israeli data, 1,208 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, have been killed. According to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, 45,805 people in Gaza, a majority of them civilians, have been killed.