Dozens Killed in Southern Gaza Strikes Amid Cease-Fire Talks Progress

At least three dozen Palestinians lost their lives due to multiple Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip, officials reported on Saturday. This escalation occurs as discussions for a potential cease-fire are set to take place in Cairo.

Among those killed were eleven family members, including two children, who died when an Israeli airstrike struck their home in Khan Younis early on Saturday. This information was provided by Nasser Hospital, which received both the bodies and the injured from the strikes.

In total, Nasser Hospital reported that it had received 33 fatalities from three separate airstrikes in and around Khan Younis. Another hospital in the region, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, confirmed the arrival of an additional three bodies from an early Saturday strike.

Furthermore, a strike targeting a road south of Khan Younis resulted in the deaths of seventeen people, including passengers of a tuk-tuk and bystanders, according to Nasser Hospital. Another tuk-tuk strike east of Khan Younis claimed at least five lives.

The Israeli military indicated it is looking into these reports but has yet to make an official comment.

First responders managed to recover the bodies of ten individuals from a residential block situated west of Khan Younis. The specific circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unclear, though this area has faced continuous bombardment from the Israeli military over the preceding week.

An Associated Press journalist at the hospital reported counting the bodies and capturing footage of the funeral service in the hospital’s courtyard.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza ignited on October 7, following a surprise attack by Hamas and other militant groups on Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties, primarily civilians. While over 100 hostages were released during a previous cease-fire, Hamas is still believed to be holding around 110 individuals, with estimates suggesting that about one-third are deceased, according to Israeli authorities.

In retaliation, Israel’s offensive has resulted in over 40,000 Palestinian fatalities, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry. This figure does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. The offensive has caused widespread devastation, displacing the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants from their homes.

On Saturday, experts convened to address technical issues that would facilitate high-level discussions on a potential cease-fire, which are scheduled to occur on Sunday and are mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar.

A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday to engage with Egyptian and Qatari officials. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawy indicated that while Hamas will not participate directly in the discussions, they would be briefed by their Egyptian and Qatari counterparts.

The Israeli delegation, which arrived on Thursday, included David Barnea, head of Israel’s Mossad, the head of the Shin Bet security service, and Major General Eliezer Toledano.

Leading the U.S. delegation are CIA Director William Burns and Brett McGurk, a senior advisor to President Biden on Middle Eastern affairs. Significant differences remain between Israel and Hamas, particularly regarding Israel’s insistence on maintaining a military presence in two strategic corridors within Gaza.

The White House conveyed on Friday that the negotiations had been constructive and indicated some progress, albeit without sharing specific details.

The United States has been advocating for a bridging proposal aimed at addressing the discrepancies between Israel and Hamas as international pressure for a cease-fire intensifies. This comes amid rising concerns about a broader regional conflict following recent targeted killings of leaders from the militant Hamas and Hezbollah organizations, which have been attributed to Israel.

President Biden reached out to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, emphasizing the critical need to arrive at a cease-fire and a deal regarding hostages. He also discussed developments with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt on Friday.

One of the main sticking points involves the Philadelphi corridor adjacent to Gaza’s border with Egypt and the Netzarim corridor that runs west to east across the territory. Hamas demands a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, while Netanyahu insists upon retaining control of these corridors.

Bassem Naim, a Hamas political official, indicated last week that the working proposal at that time conformed to Netanyahu’s demands, which included maintaining Israeli forces’ control over both the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors.

As the Sunday talks approach, Merdawy stated that Hamas’s stance remains unchanged, continuing to support an earlier draft advocating for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Source: Associated Press