The 21-month war, triggered by Hamas’ attack on October 7, continues to rage, with no sign of a breakthrough following two days of talks last week between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages ended without progress
Smoke billows east of Gaza City in central Gaza Strip following Israeli strikes on Sunday. PIC/AFP
Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Monday have killed at least 30 people, according to local hospitals.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced that it had killed a senior Hamas militant last month who had allegedly held a hostage in his home, reported AP.
The 21-month war, triggered by Hamas’ attack on October 7, continues to rage, with no sign of a breakthrough following two days of talks last week between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire and the release of hostages ended without progress.
In southern Gaza, 12 people were reportedly killed in airstrikes, including three waiting at an aid distribution point, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which received the bodies, reported AP.
Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said it had received 12 bodies, including three children and two women, following a series of strikes in the north, according to the hospital’s director, Dr Mohammed Abu Selmia.
Al-Awda Hospital, located in central Gaza, reported that six people were killed and eight others wounded in strikes targeting the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp.
The Israeli military maintains that it targets only militants and takes measures to avoid civilian casualties. It places responsibility for civilian deaths on Hamas, which it accuses of operating within populated areas.
In a statement, the military said that a June 19 airstrike had killed Muhammad Nasr Ali Quneita, a senior Hamas operative it claims took part in the October 7 attack and held hostage Emily Damari, a dual Israeli-British national, in his home at the onset of the war. Hamas has not commented, and there has been no independent confirmation of the incident, reported AP.
On October 7, thousands of Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 251 others. Most hostages have since been released through ceasefire agreements or other arrangements, though 50 are believed to remain in captivity, fewer than half of whom are thought to still be alive.
Israel’s ongoing military campaign in response has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run administration, states that women and children account for over half of the casualties. It does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its reporting. The United Nations and other experts consider the ministry’s figures to be the most reliable available.
The war has devastated large parts of Gaza and displaced around 90 per cent of its population. Humanitarian agencies say they are struggling to deliver aid due to Israeli military restrictions and the collapse of public order. Experts have warned of a growing risk of famine.
(With AP inputs)
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