Israeli Airstrikes Kill 14 in Gaza as Efforts for Ceasefire Intensify
Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 14 people in Gaza as violence escalates between Israel and Hamas. The strikes took place on Sunday, with one airstrike hitting a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, killing five people. Another attack in Jabalia, located in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, left four more dead. A third airstrike targeted a police station in Khan Younis in the south, killing five people. The exact identities of the deceased remain unclear, but reports suggest that not all were policemen.
These attacks are part of an ongoing military campaign by Israel against Hamas, which has been intensifying for the past three months. Health officials in Gaza reported a tragic toll, revealing that Israeli airstrikes had taken the lives of at least 88 people over the past 24 hours. Additionally, more than 200 people were injured during this period, further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in the region.
In Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, a family was devastated by an airstrike late on Saturday. Seven members of the Zuhd family died when their house was hit, and rescue workers continued their efforts to search for survivors in the rubble. Four individuals are believed to still be trapped under the debris, and the search for them is ongoing. Ammar Zuhd, a relative, described the scene of loss and despair as people rushed to retrieve bodies and search for survivors.
The Israeli military responded to the criticism of these airstrikes by stating that it had attacked over 100 targets across Gaza over the weekend. According to Israel, its military actions have killed dozens of Hamas militants and destroyed rocket-launching sites that had been used to carry out attacks on Israeli territory. The Israeli government maintains that its actions are part of an ongoing operation aimed at eliminating Hamas, which has been responsible for the deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, when around 1,200 Israelis were killed, and approximately 250 hostages were taken.
As the death toll rises in Gaza, efforts to broker a ceasefire are intensifying. U.S. and Arab mediators are pushing for an agreement, and Israeli negotiators have resumed talks in Doha, under the mediation of Qatari and Egyptian officials. The Biden administration is also involved in facilitating these talks, urging Hamas to come to an agreement and seeking the return of Israeli hostages. While Hamas has expressed its commitment to reaching a deal, it remains unclear how close both sides are to finalizing the terms of a ceasefire.
The war has already taken a devastating toll on Gaza, with over 45,000 Palestinians reported dead, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The Israeli military operation, which began in response to the Hamas-led attack in October 2023, has destroyed much of Gaza’s infrastructure and displaced large numbers of people. The focus of the Israeli offensive has been the eradication of Hamas, but the resulting civilian casualties and widespread destruction have drawn international concern.
As diplomatic efforts continue, the world watches to see if a ceasefire can be achieved before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. With both sides entrenched in their positions, the prospects for peace remain uncertain, and the people of Gaza continue to endure unimaginable suffering amid the ongoing conflict.
