Israeli airstrikes on Sunday resulted in the deaths of at least nine Palestinians, marking a tragic escalation in the ongoing conflict. The attacks, which targeted two separate locations in the Gaza Strip, brought the weekend death toll to 97, according to Palestinian medics. The Israeli military, which had conducted a series of airstrikes throughout the weekend, said the operations were aimed at neutralizing Hamas militants.
In the central Gaza Nuseirat camp, five people were killed when an Israeli airstrike struck a house. In the northern Gaza region, another airstrike took the lives of four individuals in Jabalia, an area where Israeli forces have been operating for the past three months. These deadly strikes come amid heightened efforts to finalize a ceasefire deal and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The violence follows a deadly airstrike late Saturday in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, which claimed the lives of seven members of the Zuhd family. The attack left several others trapped under the rubble of their home, as neighbors and relatives frantically dug to recover survivors. The search continued throughout Sunday, with reports of further casualties emerging.
The Israeli military responded to the escalation, stating that over the weekend, it had targeted more than 100 Hamas-related sites across Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, these operations killed dozens of Hamas militants and destroyed multiple rocket-launching sites used to target Israeli territory in recent days.
As the death toll continues to rise, efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have intensified. US and Arab mediators are working to broker an agreement that would bring an end to the ongoing violence and secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Both Israel and Hamas have expressed interest in reaching a deal, but the specifics of any potential ceasefire remain unclear.
This escalation follows a significant attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the capture of around 250 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas’ infrastructure and bringing an end to the group’s control in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in massive destruction across the enclave, with the Gaza health ministry reporting over 45,800 Palestinian deaths since the beginning of the Israeli assault.
With both sides engaged in intense negotiations and a fragile truce on the horizon, the international community remains on edge, urging a swift resolution to the violence and a lasting peace in the region.
Sources By Agencies
