Palestinian officials say victims include women and children, while mediators push for truce amid ongoing regional tensions.
At least nine Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, health officials said, even as Egyptian-mediated ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas continued in Cairo.
The latest deaths come as diplomatic efforts to broker an end to the war in Gaza persist, with delegations from both sides engaged in indirect talks facilitated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the victims were killed in separate strikes on residential areas in northern and central Gaza. Among the dead were reported to be women and children. Rescue teams continued to search for survivors under the rubble.
Egypt Says Gaza Talks “Serious but Difficult”:
Despite repeated rounds of negotiations, Israeli military operations have not ceased. Israeli forces carried out airstrikes and ground incursions in several areas, including parts of Khan Younis and the northern Gaza Strip.
The ongoing violence has raised concerns that the fragile ceasefire talks could collapse. Hamas has insisted on a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel has demanded the release of remaining hostages and the dismantling of Hamas’s military capabilities.
Egyptian officials described the current round of talks as “serious” but difficult, with both sides still far apart on key issues such as the duration of any truce and the terms of prisoner exchanges.
Crisis Intensifies as Gaza War Enters Third Year:
The strikes come as Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis, with widespread destruction, shortages of food, medicine and clean water, and displacement of the majority of its 2.3 million population.
International aid organisations have repeatedly warned that the conditions in Gaza are catastrophic, calling for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access.
The United Nations and several countries have urged both sides to show restraint and prioritise the protection of civilians. However, with the conflict now entering its third year, the prospects for a breakthrough remain uncertain.