Palestine (Washington Insider Magazine) – At least 21 people, including six children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Sunday, according to the Palestinian health authorities. The attacks came shortly before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to visit the region to push ahead with ceasefire talks. The children and their mother were among those killed in Deir Al-Balah, a town in the centre of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the civilian casualties, but confirmed that it destroyed rocket launchers in Khan Younis, a site of intense recent fighting, killing 20 Palestinian militants.
Following a two-day conference in Doha last week, diplomatic attempts to end the Israel-Hamas conflict and secure the release of hostages held in Gaza have stepped up. Talks are currently taking place in Cairo. Since the fighting started in October of last year, Blinken has made ten trips to the area. Recently, the United States has put out bridge ideas that mediators think could heal divisions between Israel and Gaza. A truce must be reached immediately, though, as concerns of a larger escalation loom, especially in light of Iran’s vow of reprisal following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens in Gaza
According to Reuters, Israel keeps up its military operations in Gaza, which is making the humanitarian situation worse. Due to the increasing number of people being forced to leave from other places, the town of Deir Al-Balah has increased to almost one million. Water shortages have also become a critical issue, as wells and water tankers supplying 60% of the area’s needs are now in evacuation zones. The United Nations has reported that the designated “humanitarian area” in Gaza, considered safe by Israeli forces, now only comprises 11% of the territory, further compounding the crisis.
Blinken’s Diplomatic Mission in Israel
Blinken’s visit is anticipated to include meetings with key authorities, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The conversations are still underway, and Netanyahu’s office called them “complex,” stressing that Israel is dedicated to the security principles set forth in May’s recommendations.
The Israeli government has stated that it is not simply conceding in negotiations and remains firm on key issues, including the presence of Israeli troops in Gaza after the conflict and security checks on movement into northern Gaza. Hamas has criticized the Israeli stance, accusing Netanyahu of introducing new conditions to derail the negotiations.
While Hamas has pushed for a ceasefire to end the war, Israel has been reluctant to agree to anything beyond a temporary pause in fighting. The conflict, which began on October 7 with a Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and resulted in the capture of around 250 hostages, has since led to over 40,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian health authorities. The Israeli military claims to have killed 17,000 Hamas fighters during the ongoing campaign, which has left much of Gaza in ruins.
