Photo:Reuters
Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Sunday resulted in the deaths of 19 individuals, including six children, according to Palestinian health authorities. The attacks occurred just as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepares to visit the region to advance ceasefire negotiations, reported Reuters.
The fatalities include a mother and her children, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential house in the central town of Deir Al-Balah. Israeli military sources have not yet commented on the specific incident. However, the military stated that the airstrikes targeted rocket launchers in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, and claimed to have killed 20 Palestinian fighters involved in recent intense fighting.
The escalation comes amid intensified diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, negotiations are expected to continue in Cairo this week, following a two-day meeting in Doha last week. Blinken’s upcoming visit marks his 10th trip to the region since the conflict began, with the U.S. proposing bridging solutions aimed at narrowing the gaps between the conflicting parties.
Urgency has increased to secure a ceasefire due to fears of broader regional escalation. Iran has issued threats of retaliation against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.
As the conflict drags on, Gaza residents are facing severe hardship. Tamer Al-Burai, a resident of Deir Al-Balah, expressed the despair of those affected: “There is nothing left to us but the sea. We are tired of displacement. People are being pushed into narrow areas in Deir Al-Balah and Al-Mawasi, which have become pressure cookers.” He added that tanks were positioned just 1.5 km (0.9 miles) away from their homes.
