Dozens have died following an Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza overnight. Israel claimed on Thursday that the school was being used as a Hamas compound, although no evidence was provided. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah received at least 30 bodies from the school strike managed by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and another six from a separate strike on a residential home. The United States President Joe Biden’s administration is working to convince Hamas and Israel to agree to a new ceasefire and hostage release proposal in hopes of ending the war. According to the Health Ministry, over 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, with no distinction made between combatants and civilians.
The war in Gaza, which has been ongoing for eight months, has severely limited the access to food, medicine, and other essential supplies for Palestinians, leading to widespread hunger. United Nations agencies warn that over 1 million people in Gaza could face the highest level of starvation by mid-July. The conflict began after Hamas’ attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals, mostly civilians, and the capture of around 250 hostages, with approximately 80 hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza.
Current updates include an Israeli strike on a Gaza school that killed 30 people, accusations against Israel for using white phosphorous in Lebanon, a social media campaign drawing attention to Rafah, international sanctions imposed on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels unveiling a new solid-fuel ‘Palestine’ missile. Follow AP’s coverage of the Gaza war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
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