10th month into war, deadly strikes target Gaza | National News

Deadly air strikes were carried out by Israel in the Gaza Strip as the war entered its tenth month on Sunday, with fighting raging across the Palestinian territory and diplomatic efforts under way to stop the violence.

Israel announced they will be sending a delegation in the upcoming days to continue truce talks with Qatari mediators that recently began in Doha.

Despite this, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson noted that there are still “gaps” between Israel and Hamas on how to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

The fighting in Gaza continued without pause, with the Palestinian Red Crescent reporting that the bodies of six people, including two children, killed in Israeli strikes had been brought to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.

Additionally, paramedics stated that six people were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in a northern area of Gaza City.

The health ministry in Gaza reported that 16 people were killed in a strike on a school run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Nuseirat, central Gaza.

The Israeli military stated that its aircraft targeted “terrorists” around the Al-Jawni school.

Furthermore, operations were conducted across much of the Gaza Strip, including areas like Shujaiya, Deir al-Balah, and Rafah.

Despite earlier declarations, Shujaiya, an area previously cleared of Hamas, has seen fighting resume.

Four journalists working for local media outlets were killed in strikes overnight into Saturday, and two employees of UNRWA also lost their lives.

In total, UNRWA has reported that 194 of its employees have been killed in the war.

– ‘Ball in Israel’s court’ –

The United States, alongside Qatar and Egypt, has been mediating ceasefire negotiations and has expressed optimism about reaching a deal, noting a “significant opening” for both sides.

In May, US President Joe Biden proposed a truce deal which included an initial six-week ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza’s population centers, and the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants.

Although talks had stalled, a new proposal from Hamas was seen as a step forward by a US official, who stated that it could provide a basis for closing the deal.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan mentioned that new ideas from Hamas had been conveyed to the American side and were welcomed, passing them on to Israel.

Pressure has been mounting for another hostage release deal, with demonstrations and rallies taking place in Israel.

The war began in October with an attack by Hamas that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians. Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed at least 38,098 people in Gaza, with the majority being civilians.

The war has caused significant displacement, destruction of infrastructure, and widespread hunger in Gaza.

The main obstacle to a truce deal has been Hamas’s demand for a permanent end to the fighting, a demand strongly rejected by Netanyahu and his coalition partners.

– Lebanon attacks –

Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement have been exchanging fire almost daily since the start of the Gaza war, leading to escalating attacks over the past month.

Fears have arisen of a major conflict between the two enemies that could draw in other regional players like Iran.

Israel’s military reported strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, and artillery fire was exchanged across the border.

An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle in eastern Lebanon, reportedly killing a Hezbollah official who was part of the group’s air defense unit.

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