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Tragic Airstrikes in Southern Gaza Claim Dozens of Lives Amid Ceasefire Talks
In the midst of ongoing ceasefire negotiations, tragic airstrikes in Southern Gaza have resulted in the loss of dozens of lives. This devastating escalation highlights the urgent need for peace and the impact of conflict on civilians.
Tragic Airstrikes in Southern Gaza
In a devastating turn of events, Israeli airstrikes in southern Gaza claimed the lives of at least three dozen Palestinians on Saturday, according to health workers. This escalation comes as high-level ceasefire discussions unfold in neighboring Egypt, aimed at alleviating the ongoing conflict.
Among the casualties were 11 members of a single family, including two children, who tragically lost their lives when an airstrike struck their home in Khan Younis. Nasser Hospital reported that it received a total of 33 bodies, while Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed the arrival of three additional bodies from another strike.
The Israeli military stated that it is currently investigating these reports. First responders, working tirelessly amidst the chaos, also recovered 16 bodies from the Hamad City area of Khan Younis following a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. Furthermore, 10 bodies were found in a residential block west of Khan Younis, and two more in Rafah. The exact circumstances surrounding these deaths remain unclear; however, these areas have faced relentless bombardment by the Israeli military over the past week.
As some residents returned to Hamad City, they navigated through the rubble left behind, stepping carefully between the remnants of destroyed apartment buildings. One particularly devastated structure had lost an entire wall, exposing the interior where residents sifted through debris in search of any salvageable possessions. One resident, Neveen Kheder, expressed her despair, stating, “There is nothing, no apartment, no furniture, no homes, only destruction. We are dying slowly. You know what, if they gave a mercy bullet it would be better than what is happening to us.”
On the diplomatic front, experts convened on Saturday to discuss technical matters ahead of high-level ceasefire talks scheduled for Sunday in Cairo, mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar. CIA Director William Burns, along with Qatar’s foreign minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief, were set to meet in Cairo in the evening, as confirmed by an Egyptian official privy to the discussions.
A delegation from Hamas arrived in Cairo the same day to engage with Egyptian and Qatari officials, as conveyed by senior Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawy to the Associated Press. He emphasized that while Hamas would not participate directly in the talks on Sunday, they would be kept informed by their Egyptian and Qatari counterparts.
Meanwhile, displaced Palestinians were seen gathering for food distribution in Deir al Balah in the central Gaza Strip, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation. As the negotiations unfold, the CIA director and Brett McGurk, a senior adviser to President Joe Biden on Middle Eastern affairs, are leading the US delegation amid significant differences between Israel and Hamas. Central to the discussions is Israel’s insistence on maintaining military presence in two strategic corridors within Gaza, raising concerns about a potential broader regional conflict following the recent targeted killings of leaders from both Hamas and Hezbollah, groups that have been attributed to Israel.