At least 18 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Saturday, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas has been continued to escalate with ceasefire deals in talk. According to the Israeli military, they have targeted the gunmen operating from shelters and aid storages, however, heavy casualties among civilians is reported by Palestinian authorities.
A major attack took place close to the municipality building in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, where people had gathered to receive aid. The strike killed at least 10 people and also took the life of the head of Hamas administrative committee in central Gaza, according to a source in the group. Casualties were taken on foot and in rickshaws and private vehicles to nearby hospitals.
In Gaza City, an Israeli air raid struck a shelter, killing at least seven people, including a woman and her baby. The military said it hit Hamas fighters, but it was unclear if all the victims were combatants. A local journalist was also killed in a separate attack in Gaza City, though the military has yet to confirm the report.
The ongoing war started when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes and other attacks on air, sea, and land have led to at least 44,000 deaths in Gaza, mostly civilians, and much of the enclave lies in ruins. Despite efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to negotiate a truce, the conflict shows no signs of abating. On Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with U.S. officials to discuss a potential ceasefire and a prisoners-for-hostages exchange.
