GAZA STRIP: At least 21 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes and gunfire across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, according to local health officials, as international mediators intensified efforts to revive ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Among the dead were nine people killed in an air strike on a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. Another nine were reported killed in a separate strike near a tent camp in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.
In central Gaza, Israeli gunfire killed three more people and wounded dozens as crowds gathered near a main road awaiting the arrival of UN aid trucks, medics said. Aid distribution points have repeatedly been the site of deadly incidents in recent weeks.
The Israeli military has not yet issued a statement regarding Thursday’s attacks.
Israel maintains its offensive is aimed at dismantling Hamas and rescuing hostages taken during the militant group’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken, according to Israeli figures.
Since then, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities, and left large parts of the coastal enclave in ruins.
Efforts to restart ceasefire talks continue, led by Egypt and Qatar with U.S. backing. While discussions are ongoing, no new round of negotiations has been formally scheduled, sources close to Hamas said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that any resolution must involve Hamas releasing all remaining hostages, surrendering its weapons, and ceding power in Gaza.
Hamas, meanwhile, has indicated willingness to release hostages if Israel agrees to a permanent ceasefire and a full military withdrawal from the territory. While the group says it would no longer govern Gaza, it has refused to consider disarmament.
To date, most hostages released have been freed through indirect talks mediated by third parties.
