At least 69 people have been killed by Israeli fire across Gaza on Thursday, rescuers say, amid an intensification of Israeli bombardment in the Palestinian territory. One air strike killed 15 people at a school-turned-shelter for displaced families in Gaza City.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it targeted a “key” Hamas operative based there, but witnesses and medical officials contradict this account, reporting that civilians were killed while queueing for aid or on their way to pick it up.
Pressure mounts on both Israel and Hamas to agree on a new ceasefire and hostage release deal being pushed by US President Donald Trump. The proposed agreement includes an end to the war and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that the Palestinian armed group must be eliminated, while Hamas claims it is studying the proposals but still seeks to end the war and withdraw from Gaza.
Since the start of the conflict in October 2023, at least 57,130 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry. The US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has reported minimal incidents despite its presence in the area.
Israel has launched a campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas’s attack on Israel, but allegations of excessive casualties among civilians persist. The UN and aid groups refuse to cooperate with the GHF due to concerns over its humanitarian principles.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3d1r93gg9ro