GAZA CITY: Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli air strikes on Sunday killed at least 43 Palestinians, including civilians at a market and a water distribution point.
The attacks occurred as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas remained stalled, with both sides blaming each other for the deadlock.
Delegations from Israel and Hamas have spent a week negotiating in Doha, Qatar, attempting to secure a temporary truce to end 21 months of conflict in Gaza.
However, discussions collapsed on Saturday, with each side accusing the other of obstructing progress.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal confirmed that 11 people died when a market in Gaza City was hit, while eight children were among 10 killed in a drone strike at a water point in Nuseirat refugee camp.
Israel’s military acknowledged the latter incident, stating a “technical error” caused munitions to miss their intended target—a member of Hamas ally Islamic Jihad.
Khaled Rayyan, a Nuseirat resident, described waking to explosions as a nearby house was struck.
“Our neighbour and his children were under the rubble,“ he told AFP. Another local, Mahmud al-Shami, urged negotiators to act: “What happened to us has never happened in the entire history of humanity. Enough.”
The Israeli military intensified operations, striking over 150 targets in Gaza within 24 hours.
Aerial footage showed attacks near Beit Hanoun, though AFP could not independently verify casualty figures due to media restrictions.
The war, triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, has claimed 58,026 Palestinian lives, per Gaza’s health ministry.
Israel reports 1,219 deaths from the initial attack, with 49 hostages still held in Gaza.
Humanitarian conditions deteriorate as fuel shortages reach critical levels.
Only 150,000 litres of fuel entered Gaza recently—far below the daily 275,000-litre requirement, said Amjad Shawa of the Palestinian NGOs Network.
Meanwhile, the aid vessel Handala sailed from Italy carrying medical supplies, despite Israel’s recent interception of a similar mission.
Ceasefire negotiations faltered over Israel’s reported insistence on maintaining troops in 40% of Gaza, raising fears of forced displacement.
A Palestinian source claimed Israel aims to push Palestinians southward, possibly toward Egypt.
Israel accused Hamas of inflexibility, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded Hamas disarm before discussing a lasting peace.
In Tel Aviv, thousands protested for the hostages’ release. Former captive Eli Sharabi warned, “The window of opportunity... is open now and it won’t be for long.” - AFP
