Gaza: At Least 20 Killed in New Israeli Airstrikes Amid Ceasefire Uncertainty
Gaza Strip, at least 20 people have been killed in the latest wave of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, Palestinian health officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The attacks come as Israeli forces push deeper into a region that had, until now, largely escaped the worst of the 21-month conflict.
The assault, targeting areas in and around Gaza City, has intensified while ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas remain at a standstill.
Talks have dragged on for weeks, showing little sign of real progress, despite occasional glimmers of optimism from negotiators. The possibility of an Israeli troop withdrawal remains a key sticking point in the talks.
One of the deadliest strikes hit the densely populated Shati refugee camp, situated along the coast of western Gaza City. At least 12 lives were lost there, including three children and three women.
“The dead included three women and three children,” said Dr Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, director of Gaza’s Shifa Hospital, speaking to the Associated Press.
He added that 38 others were wounded in the strike, which tore through makeshift tents housing displaced residents. Gruesome footage shared by emergency responders showed victims lying motionless on the ground, their shelter reduced to debris.
In a separate overnight incident, at least eight Palestinians were killed as they waited for aid trucks in Gaza City. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 118 injuries from that strike alone.
No immediate response came from the Israeli military regarding either strike.
Israel maintains that Hamas bears responsibility for civilian casualties, accusing the group of embedding its operations in densely populated zones.
Officials also blame Hamas for dragging out the war by refusing Israeli demands for a ceasefire, including disarmament and relinquishing power.
Pressure is also mounting internationally. The Trump administration, while largely supportive of Israel, has grown increasingly uneasy with the drawn-out nature of the war.
“Mr Trump was ‘caught off guard’ by a recent Israeli strike on a Catholic church in Gaza,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday.
The bombing of the church drew condemnation from religious leaders. Senior Christian clergy, visiting the site last week, called for an urgent end to the war during a press conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday.
The humanitarian toll in Gaza continues to spiral, with hospitals overwhelmed and displacement on the rise. As diplomatic channels falter and airstrikes escalate, civilians remain trapped in the middle, searching for safety in a war zone that offers none.
