An Israeli airstrike killed at least 17 people in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Tuesday, Palestinian officials said, as talks on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ended without a breakthrough.
First responders with the Civil Defence circulated footage of rescuers pulling dead and wounded people from the rubble of a house, including a child with blood on his face who was not moving. The nearby European Hospital said on Tuesday that it had received 17 bodies overnight.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it was carrying out targeted raids on militant infrastructure in Khan Younis while trying to evacuate civilians from the area.
The latest fatalities brought the overall Palestinian toll from the nearly five-month war to 30,631, according to Gaza’s health ministry. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures but says women and children make up around two-thirds of the total casualties. It says over 72,000 people have been wounded.
Israel launched its offensive after Hamas-led militants stormed across the border on October 7, killing some 1,200 people. Over 100 hostages were released last year in exchange for 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Truce talks extended
Hamas negotiators stayed in Cairo for a third day of ceasefire talks on Tuesday in an attempt to halt the fighting in the Gaza Strip in time for Ramazan, free Israeli hostages and stave off famine.
A 40-day ceasefire in the war between Hamas and Israel would allow some hostages captured by Palestinian militants in the October attack that precipitated the war to go free, while aid to Gaza would be increased and families able to return to abandoned homes. Ramazan begins at the start of next week.
“The delegation will remain in Cairo on Tuesday for more talks, they are expected to wrap up this round later today,” a Hamas official said.
Three security sources from host and mediator Egypt told Reuters the warring sides were sticking to demands that had held up an agreement. The Egyptians have remained in contact with the Israelis despite the absence of an Israeli delegation. Earlier, senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said the group had presented a draft ceasefire agreement and was now waiting for a response from Israel.
