Palestinian medics reported that Israeli military strikes on several areas of Khan Younis on Monday killed at least 16 people and wounded several others. The attacks came as more families and displaced persons streamed out of areas threatened by new evacuation orders telling people to clear the area.
Hamas Skeptical of Ceasefire Talks
Kabul 24: As fighting continued in several areas of the Gaza Strip, Hamas reacted skeptically to the latest round of Egyptian and Qatari-brokered ceasefire talks scheduled for Thursday. The group said in a statement that mediators must force Israel to accept a ceasefire proposal based on ideas by US President Joe Biden, which Hamas had accepted, “instead of pursuing further rounds of negotiations or new proposals that would provide cover for the occupation’s aggression.”
Preparations for Larger Confrontation
Hamas’ reaction to the talks came as preparations for a larger scale confrontation grew, with Washington ordering a guided missile submarine to the Middle East and the Abraham Lincoln strike group accelerating its deployment to the region. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that Iran was making preparations for a large-scale military attack on Israel.
Devastating Toll of the War
The Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip killed some 1,200 people, with more than 250 taken into captivity in Gaza, according to Israeli tallies, in one of the most devastating blows against Israel in its history.
In response, Israeli forces have flattened Gaza, displaced most of the population and killed around 40,000 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry, in a war that has caused horror around the world. On Saturday, scores of people were killed in Israeli strikes on a school building in Gaza City that the military said targeted fighters from the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
