
At least 20 people were killed and over 40 injured in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the Shujaiya area of Gaza City on Wednesday, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.
Mahmud Bassal, the agency’s spokesperson, confirmed the ongoing search for more bodies beneath the rubble, as the Israeli military said it is reviewing the incident.
The renewed bombardment comes after Israel resumed intense military operations in the Gaza Strip on March 18, effectively ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas.
Since the resumption of hostilities, the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza reported that 1,482 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the total death toll since the conflict began in October 2023 to 50,846.
The war was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures compiled by AFP.
Despite mounting casualties, ceasefire negotiations remain deadlocked. Hamas political bureau member Hossam Badran told AFP on Tuesday that the group remains open to all proposals that could lead to a truce and end what he called the “genocide enacted against our Palestinian people.”
“Communication with mediators is still ongoing,” Badran said, “but so far, there are no new proposals.”
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that fresh negotiations are underway, focusing on securing the release of hostages still held in Gaza.
Out of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s October assault, 58 remain in captivity, including 34 whom the Israeli military has declared dead.
As the humanitarian toll escalates, international pressure continues to mount on both sides to reach a ceasefire agreement and bring relief to civilians caught in the crossfire.
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