GAZA CITY: The Israeli military on Friday continued relentless airstrikes in the Gaza Strip with a large number of Palestinians reported killed overnight, after mediator Qatar said that the Palestinian resistance group Hamas had given its “initial” support to a proposed hostage-prisoner exchange deal. The agreement, if realized, would lead to a temporary pause in the ongoing Israeli strikes in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Over the past 24 hours, the health ministry in Gaza reported at least 112 Palestinians have been killed, while the Gaza government press office detailed Israeli air and artillery bombardment in Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza.
Amid the escalating violence, Gaza City resident Abir al-Madhun described Israeli aircraft dropping leaflets over the Al-Shifa Hospital compound, urging civilians to evacuate. She expressed desperation, stating, “Our houses were destroyed; our children were killed. Where should we go? The shooting must stop so we can find a place to live.”
The United Nations has declared Gaza “uninhabitable” after nearly four months of continued Israeli strikes, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. The region faces acute shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicines due to an Israeli siege.
As winter storms brought heavy rain to Gaza on Friday, the hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians faced additional hardships, seeking shelter in damaged structures and makeshift camps.
International Pressure for Ceasefire in Gaza
International pressure for a ceasefire has intensified, with Qatar presenting a truce proposal to Hamas on Thursday. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman, expressed optimism about potential “good news” regarding a pause in the conflict “in the next couple of weeks.” Ansari noted that the truce plan, negotiated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States in Paris, had received a “positive” initial response from Hamas.
“The proposal has been approved by the Israeli side, and now we have an initial positive confirmation from the Hamas side,” Ansari stated.
Since October 7, Israel’s extensive offensive has resulted in a large number of Palestinian casualties, with at least 27,131 people killed in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Gaza Strip.
