On Sunday, Israeli forces advanced tanks further into southern areas of the Gaza Strip amid ongoing clashes with Hamas-led militants. Gaza health officials reported that 66 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli military strikes within the last 24 hours. Tanks moved deeper into Al-Karara, Al-Zanna, and Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where at least nine Palestinians were killed earlier in the day by Israeli military strikes, according to medics. Residents reported intense fighting in eastern Khan Younis where the army was active, prompting thousands of families to evacuate to overcrowded areas in Al-Mawasi to the west and north to Deir Al-Balah.
Later in the day, two separate Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis resulted in the death of at least 15 Palestinians, medics said. One air strike in the Mawasi district killed five, including a four-month-old girl named Maria Abu Ziada. Al-Mawasi, a designated humanitarian area in western Khan Younis, has been the target of Israeli army orders for Palestinians to relocate. The Israeli military is reviewing these reports.
Another air strike on a house in central Khan Younis killed 10 people, according to health officials. Israel's military stated that the operations in eastern Khan Younis were in response to recent attacks, including rocket fire, and to prevent Hamas from reorganizing. They reported killing dozens of militants and destroying military infrastructure. Meanwhile, in Rafah near the Egyptian border, Israeli forces pushed deeper into the northern parts of the city, which they have not yet fully controlled.
Tanks also targeted areas in the central Gaza Strip, including Bureij camp, Nuseirat camp, and Juhr El-Deek village. In the Tel Al-Hawa suburb of Gaza City, where Hamas' armed wing reported fighting with Israeli forces, an Israeli air strike killed four Palestinians, medics said. CIA Director William Burns was scheduled to meet with Israeli, Egyptian counterparts, and Qatar's prime minister in Rome to discuss a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas.
Hamas seeks a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists the conflict will only end when Hamas is defeated. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Israel's response to the latest ceasefire proposal was sent to Washington before the expected meeting, aiming to break the months-long stalemate. Israel also vowed to retaliate against Hezbollah after accusing the Iran-backed group of killing 12 children and teenagers in a rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The ongoing hostilities in Gaza have resulted in more than 39,000 Palestinian deaths, according to local health authorities, who do not differentiate between fighters and non-combatants. Israel, which has lost 328 soldiers in Gaza, estimates that about a third of the Palestinians killed since its military offensive began in October were fighters. The October 7th attack by Hamas led to the deaths of about 1,200 people and the capture of 250 others, according to Israeli figures.
