At least 21 individuals, including six children, were killed in Gaza due to Israeli strikes on Sunday, according to Palestinian health authorities. This occurred just before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the region to advance ceasefire negotiations. Health officials reported that an Israeli airstrike on a house in Deir Al-Balah resulted in the death of a mother and her six children. The Israeli military has not yet commented on this incident.
The Israeli military claimed to have targeted and destroyed rocket launchers in Khan Younis, a city that has seen heavy combat recently, and killed 20 Palestinian fighters. Efforts to stop the conflict between Israel and Hamas and to secure the release of hostages in Gaza have been escalating. Talks facilitated by the US, Egypt, and Qatar are expected to continue this week in Cairo, following a two-day meeting in Doha.
Blinken, on his tenth visit to the region since the start of the war, arrived in Israel on Sunday. This follows the US presenting bridging proposals that the mediating countries believe could close the gaps between the warring parties. There is a growing urgency to achieve a ceasefire, especially with concerns about a regional escalation. Iran has threatened to retaliate against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.
At Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, mourners surrounded the bodies of the mother and her six children, wrapped in white shrouds with their names. The youngest child was only 18 months old, as their grandfather, Mohammed Khattab, questioned their alleged crimes at the funeral. Israel denies targeting civilians, accusing Hamas of operating from civilian facilities, a claim Hamas denies.
After ten months of war, Palestinians in Gaza are enduring constant desperation to find safety. Residents like Tamer Al-Burai describe the situation as exhausting, with people being forced into smaller areas, creating pressure cooker conditions. The military ordered evacuations in areas north of Khan Younis and east of Deir Al-Balah, where hundreds of thousands had been sheltering in poor conditions.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that these evacuation orders reduced the designated safe humanitarian area by Israeli forces to about 11% of the total area of the Gaza Strip. The Deir Al-Balah municipality, estimating the city's current population at 1 million, noted that evacuation orders further crowded people into a smaller space. Additionally, water shortages are imminent as several water wells and tankers, which provided 60% of supplies, are located in the evacuation areas.
In Israel, Blinken is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials. Netanyahu's office expressed 'cautious optimism' about reaching a deal, while US officials also remain positive but acknowledge the remaining work to be done.
