24/08/2024
Dozens Dead in Gaza Strikes as Cease-Fire Talks Loom in Cairo
Breaking News: At least 36 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday, as efforts to initiate high-level cease-fire talks in Egypt continued. Among the casualties were 11 members of a single family, including two children, following an airstrike on their home in Khan Younis, according to reports from Nasser Hospital.
The hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving 33 bodies from three separate strikes in the area, while Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed receiving three more bodies from another strike. Additionally, 17 people, including tuk-tuk passengers and passers-by, were killed in a strike on a road south of Khan Younis, and another strike east of the city claimed at least five more lives.
First responders also recovered the bodies of 10 people from a residential block west of Khan Younis, an area that has been heavily bombarded over the past week. The Israeli military is currently investigating these reports but has not issued an official comment.
The conflict, which began on October 7 following a surprise attack on Israel by Hamas, has led to significant casualties on both sides. Gaza's Health Ministry reports that over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s retaliatory offensive. The ongoing violence has displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
As cease-fire talks approach, expert delegations from Israel and Hamas have arrived in Cairo. Hamas will be briefed by Egyptian and Qatari officials, while the Israeli delegation includes top security and intelligence figures. The United States, represented by CIA Director William Burns and other senior officials, is mediating the negotiations, with pressure mounting to reach a cease-fire agreement and avoid a broader regional conflict.
