Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 18 people overnight as Israel and Hamas appeared to be coming closer to a ceasefire deal
Welcome to our live coverage of the crisis in the Middle East. It is nearly 10.30am in Gaza City and Jerusalem.
Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 18 people overnight, including six women and four children, health officials said, as Israel and Hamas appeared to be coming closer to a ceasefire deal to end the 15-month war and release dozens of hostages.
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that a wave of Israeli airstrikes killed more than 50 people in the Palestinian territory’s main city on Monday. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said the strikes pounded Gaza City throughout the day, hitting “schools, homes and even gatherings of people”. “There is no room in hospitals to receive the wounded,” Bassal told AFP. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not immediately comment on the claims.
The IDF said five soldiers had been killed in fighting in northern Gaza, bringing to nine the number of its troops killed since Saturday.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels meanwhile fired a missile at central Israel, setting off sirens and sending people fleeing to shelters without causing any casualties. Police said Tuesday several homes were damaged outside Jerusalem and released a photo of a missile casing that had crashed into a roof.
An Israeli lawyer has filed submissions to the international criminal court (ICC) alleging incitement to genocide against Palestinians by eight Israeli officials, including President Isaac Herzog and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, said at least five people were killed in the bombing of the Salah al-Din school in Gaza City, which was housing displaced Palestinian people.
At least 46,584 Palestinian people have been killed and 109,731 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since 7 October 2023, the Gaza health ministry said in its latest update. At least 19 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.
