An Israeli Airstrike Kills 18 Members Of A Family In Gaza As Mediators Hope For A Cease-Fire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israel airstrike successful Gaza killed astatine slightest 18 people, each from nan aforesaid family, connected Saturday, hours aft mediators expressed optimism for an imminent cease-fire woody betwixt Israel and Hamas aft 10 months of war.

A joint statement by mediators nan United States, Egypt and Qatar aft 2 days of talks said a connection to span gaps was presented and they expect to activity retired implementation specifications adjacent week successful Cairo.

The mediation efforts purpose to secure nan merchandise of scores of Israeli hostages and extremity nan fighting that has devastated Gaza, wherever nan death toll has surpassed 40,000 and a imaginable polio outbreak is feared. Talks are besides meant to calm location tensions that person threatened to detonate into a wider warfare if Iran and Hezbollah militants successful Lebanon onslaught Israel successful retaliation for caller killings of militant leaders.

Saturday’s airstrike deed a location and adjacent storage sheltering displaced group astatine nan entranceway to nan municipality of Zawaida, according to nan Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital successful Deir al-Balah, wherever casualties were taken. An Associated Press newsman location counted nan dead.

Among those killed was Sami Jawad al-Ejlah, a wholesaler who coordinated pinch nan Israeli subject to bring nutrient and food to Gaza. The dormant besides included his 2 wives, 11 of their children ages 2 to 22, nan children’s grandma and 3 different relatives, according to a database provided by nan hospital.

“He was a serene man,” said Abu Ahmed, a neighbor. More than 40 civilians were sheltering successful nan location and storage astatine nan time, he said.

The Israeli military, which seldom comments connected individual strikes, said it struck “terrorist infrastructure” successful cardinal Gaza wherever rockets had been fired toward Israel successful caller weeks. It said it was continuing attacks connected militants successful cardinal Gaza.

Another wide removal is ordered successful Gaza

Another wide removal was ordered for parts of cardinal Gaza. Israeli subject spokesperson Avichay Adraee successful a station connected X said cited Palestinian rocket occurrence and said Palestinians successful areas successful and astir nan municipality Maghazi exile campy should leave.

“The suffering began from nan time we near our homes,” said Ahmad Omrani, 1 of those affected by nan order, arsenic heavy laden vehicles, bikes and donkey carts weaved done nan rubble. “We suffer from fearfulness and anxiety, and fearfulness for nan children playing successful nan street. You cannot sleep, beryllium aliases eat well.”

The immense mostly of Gaza’s organization has been displaced, often aggregate times, and astir 84% of nan territory has been put nether removal orders by nan Israeli military, according to nan United Nations.

The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants stormed crossed nan separator connected Oct. 7, sidesplitting astir 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 250 to Gaza. More than 100 were released successful a November cease-fire. Around 110 are believed to beryllium successful Gaza, though Israeli authorities judge astir a 3rd are dead.

Israel says it has killed much than 17,000 Hamas militants, without providing evidence.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said astatine slightest 40,074 Palestinians person been killed successful nan war. The ministry does not distinguish betwixt fighters and civilians.

In nan Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israel’s subject said it struck a “terrorist cell” successful Jenin. The wellness ministry location said 2 bodies were taken to a authorities hospital.

Cease-fire and implementation plans

Mediators person spent months pursuing a three-phase plan successful which Hamas would merchandise nan hostages successful speech for a lasting cease-fire, nan withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and nan merchandise of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Israel and Hezbollah person traded occurrence since nan warfare started. An Israeli onslaught Saturday killed astatine slightest 10 Syrians, including a female and her 2 children, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. Israel said it targeted a Hezbollah weapons depot.

In an evident motion of confidence, mediators were opening preparations for implementing nan cease-fire connection moreover earlier its approval, said an American official, who said connected information of anonymity successful keeping pinch rules group by nan White House.

Israel’s negotiating squad expressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “cautious optimism for nan anticipation to move toward a deal,” a connection from his agency said.

An Israeli charismatic said a delegation was group to recreation to Cairo connected Sunday to proceed talks. The charismatic said connected information of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk nan delicate talks pinch nan media.

But Hamas has formed doubt connected whether an statement was near, saying nan latest connection diverged importantly from a erstwhile iteration they had accepted successful principle. Hamas has rejected Israel’s demands that see a lasting subject beingness on nan separator pinch Egypt and a statement bisecting Gaza wherever it would hunt Palestinians returning to their homes to find militants.

Israel showed elasticity connected retreating from nan separator corridor, and a gathering betwixt Egyptian and Israeli subject officials was scheduled for adjacent week to work together connected a withdrawal mechanism, according to 2 Egyptian officials, who said connected information of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk nan backstage negotiations.

Thousands of Israelis demonstrated again Saturday nighttime for a cease-fire deal. “We request besides nan cease-fire for our information because nan service is not tin to conflict truthful galore months,” said protester Uri Aluma.

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Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg successful Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed.

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