Israeli airstrikes killed at least 100 Palestinians overnight across the Gaza Strip, according to local health authorities, as indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas continued with little progress.
Khalil Al-Deqran, a spokesperson for Gaza’s health ministry, confirmed the death toll, stating that “complete families were wiped off the civil registration record” due to the bombing. The latest round of strikes is part of Israel’s ongoing offensive, which has already claimed hundreds of lives since Thursday, as Israel prepares for a potential ground assault to gain “operational control” over parts of Gaza.
Gaza’s healthcare system is overwhelmed, with hospitals unable to meet the growing number of casualties. “Hospitals are overwhelmed with a growing number of casualties, many of them children,” Deqran added. The Indonesian Hospital, one of Gaza’s largest remaining medical facilities, has ceased operations due to Israeli fire near its premises, while Shifa Hospital struggles to cope with the continuous influx of victims.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar, with U.S. support, resumed ceasefire negotiations on Saturday, but sources close to the talks report no significant breakthroughs. Hamas has reportedly proposed releasing half of its Israeli hostages in exchange for a two-month ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, but Israel has refused to accept the terms, insisting on hostages’ release without agreeing to a ceasefire.
Compounding the crisis, reports suggest that Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar may have been killed in an Israeli airstrike. However, Hamas has not confirmed the reports, and Israel’s Defense Ministry offered no immediate comment.
One of the overnight strikes hit a displaced persons camp in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, killing women and children, wounding dozens, and setting tents ablaze. Hamas condemned the attack as a “new brutal crime,” blaming the U.S. administration for escalating the situation.
The toll also includes the deaths of five journalists, some of whom were with their families, as well as Zakaria Al-Sinwar, the brother of Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, and three of his children.
The ongoing conflict, which has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s residents, has led to the deaths of more than 53,000 people since October 2023. Israel’s stated goal is to dismantle Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities after the October 7 attacks, in which Hamas killed around 1,200 Israelis and took approximately 250 hostages.