Folks stand subsequent to the rubble of a faculty, housing displaced Palestinians, which was destroyed in an Israeli strike in Gaza Metropolis on January 13, 2025.
| Photograph Credit score: AFP
Israeli strikes within the Gaza Strip killed at the very least 18 folks in a single day, together with six girls and 4 kids, well being officers mentioned Tuesday, as Israel and Hamas seemed to be narrowing in on a ceasefire deal to finish the 15-month war and launch dozens of hostages.
Officers have expressed mounting optimism that they will conclude an settlement within the coming days after greater than a 12 months of talks which have repeatedly stalled.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the meantime fired a missile at central Israel, setting off sirens and sending folks fleeing to shelters with out inflicting any casualties. Police mentioned a number of properties had been broken outdoors Jerusalem and launched a photograph of a missile casing that had crashed right into a roof.
Two strikes within the central Gaza metropolis of Deir al-Balah killed two girls and their 4 kids, who ranged in age from 1 month to 9 years outdated. One of many girls was pregnant and the infant didn’t survive, in accordance with Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which obtained the our bodies.
One other 12 folks had been killed in two strikes on the southern metropolis of Khan Younis, in accordance with the European Hospital.
There was no speedy remark from the Israeli navy. Israel says it solely targets militants and accuses them of hiding amongst civilians in shelters and tent camps for the displaced.
Israel and Hamas have come below renewed stress to halt the battle within the lead-up to the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, whose Center East envoy, Steve Witkoff, not too long ago joined U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators within the Gulf nation’s capital, Doha.
The phased deal could be based mostly on a framework laid out by President Joe Biden in Could and endorsed by the U.N. Safety Council.
Within the first section, Hamas would launch dozens of essentially the most susceptible hostages seized within the October 7, 2023 assault that triggered the battle in trade for dozens of Palestinian prisoners as Israeli forces pull again from inhabitants facilities. Not less than some Palestinians could be allowed to return to their properties and there could be a surge of humanitarian assist.
Within the second section, Hamas says it could launch the remaining hostages in trade for numerous prisoners, a full Israeli withdrawal and an enduring ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to maintain preventing till Hamas’ navy and governing capabilities have been destroyed and it not poses a menace. The hole between the 2 sides could be negotiated through the first section.
Hamas-led militants killed round 1,200 folks within the Oct. 7 assault and kidnapped one other 250. Some 100 hostages are nonetheless being held inside Gaza. The Israeli navy believes that at the very least a 3rd and as much as half of them are lifeless.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, greater than half of them girls and youngsters, in accordance with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t say how lots of the lifeless had been combatants. The Israeli navy says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, with out offering proof.
The offensive has diminished massive areas of the territory to rubble and displaced round 90% of Gaza’s inhabitants of two.3 million, with lots of of 1000’s packed into tent camps alongside the coast the place starvation is widespread.
The battle has rippled throughout the area, igniting over a 12 months of preventing between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants that ended with a tense ceasefire in November. Israel has additionally traded direct hearth with Iran, which backs Hamas, Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis.
The Israeli navy mentioned it made a number of makes an attempt to intercept the missile launched from Yemen early Tuesday and that “the missile was seemingly intercepted.” It mentioned an earlier missile fired from Yemen was additionally intercepted.
The Houthis, who captured Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and far of the nation’s north in 2014, have launched a collection of missile and drone assaults on Israel and have attacked worldwide transport within the Crimson Sea. The Houthis say they’re preventing in solidarity with the Palestinians, however the overwhelming majority of the focused ships haven’t any connection to the battle.
Revealed – January 14, 2025 01:48 pm IST
