Tensions in Gaza intensified on Sunday as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 43 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency, amid deadlocked ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Doha, Qatar.
Among the casualties were 11 people at a market in Gaza City and eight children at a water distribution point in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal said a total of 43 people were killed in the latest wave of attacks.
Israel’s military confirmed one of the strikes in Nuseirat was due to a technical error. It stated that a drone targeting a member of Islamic Jihad, a Hamas ally, misfired, landing dozens of meters from the intended target. “The incident is under review,” the statement said.
Civilians on the ground expressed growing despair. “Our neighbour and his children were under the rubble,” said Nuseirat resident Khaled Rayyan. Another resident, Mahmud al-Shami, appealed for a ceasefire, saying, “What happened to us has never happened in the entire history of humanity. Enough.”
The Israeli military reported it struck over 150 targets across Gaza in the last 24 hours, releasing footage of air raids over Beit Hanoun. Media access restrictions in Gaza, however, make it difficult to independently verify these claims.
The conflict, which began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed 1,219 people, has since claimed over 58,000 Palestinian lives, most of them civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry figures considered credible by the UN.
Talks for a 60-day ceasefire remain at an impasse. Hamas insists on full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel reportedly plans to retain control over more than 40 percent of Gaza. A Palestinian source warned this could lead to mass displacement toward Egypt, while a senior Israeli official blamed Hamas for stalling the negotiations.
Meanwhile, humanitarian concerns mount. UN agencies warn of critical fuel shortages, and pro-Palestinian activists aboard the Handala vessel have departed Sicily with aid for Gaza, despite the risks.
In Tel Aviv, thousands rallied for the release of remaining hostages. “The window of opportunity… is open now and it won’t be for long,” said former hostage Eli Sharabi, urging swift action.
