At Least 17 Killed in an Israeli Airstrike in Southern Gaza

Israel said it is carrying out operations in the area of Khan Yunis

An Israeli airstrike reportedly killed 17 people in southern Gaza on Tuesday as cease-fire talks with Hamas stalled.

The European Hospital in Khan Younis said that it had received 17 bodies from the attack, the Associated Press reported.

The Israel Defense Forces said that it is working to evacuate civilians from areas of combat in Western Khan Yunis.

It claims that troops captured dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who hid among civilians.

Gaza's Health Ministry said that more than 30,000 Palestinians have died in the nearly five-month war.

It does not separate military and civilian deaths in its count.

The latest violence comes as negotiators are still trying to work out a ceasefire after two days without a breakthrough.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach the agreement in which Hamas would release up to 40 hostages.

Negotiators have been trying to hammer out a 40-day truce ahead of Ramadan, which begins next week.

Israel stayed away from talks on Tuesday because Hamas had rejected its demand for a full list of all hostages who are still alive, Reuters reported.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday urged Hamas to accept the agreement.

A senior Hamas official said that it was up to the United States to pressure Israel to go back to the table.

Israel attacked Gaza after Hamas-lead militants invaded Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapped around 250 people back into Gaza.

More than 100 of them were released during a brief ceasefire last year.

Tags
Gaza, Israel
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