Israeli forces targeted another school-turned-shelter in Gaza on Sunday night as their military offensive continues after more than 15 months.
At least five people were reportedly killed in the strike on Gaza City's Salah al-Din school, which was sheltering people displaced by the ongoing conflict. Israel has consistently targeted shelters, many of which are affiliated with UNRWA, throughout the war.
Late Sunday and early Monday, northern Gaza also faced attacks, resulting in at least 11 more deaths. Casualties were reported in Jabalia and parts of eastern Shujaiya.
All this comes as Qatar, acting as a mediator for a ceasefire, presented a "final" draft of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement aimed at ending the war.
According to a source briefed on the negotiations, a breakthrough occurred in Doha after midnight, following talks between Israeli intelligence chiefs, President-elect Trump's Middle East envoy, and Qatar's prime minister, Reuters reported.
Medical sources told Al Jazeera that 33 Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes on the northern Gaza Strip since dawn. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israel's ongoing war on Gaza has resulted in at least 46,584 deaths and 109,731 injuries since Oct. 7.
During a call on Sunday, the first publicly announced conversation between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since October, Biden emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the return of hostages, and an increase in humanitarian aid, facilitated by a halt in the fighting under the proposed deal.
This came a day after Netanyahu sent a high-ranking Israeli security delegation, including the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet, to Qatar for indirect ceasefire negotiations, mediated by Qatari, U.S., and Egyptian officials. U.S. officials are working to finalize the deal before Biden's term ends on Jan. 20.
Israeli media reported that Netanyahu was also engaging with cabinet members opposed to a ceasefire to convince them not to resign. Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy met his Israeli counterpart in Jerusalem to discuss the progress of the negotiations.
On Saturday, former U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Netanyahu in efforts to secure a deal before Trump's inauguration. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated on Thursday that an agreement was "very close" and that efforts would continue to "get it over the line" before Trump takes office, with any deal grounded in the proposals Biden outlined in May.
Despite the increased diplomatic activity, uncertainty remains around key issues, including whether a truce will lead to a permanent ceasefire and if the Israeli military will agree to a full withdrawal from Gaza.
