Israeli airstrikes targeted three residential buildings in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 Palestinians and injuries to numerous others, according to statements from medical personnel on Monday. Concurrently, Egyptian and Qatari mediators were poised to convene fresh discussions with Hamas leaders in Cairo regarding a potential ceasefire.
In a separate incident, Israeli warplanes struck two houses in Gaza City, situated in the northern region of the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals and causing injuries to several others, as reported by health officials.
The airstrikes in Rafah occurred shortly before scheduled discussions in Egypt’s capital, where leaders of Hamas, the Islamist group controlling Gaza, were expected to engage in negotiations regarding the prospects for a ceasefire agreement with Israel. The Israeli military has stated that it is reviewing the reported incidents.
While an assault on Rafah had been anticipated for weeks, concerns have been raised by foreign governments and the United Nations regarding the potential humanitarian consequences, given the high concentration of displaced persons in the area.
Hamas officials announced on Sunday that discussions in Cairo would center on a ceasefire proposal presented by the group to mediators from Qatar and Egypt, along with Israel’s response. Facilitators, with backing from the United States, have intensified their efforts to broker an agreement.
Details of the latest proposals were not disclosed by Hamas officials, though a source briefed on the talks indicated that Hamas is expected to provide a response to Israel’s most recent ceasefire proposal, delivered on Saturday.
The reported terms include an agreement for the release of fewer than 40 hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, as well as a subsequent phase of the ceasefire encompassing a “period of sustained calm,” which represents Israel’s compromise in response to Hamas’s demand for a permanent ceasefire.
Following the initial phase, Israel would reportedly permit unrestricted movement between southern and northern Gaza and undertake a partial withdrawal of its troops from the territory.
