16 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Rafah, Gaza

On Sunday night, at least 16 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on three residential buildings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, according to the Palestinian official news agency Wafa. Many others were still trapped under the rubble, and civil defense crews were working to rescue them.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry reported that the Israeli army had killed 66 Palestinians and wounded 138 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 34,454 and injuries to 77,575 since the Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out on October 7, 2023.

The strikes on Rafah, where over a million people are sheltering from months of Israeli bombardment, came hours before Egypt was expected to host leaders of Hamas to discuss prospects for a ceasefire agreement with Israel. The war was triggered by an attack by Hamas militants on Israel on Oct 7, which killed 1,200 and took 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas, which controls Gaza, in a military operation that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians. Mediators backed by the United States have stepped up efforts to conclude a deal as Israel threatened to invade Rafah.

Why this matters: The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has resulted in a devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with tens of thousands killed and injured, and over a million displaced. The international community is closely watching the ceasefire negotiations in hopes of bringing an end to the violence and suffering.

Hamas is expected to respond to Israel's latest truce proposal, which includes an agreement to accept the release of fewer than 40 hostages in exchange for releasing Palestinians held in Israeli jails, and a second phase of a truce that includes a period of sustained calm. The Monday talks in Cairo will involve the Hamas delegation and Qatari and Egyptian mediators to discuss Hamas' remarks on Israel's response to its recent proposal.

The situation in Gaza has been described as a "catastrophe by every measure" by the Saudi Foreign Minister, who called for a credible and irreversible path to a Palestinian state. The transportation sector in Gaza has suffered over $3 billion in losses in the past seven months due to Israel's war against the enclave, with around 55,000 vehicles destroyed, equivalent to 60% of the licensed vehicles in the Strip.

Key Takeaways

• At least 16 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes on Rafah, Gaza.
• Total death toll since Oct 2023 conflict now at 34,454, with 77,575 injured.
• Hamas expected to respond to Israel's latest truce proposal in Cairo talks.
• Gaza's transportation sector suffered $3B in losses, with 55,000 vehicles destroyed.
• International community closely watching ceasefire negotiations to end the violence.