At least 20 people have been killed in a recent Israeli strike on a residential building in Gaza City’s Shujaiya area. The attack, which injured over 40 others, has sparked renewed calls for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for Gaza’s civil defence agency, confirmed the strike resulted in “20 martyrs and more than 40 injured.” Rescue efforts are ongoing to locate bodies in the rubble.
The Israeli military has launched an investigation into the attack. This incident comes after Israel resumed intense strikes on the Gaza Strip on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas.
Despite ongoing communication with mediators, efforts to restore the truce have so far failed. Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, emphasized the need for a ceasefire, stating that Hamas is “open to all ideas that would lead to a ceasefire and stop the genocide enacted against our Palestinian people.”
The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory reported that at least 1,482 Palestinians have been killed in the renewed Israeli operations, bringing the overall death toll since the start of the war to 50,846.
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US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have announced new negotiations aimed at securing the release of hostages held in Gaza. Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas’s attack on Israel, 58 remain in Gaza, including 34 reportedly dead.
The hostage situation remains a major point of contention in the conflict. Efforts to secure their release are ongoing, with both sides engaging in diplomatic talks.
The Gaza war, fought between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups, has sparked an ongoing Middle Eastern crisis since October 2023.
The conflict has resulted in significant civilian casualties on both sides. The Israeli side has reported 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the conflict showing no signs of abating. Diplomatic efforts continue, but a lasting resolution has yet to be reached.
