International
-Sathish Raman
Israeli
airstrikes
in
Gaza
killed
29
people,
including
quintuplets,
overnight
and
into
Sunday,
health
officials
reported.
The
US
Secretary
of
State
Antony
Blinken
arrived
in
Israel
to
negotiate
a
cease-fire
deal
to
ease
regional
tensions.
The
US,
Egypt,
and
Qatar
have
indicated
progress
in
talks,
with
Israeli
officials
cautiously
optimistic.
image
Hamas
accused
Israeli
Prime
Minister
Benjamin
Netanyahu
of
setting
new
conditions,
including
refusing
a
complete
withdrawal
from
Gaza.
The
proposed
cease-fire
involves
Hamas
releasing
hostages
taken
during
the
October
7
attack,
which
sparked
the
deadliest
war
between
Israelis
and
Palestinians.
In
return,
Israel
would
withdraw
forces
and
release
Palestinian
prisoners.
Cease-Fire
Talks
Progress
The
conflict
has
resulted
in
over
40,000
Palestinian
deaths
and
displaced
most
of
Gaza’s
2.3
million
residents.
Experts
warn
of
famine
and
disease
outbreaks
like
polio.
“It
is
as
if
we
live
a
primitive
life,” said
Sanaa
Akela,
a
displaced
Palestinian
in
Deir
al-Balah,
where
sewage
has
flooded
streets.
Hamas-led
militants
killed
around
1,200
people,
mostly
civilians,
on
October
7
and
abducted
about
250.
Approximately
110
hostages
are
still
believed
to
be
in
Gaza;
Israeli
authorities
say
around
a
third
are
dead.
Over
100
hostages
were
released
during
a
weeklong
cease-fire
in
November.
Casualties
from
Recent
Strikes
The
latest
Israeli
bombardment
included
a
strike
on
a
home
in
Deir
al-Balah
that
killed
a
woman
and
her
six
children.
Mohammed
Awad
Khatab,
the
children’s
grandfather,
said
his
daughter
was
a
teacher
and
the
youngest
child
was
18
months
old.
The
others
were
10-year-old
quintuplets.
“The
six
children
have
become
body
parts.
They
were
placed
in
a
single
bag,” Khatab
told
reporters.
“What
did
they
do?
Did
they
kill
any
of
the
Jews?
…
Will
this
provide
security
to
Israel?”
Another
strike
east
of
Deir
al-Balah
killed
at
least
four
people.
A
strike
in
Jabaliya
hit
two
apartments,
killing
two
men,
a
woman,
and
her
daughter.
Two
more
strikes
in
central
Gaza
killed
nine
people.
A
strike
in
Nuseirat
killed
one
person.
Regional
Tensions
Rise
Mediation
efforts
intensified
after
Israel
targeted
two
top
militants
last
month,
prompting
revenge
threats
from
Iran
and
Hezbollah.
An
American
official
said
preparations
for
implementing
the
latest
cease-fire
proposal
had
begun.
Netanyahu’s
office
expressed
“cautious
optimism”
about
reaching
a
deal.
An
Israeli
delegation
travelled
to
Cairo
for
further
talks
on
Sunday.
Blinken
will
meet
Netanyahu
on
Monday
and
travel
to
Egypt
on
Tuesday
for
more
discussions.
He
may
also
visit
another
regional
country.
Negotiation
Challenges
Netanyahu
told
his
Cabinet
there
are
areas
where
Israel
can
be
flexible
but
also
areas
where
it
cannot
compromise.
“We
are
conducting
negotiations
and
not
a
scenario
in
which
we
just
give
and
give,” he
said.
Hamas
cast
doubt
on
an
agreement
being
near,
saying
the
latest
proposal
differed
significantly
from
an
earlier
version
it
had
accepted
in
principle.
Hamas
rejected
Israel’s
demands
for
a
lasting
military
presence
along
the
Gaza-Egypt
border
and
a
line
bisecting
Gaza
for
searching
returning
Palestinians.
Israel
showed
flexibility
on
retreating
from
the
border
corridor.
Egyptian
and
Israeli
military
officials
planned
to
meet
to
agree
on
a
withdrawal
mechanism,
according
to
two
Egyptian
officials
who
spoke
anonymously
as
they
were
not
authorised
to
discuss
private
negotiations.
Violence
Spreads
Beyond
Gaza
In
Lebanon,
three
UN
peacekeepers
were
lightly
wounded
when
an
explosion
struck
their
vehicle
near
Yarin
village.
The
peacekeeping
mission
is
investigating
the
incident.
Hezbollah
began
launching
near-daily
drone
and
rocket
attacks
along
the
border
after
the
Gaza
war
began,
drawing
Israeli
retaliation
in
escalating
violence
cycles.
In
the
Israeli-occupied
West
Bank,
gunmen
marched
in
a
funeral
procession
for
two
Hamas
commanders
killed
in
an
Israeli
airstrike
in
Jenin
the
previous
day.
The
situation
remains
tense
as
efforts
continue
to
secure
a
cease-fire
agreement
that
could
bring
some
relief
to
the
region’s
escalating
conflict.
