At least 83 people, including 23 children and 27 women, have been killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza as negotiations continue for a potential ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in a tweet on Thursday, confirmed targeting approximately 50 locations in Gaza, claiming they were sites associated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.
The IDF emphasized measures to minimize civilian casualties, including aerial surveillance, precise munitions, and intelligence gathering.
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defense, condemned the strikes, which resulted in the highest death toll in a week.
Israel, however, blamed Hamas for using civilians as shields to carry out terror activities.
“The IDF will continue to operate against the threat of these terrorist organizations,” the military stated.
Despite the escalating violence, reports of a potential deal between Israel and Hamas have surfaced. Negotiators revealed that the first phase of the agreement, expected to last six weeks, might begin on Sunday.
However, Israel has not officially endorsed the deal.
A planned cabinet meeting on Thursday to discuss the deal was postponed due to unresolved “last-minute hurdles” at the negotiating table in Doha.
The full vote session has been rescheduled for Saturday, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office.
The situation in Gaza remains tense as both sides await the outcome of the ongoing negotiations.