Talks for a hostage and ceasefire agreement were underway in Qatar on Sunday, with Hamas said to have provided proof of life for several hostages, according to Israeli media.
Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 58 people since early Sunday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Monday.
One of the strikes hit a tent camp in the Muwasi area, an Israel-declared humanitarian zone, killing eight people, including two children, according to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, which received the bodies.
The Israeli military says it only targets militants, accusing them of hiding among civilians. It stated late Sunday that it had targeted a Hamas militant in the humanitarian zone.
Meanwhile, Palestinians in the volatile northern West Bank town of Jenin are observing a general strike called by militant groups to protest a rare crackdown by Palestinian security forces.
Shops in the city were closed on Monday, a day after militants killed one security officer and injured two others.
Militant groups called for a one-day strike in protest of the escalating actions by Palestinian security forces, urging residents to join the effort to pressure authorities to halt the violence.
The Western-backed Palestinian Authority is internationally recognised but faces widespread unpopularity among Palestinians, partly due to its cooperation with Israel on security issues.
Hostage talks continue in Qatar
According to Israeli media, talks for a hostage and ceasefire agreement were underway in Qatar on Sunday, with Hamas allegedly providing proof of life for several hostages.
Local media also wrote that Israel is aware of the location of most captives, citing an official source. However, it was not specified whether the names of those still alive had been confirmed.
The reports also indicate that Israel would not accept a permanent ceasefire, but rather a “prolonged ceasefire.”
The conflict began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking some 250 hostages. About 100 captives remain in Gaza, with at least a third believed to be dead.
Israel’s air and ground offensive has resulted in over 45,300 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry reports that women and children constitute more than half of the fatalities but does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.
The Israeli military claims to have killed over 17,000 militants, though it has not provided evidence for this figure.
