Israeli strikes kill five at hospital, Gaza officials say, after abortive talks

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) – An Israeli airstrike hit a tent inside a hospital compound in central Gaza, killing at least five people, bringing the total of Palestinians killed on Sunday to 19, Gaza health officials said, after another round of talks ended without result.

The airstrike hit a tent area inside the Al-Aqsa Hospital compound, starting a fire, wounding at least 18 people in addition to the five killed, medical authorities said.

The Israeli military said it struck a militant who “conducted terror activities” and that secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of weaponry in the area.

Its statement added it struck 50 military targets across the enclave in the last 24 hours, including militants’ cells.

The hospital compound is in the Deir Al-Balah area, which is crowded with thousands of people displaced by fighting in other parts of the enclave have sought shelter.

Sirens went off in the area of Ashdod, further north than seen in recent weeks, and the Israeli military said five rockets were launched from southern Gaza. No injuries were reported.

Israeli forces have continued strikes and shelling in the Gaza Strip after diplomatic efforts in Cairo on Saturday ended without progress, and as Israel braces for a serious escalation in the north.

Chances of a breakthrough appear low as regional tension has soared following the assassination of Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday, a day after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed Fuad Shukr, a top military commander from Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Haniyeh’s death was one in a series of killings of senior Hamas figures as the Gaza war nears its 11th month.

Hamas and Iran have both accused Israel of carrying out the assassination of Haniyeh and have pledged to retaliate. Israel has neither claimed nor denied responsibility for the death.

Hezbollah, like Hamas, is backed by Iran and has also vowed revenge after the killing of Shukr.

CAIRO TALKS ENDED WITHOUT RESULT

International pressure has mounted on Israel to agree a ceasefire with Hamas to end the fighting and ensure the return of 115 Israeli and foreign hostages abducted during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that unleashed months of violence and still held in Gaza.

At least 39,550 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, according to Gaza health officials.

A high-level Israeli delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday for an attempt to resume Gaza ceasefire negotiations, but returned home later in the day, Egyptian airport authority and Israeli media said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of trying to add changes to the “outline” of a potential agreement, referring to a proposal U.S. President Joe Biden laid out in May.

“Israel is committed to achieving an agreement for the return of hostages,” Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement.

The families of many of the hostages, and Netanyahu’s political opponents have accused him of blocking a deal for his own political purposes.

Israeli media reported that Biden used unusually angry words in a telephone conversation on Thursday night, as he pushed Netanyahu to reach an agreement.

Hamas has blamed Netanyahu for the lack of progress.

“Netanyahu doesn’t want to end the war. Sending negotiators is a cosmetic and worthless move that aims to cover up his crimes and escape the consequences,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

A Palestinian official with close knowledge of Saturday’s talks said the threatened response to the assassination of Hamas and Hizbollah leaders and the process to replace Haniyeh meant it was unlikely peace talks would resume soon.