GAZA CITY — Israeli airstrikes killed at least 62 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, including 12 members of the Al-Ghoula family in Gaza City, Palestinian health officials said on Saturday. The strikes came as mediators renewed efforts in Qatar to broker a ceasefire in the 15-month-old war.
Residents said the Al-Ghoula family home was destroyed in a predawn strike, with at least 14 people believed to have been inside. Rescue workers and neighbors searched through the rubble for survivors, while medics reported that several children were among the dead.
“At about 2 a.m., we were woken up by the sound of a huge explosion,” said Ahmed Ayyan, a neighbor. “Most of them are women and children, all civilians. There is no one there who fired missiles or is part of the resistance.”
Israeli officials did not immediately comment on the strike.
In a separate attack later Saturday, an Israeli airstrike targeted a car east of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, killing three people, medics said. The surge in strikes followed an announcement by the Israeli military that it had destroyed a Hamas military complex in Beit Hanoun, a town in the northern Gaza Strip where its forces have been operating for three months.
The death toll in Gaza continues to mount as diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire gain traction. Talks resumed Saturday in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with backing from the Biden administration. U.S. officials urged Hamas to agree to a deal that would include the return of Israeli hostages.
Hamas said it remained committed to an agreement, but the two sides appeared far from consensus.
The conflict has escalated since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli border communities, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. Israel responded with a military campaign it described as an effort to eradicate Hamas.
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
The Israeli campaign has devastated the densely populated Gaza Strip, leveling entire neighborhoods and forcing most of its residents from their homes. According to the Gaza health ministry, 45,717 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the conflict.
The international community has increasingly expressed concern over the humanitarian toll, with aid organizations warning of catastrophic conditions in the enclave. The resumption of ceasefire talks has brought some hope for a temporary reprieve, but the outcome remains uncertain as violence continues.
