Israeli Strikes Kill 10 in Gaza Amid US Push to De-escalate
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 10 in Gaza, including two Hamas commanders, despite US calls to reduce attacks.
At least 10 Palestinians were killed in two Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to local hospitals and the Palestinian Red Crescent. The strikes came just two days after US negotiators reportedly urged Israel to scale back its attacks in the enclave.
The dead and wounded were carried to ambulances by crowds of people in Gaza City, with emergency workers rushing through packed streets. One strike on a police station in Gaza City killed at least nine people and wounded 15 others, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.
Abu Jihad, a displaced man in Gaza City, described the moment the area was hit. "We were sitting in the park when we saw this place targeted," he said. "We saw injuries among children, young people, and the elderly. How long will we remain in this war?"
Israel's military said the strikes targeted two Hamas commanders. One, in Nuseirat, was involved in the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted. The other, in the Tuffah area of Gaza City, was reportedly planning attacks on Israeli troops.
The latest deaths come despite a ceasefire in place since October that has significantly reduced fighting. Since that truce began, Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,273 people, according to Gaza health officials. The broader war has now claimed more than 73,400 Palestinian lives, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by UN agencies.
US negotiator Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday for marathon talks, asking him to reduce attacks on Gaza, according to a person familiar with the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity.