Israeli Strikes in Gaza Result in 61 Deaths in 48 Hours as UN Works on Vaccinations – Reuters

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

Cairo – Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip have resulted in at least 61 fatalities over a 48-hour period, as reported by medics on Saturday. The ongoing conflict continues as Israeli forces engage with Hamas-led militants in the region.

Nearly a year into the war, various diplomatic efforts have yet to secure a ceasefire to end hostilities and facilitate the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza.

Recent airstrikes targeted two former schools that were sheltering displaced individuals, with medics indicating that these attacks caused at least 12 deaths—one in Gaza City and another in Jabalia. The Israeli military claims its strikes were aimed at Hamas gunmen operating in the vicinity. Additionally, a strike on a residential home in Gaza City resulted in five more deaths, bringing the total fatalities for Saturday to 28.

The armed wings of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah groups have reported engaging Israeli troops throughout Gaza using anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs, and in some instances, setting explosives to attack Israeli tanks and military vehicles.

Both sides continue to hold each other responsible for the lack of progress in mediating a ceasefire, with efforts led by parties including Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The U.S. is preparing to present a new initiative, though the likelihood of a significant breakthrough appears low, as substantial gaps remain between the adversaries.

CIA Director William Burns, who is the primary U.S. negotiator, stated at a recent event in London that a more comprehensive proposal would be forthcoming in the days ahead.

In Israel, tens of thousands have taken to the streets in protests across cities, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government to broker a deal for the release of the remaining 101 hostages. The killing of six hostages last week sparked widespread outrage, as they were reportedly executed by Hamas shortly before being discovered by Israeli troops in a tunnel.

"They could have been saved," stated Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan was kidnapped by militants. "As long as Netanyahu is in power, we will keep getting the hostages back in body bags."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized on Thursday that both Israel and Hamas, which has controlled Gaza for nearly two decades and instigated the violence on October 7, must make concessions to achieve a resolution.

On Saturday, senior Hamas official Hossam Badran commented that the group has not made new demands and remains committed to a proposal from July 2 put forth by the U.S., while accusing Netanyahu of attaching conditions that would prolong the conflict. Netanyahu has countered that it is Hamas who is imposing unacceptable conditions.

Despite the deadlock, the United Nations, in collaboration with local health authorities, has launched a vaccination campaign aimed at inoculating 640,000 children in Gaza against polio, following the emergence of the first polio case in approximately 25 years. Intermittent pauses in hostilities have permitted the continuation of this initiative, with U.N. officials reporting progress in reaching over half of the children requiring vaccination in the initial phases.

The campaign is set to expand into northern Gaza on Sunday, with a second round of vaccinations planned for four weeks after the first.

The latest escalation of violence in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict was ignited by Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals, mostly civilians, and the abduction of approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli estimates. Following this, Israeli military action in Gaza has claimed the lives of over 40,900 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million.

The Palestinian health ministry does not differentiate between combatants and non-combatants in its casualty reports, although officials indicate that the majority of the deceased are civilians. In Gaza, Israel has reported that it has lost 340 soldiers, asserting that at least one-third of those killed among the Palestinian casualties are militants.