Gaza Strikes Intensify Amid Ceasefire Negotiations

Desperate civilians caught in crossfire as aid deliveries dwindle.

Even as talks continue in an attempt to establish a ceasefire, military operations have increased across Gaza, resulting in a growing number of casualties and exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis.

Mounting Casualties

According to **Mohammad al-Mughayyir**, a Gaza civil defense official, Israeli strikes and gunfire reportedly killed at least 52 individuals on Friday alone. The Israeli military stated that it is currently examining these reports. The fatalities included five people shot while waiting for assistance close to a US-operated aid distribution site near Rafah, and others near the Wadi Gaza Bridge.

Furthermore, **Mughayyir** reported that an Israeli airstrike on tents housing displaced civilians near Khan Yunis resulted in the deaths of eight people, including a child. Eight more were killed in two other strikes on camps on the coast.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The recent deaths near aid distribution centers have heightened concerns, particularly as UN agencies have warned of impending famine. At Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, people mourned 16 individuals who civil defense authorities said were shot near an aid center.

One mourner, **Narmin Abu Muammar**, lamented, “I lost my brother in the American distribution centre that they set up to feed people. They are killing people, not feeding them.”

Aid worker **Abdullah Hammad**, who had recently worked for Doctors Without Borders (MSF), was among those killed in Thursday’s shooting, marking the 12th colleague MSF has lost during the conflict. MSF issued a statement demanding, “We demand an end to this bloodshed.” As of March 2024, the UN estimated that 31 aid workers had been killed in Gaza since October 7 (UN News).

Ongoing Negotiations

Previous ceasefires, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have led to temporary pauses in fighting and exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. On Friday, **Netanyahu** stated his commitment to bringing all hostages home.

**Trump** commented on Friday, expressing his desire for “safety for the people of Gaza,” adding, “They’ve gone through hell.”

According to a Palestinian source, the latest proposals involve “a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the living Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip”—approximately 22 individuals—“in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.” Of the 251 hostages taken during the October 2023 attack, 49 remain in Gaza, with 27 presumed dead by the Israeli military.

Military Operations Continue

The Israeli military reported that it continues to strike suspected Hamas targets across Gaza, including areas around Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and Rafah, aiming “to dismantle Hamas’ military capabilities.” They also announced that a 19-year-old sergeant “fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip.”

The Hamas attack in October 2023 resulted in 1,219 deaths in **Israel**, mostly civilians. **Israel**’s subsequent military actions have reportedly killed at least 57,268 people in Gaza, predominantly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, figures the United Nations considers reliable.