Israeli forces killed at least 18 Palestinians today, Tuesday, on the second day of an intensive assault on the Gaza Strip, which Hamas stated undermines ceasefire negotiations. Efforts by Qatar and Egypt, supported by the United States, have intensified this week to reach a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the war in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
Israeli tanks continued their incursion into various neighborhoods of Gaza City on Tuesday, including Shujaiya, Sabra, and Tel al-Hawa, where residents reported some of the fiercest fighting since the outbreak of the war. Following Israeli evacuation orders, thousands were forced to leave their homes in northern Gaza City and head west toward the Mediterranean coast and southwards.
Hamas quoted the movement's political bureau chief, Ismail Haniya, as saying on Monday that the assault would "bring the negotiation process back to square one." The military wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad stated that they engaged with Israeli forces in Tel al-Hawa using anti-tank missiles and mortars, inflicting casualties among them.
The Israeli army stated in a statement that it continues its operations in Gaza City based on intelligence information indicating the presence of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the area. They added that Israeli forces killed dozens of fighters and found a large amount of weapons. Palestinian health officials reported that an Israeli airstrike killed six people in a house in Gaza City, while nine others were killed in a separate strike on houses in Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. Paramedics reported that an Israeli airstrike on the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood west of Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip, resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians.
