Israel’s military continued its heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday, killing dozens of Palestinians as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his hardline stance against Hamas amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
Airstrikes targeted residential areas and makeshift shelters, with at least 35 people reported dead in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis, according to medical sources cited by Al Jazeera. The attacks came as Palestinians attempted to celebrate the end of Ramadan under dire humanitarian conditions.
In Rafah, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) announced the recovery of 15 medical workers’ bodies who were killed in an Israeli attack last week. Exclusive satellite images obtained by Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking agency revealed that at least five emergency vehicles had been destroyed in the strike. The PRCS condemned the attack, calling it a “war crime.”
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with Israel maintaining its blockade on aid deliveries since early March. Food shortages have driven prices to unaffordable levels, leaving families struggling to find even a single meal to break their fast.
“Palestinians are supposed to celebrate Eid with a festive meal, but today, many cannot even secure one meal,” Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported from Deir el-Balah.
Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, hopes for a resolution remain slim. Netanyahu has reiterated demands for Hamas to disarm and for its leaders to leave Gaza, while insisting that hostages must be released without any Israeli commitment to end the war. These new conditions, backed by U.S. President Donald Trump, have complicated the original three-phase ceasefire agreement signed in January.
Hamas, however, maintains that a ceasefire deal proposed by mediators Egypt and Qatar has already been accepted on their end. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri warned that Netanyahu’s approach risked “endless escalation” in the region.
In a video statement, Netanyahu defended Israel’s military operations, insisting that negotiations must continue “under fire” to remain effective. Meanwhile, Khalil al-Hayya, a Hamas leader in Gaza, confirmed that the group had agreed to release hostages in phases but rejected Israel’s demand for complete disarmament, calling it a “red line.”
As both sides remain entrenched in their positions, the war in Gaza shows no sign of ending, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the conflict.
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