GAZA CITY, 20 October (H.S.): A fragile ceasefire in Gaza was severely compromised on Sunday, the 745th day of the war, as Israel launched a deadly wave of airstrikes across the central and southern parts of the Strip, killing at least 42 Palestinians.
The Israeli military stated the strikes were a response to an attack that killed two of its soldiers and wounded three others in southern Gaza, an accusation Hamas has denied as false and baseless .
The Palestinian Civil Defence agency reported that the Israeli attacks struck multiple areas, including a school that was sheltering displaced civilians, with women and children among the casualties.
The violence marks one of the bloodiest days since a U.S.-brokered truce began on October 10. According to Gaza's Government Media Office, Israeli forces have committed 80 violations since the ceasefire's inception, killing 97 people.
Despite the intense escalation, Palestinian officials later confirmed that contacts between mediators—including Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States—had successfully restored the ceasefire.
The incident has highlighted the precarious nature of the truce. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner are expected in Israel on Monday to continue discussions on the next phase of the peace plan.
The total death toll from Israel's war on Gaza, which began after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, has now reached at least 68,159, with over 170,203 wounded, according to Palestinian officials.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
