Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Escalates, Negotiations Over Ceasefire Continue
According to a report by Al Jazeera on the 16th, Osama Hamdan, a senior official of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), announced that Israeli attacks have killed more than 19,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, with over 8,000 people missing. The number of Palestinian deaths in the West Bank has also risen to 300 since October 7.
Meanwhile, US media reported that Qatari and Israeli officials held talks to negotiate on matters such as the resumption of ceasefire negotiations between the two parties in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to promote the restoration of ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the continued release of detained persons.
On the 16th, the Israeli army continued its air strikes on the Gaza Strip and advanced ground operations. Thick smoke rose from many places in the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, and continuous loud noises could be heard. The Israeli military also released a video saying that Israeli troops killed an armed man hiding in a tunnel shaft. The Israel Defense Forces said that attacks were carried out on two schools in northern Gaza where militants were hiding.
The Qassan Brigade, an armed wing of Hamas, released a video showing attacks on soldiers in an Israeli military stronghold in the Gaza Strip. The footage also showed armed personnel of the Qassan Brigade seizing weapons from Israeli soldiers.
Additionally, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a report stating that this year was the highest number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank since the agency began keeping records in 2005. Attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have also increased since the outbreak of the conflict, with an average of 35 attacks per week.
As the situation in the region continues to escalate, humanitarian organizations are calling for an immediate ceasefire to ensure the safety of civilians and the delivery of much-needed humanitarian relief supplies. The World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated the call for a ceasefire, stating that the only solution to the current crisis is an immediate ceasefire to protect the lives of civilians and allow humanitarian workers to deliver essential supplies.