Ceasefire Talks Under Pressure After Gaza Strikes

A senior Hamas official declared that the group remains in ceasefire talks with Israel despite recent deadly strikes in Gaza targeting their military leader, Mohammed Deif. The strikes led to high casualties, intensifying the situation and putting the ceasefire discussions in jeopardy. Israel continues its military operations across Gaza.

A senior Hamas official stated on Sunday that the Islamist group has not withdrawn from ceasefire talks with Israel despite the weekend's deadly attacks in Gaza targeting the group's military leader, Mohammed Deif. Izzat El-Reshiq, a member of Hamas's political office, accused Israel of attempting to derail efforts by Arab mediators and the United States to secure a ceasefire deal by escalating attacks in the enclave.

Saturday's strike in the Khan Younis area of Gaza, resulting in at least 90 Palestinian deaths according to local health authorities, has cast doubt on the ceasefire talks. There had been hopeful signs in recent days that an agreement could be reached to halt fighting and facilitate the return of hostages held in Gaza.

Two Egyptian security sources at ceasefire talks in Doha and Cairo mentioned on Saturday that negotiations were halted following three days of intense talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to meet with his close circle of ministers later on Sunday to discuss the ceasefire negotiations.

The Saturday strike targeted Deif, but it killed Rafa Salama, the commander of Hamas's Khan Younis brigade, instead. The Israeli military said on Sunday that 25 Hamas operatives involved in the deadly Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel had been killed in the past week.

A senior Hamas official denied on Saturday that Deif had been killed, claiming Israeli assertions were meant to justify the attack. Israeli forces continued aerial and ground shelling across the coastal enclave, home to 2.3 million people, many displaced by the ongoing conflict.

A strike on a UN-run school in Nuseirat camp killed 15 Palestinians and wounded dozens more, according to Hamas media and health officials. The Israeli military claimed the site was used by Hamas fighters and that they took steps to minimize civilian casualties.

Residents reported two missiles targeting the upper floor of the school near the camp's busy local market, where displaced families had taken shelter. Concurrently, Israeli air strikes on four houses in Gaza City killed at least 16 Palestinians and wounded dozens more, medical sources said.

The Gaza health ministry reported at least 38,584 Palestinian deaths and 88,881 injuries since Israel's military offensive began on Oct. 7. The ministry stated that 141 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes across Gaza in the past day, marking the highest one-day death toll in recent weeks.

While the Gaza health ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians, officials claim most of the dead have been civilians. Israel has recorded 326 soldier deaths in Gaza and asserts that at least one-third of Palestinian fatalities are fighters.

The conflict commenced following a Hamas-led attack inside Israel on Oct. 7, which killed 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and saw around 250 hostages taken to Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.