At least 19 people, including a seven-day baby, were killed in Israeli strikes, the civil defense agency in Hamas-controlled Gaza said. “Our crews transported 19 dead, most of them children, and dozens of injured following air raids carried out by the Israeli warplanes in various areas of the Gaza Strip last night and early today,” states civil defense spokesperson Mahmud Bassal, who provides details of the casualties including the infant.Israel maintains that it implements measures to reduce civilian casualties and attributes responsibility to Hamas, stating that the organisation operates from civilian locations including camps, medical facilities, and educational institutions.This came two days after israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that Israel would “take control of all the territory of the Strip” through its latest military operation.Following a two-month truce, Israel recommenced operations across Gaza on March 18.As the intensified military action began, representatives from Israel and Hamas initiated fresh indirect discussions in Doha over the weekend.On Tuesday, Qatar, which has been facilitating mediation throughout the conflict, criticised Israel’s “irresponsible, aggressive” actions, stating they had diminished the prospects of a ceasefire.Subsequently, Netanyahu’s office stated that Hamas had rejected an agreement, announcing the withdrawal of senior Israeli negotiators whilst maintaining a smaller team presence in Doha.A source affiliated with Hamas claimed that the Israeli delegation had not engaged in substantive negotiations since Sunday, attributing this to “Netanyahu’s systematic policy of obstruction”.The Hamas assault in October 2023 claimed 1,218 lives in Israel, predominantly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data.The militants captured 251 hostages, with 57 still in Gaza, including 34 whom the military confirms as deceased.On Tuesday, Gaza’s health ministry reported at least 3,427 casualties since Israel’s renewed strikes on March 18, bringing the total war casualties to 53,573.
