130 Gazans dead in relentless Israeli strikes

Express Tribune

19-05-2025

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At least 130 Palestinians left dead overnight after Israeli military launched extensive ground operations in northern and southern Gaza.
Sources on both sides said there has been no progress in a new round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Qatar.
Gaza's Health Ministry said in the week to Sunday alone, at least 464 Palestinians were killed. The deaths of 130 or so Palestinians overnight are in addition to that figure.
"Complete families were wiped off the civil registration record by (overnight) Israeli bombardment," Khalil Al-Deqran,
Gaza health ministry spokesperson, told Reuters by phone. The Israeli campaign has devastated Gaza, pushing nearly all its 2.3 million residents from their homes and killing more than 53,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.
Israel has blocked the entry of medical, food and fuel supplies into Gaza since the start of March to try to pressure Hamas into freeing its hostages and has approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid. International experts have warned of looming famine.
Asked about the Qatar talks, a Hamas official told Reuters: "Israel's position remains unchanged, they want to release the prisoners (hostages) without a commitment to end the war."
Hamas was still proposing releasing all Israeli hostages in return for an end to the war, the pull-out of Israeli troops, an end to a blockade on aid for Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners, he said.
Reports in Israeli and Arab media that Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar may have been killed could potentially complicate the Doha talks, which began on Saturday. Hamas neither confirmed nor denied the reports.
Gaza medics said contrary to earlier reports Zakaria Al-Sinwar, a history lecturer at a Gaza university and the brother of Hamas' current and former leaders, was alive but in critical condition. He was placed in the morgue earlier with his three children, before medics realized he was still breathing.
"Hospitals are overwhelmed with a growing number of casualties, many are children," health ministry spokesman Deqran said.
In Israel, Einav Zangauker, mother of Hamas hostage Matan Zangauker, said Netanyahu was refusing to end the war in exchange for the hostages because of his political interests.
"The Israeli government still insists on only partial deals. They are deliberately tormenting us. Bring our children back already! All 58 of them," Zangauker said in a social media post.
One of Israel's overnight strikes hit a tent encampment housing displaced families in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing women and children, wounding dozens and setting tents ablaze, medics said.
Later on Sunday, Gaza's health ministry said the Indonesian Hospital, one of the largest partially functioning medical facilities in north Gaza, had ceased work because of Israeli fire.
The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said 75% of its ambulances could not run because of fuel shortages. It warned that within 72 hours, all vehicles may stop.