Israel continues deadly strikes on Gaza, despite global condemnation
Strikes on Gaza killed at least 85 Palestinians, authorities said on Wednesday, as Israel continues with its new military offensive despite growing condemnation from world leaders.
In the latest assaults, two strikes in northern Gaza overnight hit a family home and a school where people were sheltering, killing at least 22, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas command center and warned civilians ahead of time.
A strike in the central city of Deir al-Balah killed 13 people, and another in the nearby built-up Nuseirat refugee camp killed 15, according to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
Two strikes in Khan Younis killed 10 people, according to Nasser Hospital. Israel said it was targeting militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths because the group operates in densely populated areas.
Under international pressure, Israel agreed earlier this week to allow a "minimal" amount of aid into Gaza, which has been under blockade for several months.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that although the aid has entered Gaza, aid workers were unable to bring it to where it is most needed, after the Israeli military forced them to reload the supplies onto separate trucks and workers ran out of time.
Israel claimed five trucks entered Monday and 93 trucks entered Tuesday. But the UN confirmed only a few dozen trucks actually entered Gaza on Tuesday.
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The British government on Tuesday said it was suspending free trade negotiations with Israel and was leveling new sanctions targeting settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The move came a day after the U.K, France and Canada condemned Israel's handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the West Bank and threatened to take action.
The UK leveled sanctions against three settlers and a number of organisations, including settler leader Daniella Weiss and the movement she heads. In response, Weiss said hundreds of families are ready to build Jewish settlements in Gaza. Daniella Weiss, regarded as the godmother of the Israeli settler movement, is one of the Israeli settlers the UK sanctioned. Credit: AP
No further progress has been made towards a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza and on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he was recalling his negotiating team from the Gulf state of Qatar after a week of talks.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said a "fundamental gap" remained between the two parties and that none of the proposals were able to bridge their differences.
Hamas said no real ceasefire talks have taken place since Saturday in Doha.
The group accused Netanyahu of "falsely portraying participation" and attempting to "mislead global public opinion" by keeping Israel's delegation there without engaging in serious negotiations.
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