(C) Common Dreams
This story was originally published by Common Dreams and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Gaza War Death Toll Close to 40,000 Amid Renewed Ceasefire Push [1]
['Lilith Foster-Collins', 'Paul James', 'Nina Turner']
Date: 2024-08-12 14:13:58-04:00
The death toll in Gaza has nearly reached 40,000 following a devastating Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City, as the leaders of France, Germany and Britain endorsed a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The attack, which occurred early Saturday morning, has resulted in at least 80 deaths and numerous injuries, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
The fatalities announced on Monday bring the Palestinian death toll in Gaza to 39,897 since the start of the war, according to the ministry.
The Israeli military said that the strike targeted 31 Palestinian militants. The claim has been disputed by Hamas and local activists, who allege that civilians were among those killed.
Palestinians displaced by the Israeli air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip flee from Hamad City, following an evacuation order by the Israeli army to leave parts of the southern area of Khan Younis,... Palestinians displaced by the Israeli air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip flee from Hamad City, following an evacuation order by the Israeli army to leave parts of the southern area of Khan Younis, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. More Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
In southern Gaza, a hospital in Deir al-Balah has reported receiving the bodies of 13 individuals, including a child, who were killed in recent strikes on Khan Younis.
This city has endured significant destruction and has been heavily impacted by Israeli military actions.
The ongoing conflict was ignited on Oct. 7 by a surprise Hamas assault on Israel which claimed approximately 1,200 lives in Israel and led to around 250 hostages being taken.
The leaders of France, Germany and Britain in a joint statement endorsed the latest push by mediators United States, Qatar and Egypt to broker an agreement to end the 10-month Israel-Hamas war.
The statement was signed by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Mediators have spent months trying to get the sides to agree to a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages captured in its Oct. 7 attack in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and Israel would withdraw from Gaza.
Around 110 hostages are still being held in Gaza after most of the rest were released during a ceasefire in November. Israeli authorities believe around a third of the remaining hostages are dead.
Talks are expected to resume Thursday.
The statement also called on Iran and its allies to refrain from any retaliatory attacks that would further escalate regional tensions after the killing of two senior militants last month in Beirut and Tehran.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has taken a proactive role by speaking directly with Iran's new President, Masoud Pezeshkian.
Scholz expressed deep concern about the risk of further regional conflict and emphasized the necessity of a ceasefire to curb escalating violence.
The Vatican has also joined the call for de-escalation. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's Secretary of State, urged Iran to avoid exacerbating the conflict and instead focus on dialogue and negotiation.
Airlines have extended their suspension of flights to and from the Middle East due to the ongoing security risks.
Lufthansa, Air France, and Ryanair have all announced extensions of their flight suspensions, reflecting highted tension in the region.
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.newsweek.com/gaza-war-death-toll-ceasefire-1938039
Published and (C) by Common Dreams
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0..
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/commondreams/
