A wave of Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 51 Palestinians in the past 24 hours. The war in the territory continues despite reports of recent progress in long-running negotiations aimed at a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Medical sources said at least 28 people were killed in two separate strikes on northern Gaza on Wednesday. Four were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed a school for displaced people in Jabalia al-Balad. Many neighbourhoods in the north have been under Israeli siege since early October.
A child died of wounds sustained when a tent was hit in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis, where thousands of displaced Palestinians live in camps along the coast. Rescuers also retrieved a body and several wounded after a strike in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in Gaza City. An infant was also killed in a strike on a house in Gaza City.
In southern Gaza, an Israeli drone struck a tent sheltering displaced people in Khan Younis late Tuesday night, killing five children. Two people were killed in a strike on a car in al-Manara neighbourhood in the east of the city, while three others, including two children, were killed in a separate strike on a house. Seven people were killed and several others were injured in an attack on a house in Kizan Rashwan in southern Khan Younis.
In northern Gaza, eight people were killed and several injured in an aerial attack on a house in Jabaliya al-Balad.
In recent months, the Israeli military has focused its offensive on northern Gaza, especially the town of Jabalia and the adjacent refugee camp.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing an estimated 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250. About 100 hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead.
Israel’s air and ground offensive has killed more than 45,900 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. More than half of the dead are women and children, the ministry said.
Netanyahu confidant calls for end to war in Gaza
The former director of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and one of his confidants has called for an immediate end to the war in the Gaza Strip, saying it serves no military or security purpose for Israel. Natan Eshel made the comment in a WhatsApp message to close friends, which was circulated by Israeli media on Tuesday.
Eshel said:
“There is no point continuing the fighting in Gaza, and so it must be stopped immediately.”
He called instead for a siege to be imposed on the Palestinian territory and added:
“It is unfortunate that we are losing more soldiers, or that they will have amputated limbs or lost eyes, in addition to the thousands who have already paid the price and will pay an additional price as a result of continuing the unnecessary fighting in Gaza.”
Eshel noted that the war in Gaza does not lead to the return of hostages, nor to military or security gains. “In my opinion, it must be stopped immediately. Since the Strip is under siege, the only solution is to impose a comprehensive blockade,” he added.
His proposed blockade includes “a ban on the delivery of aid and food to the Gaza Strip.” At the same time, “organised and controlled withdrawal (of Palestinians) to areas that Israel can inspect will be allowed to anyone who wants to live. As for those who do not want to live and refuse to leave the Strip in an organised and supervised manner, they will die either from (Israel Defense Forces) bullets or from starvation,” he said. He noted that this method is “the only one that led to the fall of Jerusalem, Masada and all the wars in history.”
Eshel also accused the administration of US President Joe Biden, whose term ends in less than two weeks, of not wanting to resolve the war in Gaza once and for all, but seeking to keep it alive in order to “manoeuvre” Israel. He said:
“We can prepare and announce from today that this is exactly what (the blockade) Israel will be doing in a fortnight when the Donald Trump administration enters the White House. This is good for Israel and also for Gazans who are not involved and want to live.”
Eshel remains unofficially involved in power issues in Israel, given his closeness to Netanyahu. He played a role in pressuring National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to apologise to the prime minister. After Ben-Gvir apologised on Saturday evening for forcing Netanyahu to leave the hospital to support the budget bill, Eshel sent Ben-Gvir a message saying, ‘I’m glad you finally heeded my advice and apologised. Have a good week.’
However, the message was apparently sent by “mistake” not to Itamar Ben-Gvir, but to Ynet reporter Itamar Eichner, revealing Eshel’s role and involvement in coalition issues.
