Israeli shelling and airstrikes killed at least 19 people in central and southern Gaza on Tuesday, including two policemen guarding humanitarian aid in Rafah, according to Palestinian medics. Seventeen of the deaths occurred in separate strikes on the al-Bureij and al-Maghazi refugee camps and Deir-al-Balah in central Gaza. By late Tuesday, Israeli tanks were shelling an area east of the al-Nusseirat camp, causing panic and leading some families in al-Maghazi to flee under tank fire, with four shells hitting near a clinic.
The Israeli military stated that jets were targeting Hamas militant sites in central Gaza and that ground forces were operating with intelligence guidance in the al-Bureij area. No updates were provided on Rafah, where Israeli forces had entered last month in a limited operation to eliminate Hamas combat units. Rafah, on Gaza's southern border with Egypt, had been sheltering about one million Palestinians who had fled from other parts of Gaza, but many have now fled again due to the tank-led Israeli advance.
Israel's air and ground offensive in Gaza, which began last October following a Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages, has resulted in over 36,000 deaths in Gaza, according to health authorities. Qatar announced on Tuesday that it had delivered an Israeli ceasefire proposal to Hamas, reflecting a three-phase plan presented by US President Joe Biden. Qatar emphasized the need for both parties to reach a clear agreement to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
A Hamas spokesman reiterated that the group would not agree to any deal without a clear commitment from Israel to a permanent truce and complete withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, facing political divisions at home, stated that permanent peace is impossible unless Hamas is eradicated. An aide to Netanyahu mentioned that Israel had accepted Biden's framework, though it required further work, and Netanyahu's biggest coalition partner expressed support for the deal, even if it meant changing the war strategy.
Biden's proposal involves a six-week ceasefire as the first stage, with Israeli forces withdrawing from populated areas of Gaza and Hamas releasing some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The second stage includes an exchange of remaining hostages and a permanent ceasefire, with Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza. The final stage focuses on the reconstruction of Gaza. Biden's Middle East envoy, Brett McGurk, is set to travel to the region to push for a hostage deal and ceasefire.
