Daijiworld Media Network – Cairo

Cairo, Jan 8: Israeli military strikes on Wednesday killed at least 22 Palestinians across Gaza, Palestinian medics reported, as international efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas gained momentum.

In Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, an airstrike claimed at least 10 lives in a multi-story house, while five others were killed in the Zeitoun suburb. In Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, three Palestinians died in another strike, adding to the toll in an area sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced residents. Jabalia, where Israeli forces have been active for weeks, saw four fatalities from airstrikes, medics said.

The bombardment followed Tuesday’s strikes, which killed at least 24 Palestinians, including 18 in Khan Younis's Mawasi tent encampments. Many of the dead were women and children. The Israeli military has not commented on these incidents.

Diplomatic push intensifies

The United States, Qatar, and Egypt are leading intensive efforts to broker a ceasefire, described by one insider as the “most serious attempt” in months. The outgoing US administration aims to secure a deal before President-elect Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration, seen by many as a critical deadline.

Despite progress, key disagreements persist. Hamas demands an end to Israeli hostilities and troop withdrawal in exchange for freeing hostages, while Israel insists on dismantling Hamas and releasing all captives before halting its operations.

Hamas official Osama Hamdan criticized Trump’s warnings to Hamas, calling for "more disciplined and diplomatic statements."

Human Toll

Since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, following a deadly Hamas attack on Israeli territory that killed 1,200 people and captured over 250 hostages, Gaza health officials report nearly 46,000 Palestinian deaths.

As negotiations continue, both sides face mounting pressure to resolve conditions that have derailed past peace efforts.