The information was announced by local health officials on May 18, in the context of the ongoing mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
According to Reuters, Israel's military campaign in Gaza continues to expand, with heavy bombings killing hundreds of people in the past 72 hours. The Gaza Ministry of Health confirmed that the number of casualties continues to increase.
Hamas called the new attack a cruel crime. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has not made an official comment on the latest airstrike, but in a previous statement, it said it was conducting large-scale strikes in many areas of Gaza, in order to complete the set military goals.
Along with the military escalation, diplomatic efforts are still being promoted. The mediators, including Egypt and Qatar, under the backing of the US, launched a new round of ceasefire negotiations on May 17. Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are taking place in the Qatari capital Doha.
However, according to sources close to the negotiation process, no breakthroughs have been recorded so far. Both sides remain in the same position and have not been able to reach any agreement.
The situation in Gaza continues to escalate, while the international community is concerned that the conflict will spread and cause more humanitarian damage if a sustainable ceasefire is not soon achieved.
