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Deir al-Balah (Gaza Strip), August 19 (HS). In the latest episode of the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel, 28 people have died in Israeli attacks. Israel carried out this attack in Gaza on Saturday night and Sunday. Health officials gave this information. At the same time, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left for West Asia on Sunday to get a ceasefire agreement.
The US and its allies, mediator countries Egypt and Qatar, appear to be getting closer to a compromise after two days of talks in Doha. US and Israeli officials have expressed optimism about a deal, but Hamas has indicated it will continue fighting.
The ceasefire proposal calls for a three-step process under which Hamas will release all hostages taken during the October 7 attack. In return, Israel will withdraw its troops from Gaza and release Palestinian prisoners.
The mediators hope to end the war, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, displaced many of Gaza's more than 2.3 million residents and caused a humanitarian catastrophe, according to local health officials. Experts warn that famine and a lack of vaccines could lead to the spread of diseases such as polio.
Nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in attacks by Hamas militants on Israel on October 7, while about 250 were kidnapped. About 110 of them are believed to still be in Gaza, while Israeli officials say about a third of them are dead. More than 100 hostages were released during a week-long ceasefire in November.
Israel launched fresh bombing attacks on a house in Deir al-Balah early Sunday, killing a woman and her six children, according to Al Aqsa Hospital.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, two apartments were attacked in the northern town of Jabalia, killing two men, a woman and her daughter. Nine people were killed in two other attacks in central Gaza, according to al-Awda Hospital. Four members of the same family, including two women, were killed in an attack near the southern town of Khan Younis late Saturday, according to Nasser Hospital.
The months-long effort to prevent war has gained further impetus after the targeted killing of two top extremists last month. Israel has been accused of killing both the extremists. On the other hand, Iran and Hezbollah have vowed to avenge the death of both the extremists, raising the possibility of a full-fledged war in West Asia.
Meanwhile, an Israeli delegation will travel to the Egyptian capital Cairo on Sunday for talks, while Blinken is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Hamas has expressed doubts about an agreement in the near future. It has said that the latest proposal is significantly different from the previous proposal, which it had accepted in principle.
