Gaza: At least 28 people were killed on Tuesday in Israeli airstrikes near the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, according to the local civil defence agency. The strikes come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to escalate military operations in Gaza “with full force” in the coming days.

The Israeli military claimed it targeted a Hamas command and control centre near the hospital. AFPTV footage showed heavy damage, including large craters and a bus embedded in the rubble. Witnesses described panic among patients and staff.

Earlier, Israeli forces also struck Nasser Hospital, killing two people, including journalist Hassan Aslih, whom Israel previously accused of being involved in Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. That attack killed 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and led to the abduction of 251 hostages, with 57 still held, including 34 confirmed dead.

Since the beginning of Israel’s retaliatory campaign, over 52,900 people have been killed in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, figures considered credible by the United Nations.

On Monday, the release of Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old US-Israeli dual national held hostage since October, offered a brief pause in the violence. Netanyahu credited both military and political pressure—including from former US President Donald Trump—for the release, though Hamas said it resulted from ongoing negotiations.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu reaffirmed no plans to stop the war, except potentially for a temporary ceasefire. He also stated Israel is seeking countries willing to accept Gaza residents, referencing a proposal for voluntary relocation, though it has been rejected by Jordan and Egypt.

Rocket fire from Gaza resumed on Tuesday, with Islamic Jihad claiming responsibility. The Israeli military intercepted two projectiles and reported no injuries.

Netanyahu is sending a negotiating team to Qatar for further talks on hostage releases, amid growing international pressure to halt the conflict and prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.

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