Israel pummeled the Gaza Strip with new bombardments that killed at least 30 people on Wednesday, Palestinian medics said, a day after one of the deadliest single strikes of the killed scores in the north of the enclave.
Eight of Wednesday’s victims were killed in a strike on the Salateen area of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. The area is near where medics said in an Israeli strike Washington called “horrifying”
Meanwhile, Lebanon’s prime minister expressed hope on Wednesday that a ceasefire deal with Israel would be announced within days as Israel’s public broadcaster published what it said was a draft agreement providing for an initial 60-day truce.
The document, which broadcaster Kan said was a leaked proposal written by Washington, said Israel would withdraw its forces from Lebanon within the first week of the 60-day ceasefire.
It largely aligned with details reported earlier by Reuters based on two sources familiar with the matter.
Israel’s assault on Gaza shows no signs of slowing
The Israeli military assault that has laid waste to the Gaza Strip and killed tens of thousands of people shows no signs of slowing as Israel wages a new war against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and its backer the United States tries after a year of failed attempts to broker ceasefires for both.
Northern Gaza, where Israel said in January it had dismantled militant group Hamas’ command structure, is currently the focus of the military’s assault. It sent tanks into Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and Jabalia earlier this month to flush out Hamas fighters who it said had regrouped in the area.
The new operation has killed hundreds of Palestinians. On Wednesday, the Gaza health ministry said at least 30 people were killed in Israeli strikes across the enclave, at least 23 of them in northern areas. Tuesday’s strike on a house in Beit Lahiya killed 93, including 20 children, medical workers say.
An Israeli military official said that airstrike, which demolished a building, was not intended to destroy the structure and was aimed at a person on the roof whom troops had identified as a “spotter” amid heavy fighting.
The official, who could not be identified by name, said there were “discrepancies” between the numbers reported dead and what the military had observed but did not elaborate.
Israel says its northern assault has killed hundreds of militants. Hamas has not said how many fighters have died.
from operating on its territory could have a disastrous impact on humanitarian efforts in Gaza, UN officials said.
The Gaza war began after Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that for years ruled the territory, attacked Israeli towns and villages on , according to Israeli authorities.
The Israeli assault has decimated the besieged strip, wiped out its infrastructure and killed more than 43,000 people, Palestinian authorities say.
‘We should remain optimistic’
Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah have been fighting for the past year in parallel with Israel’s war in Gaza after Hezbollah struck Israeli targets in solidarity with its ally Hamas in Gaza.
The conflict in Lebanon has dramatically escalated over the last five weeks, with most of the 2,800 deaths reported by the Lebanese health ministry for the past 12 months occurring in that period.
Following the reports of the ostensible draft agreement, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati expressed hope a ceasefire deal with Israel would be announced within days.
Mikati said he hadn’t believed a deal would be possible until after Tuesday’s US presidential election but became more optimistic after speaking on Wednesday with US envoy for the Middle East Amos Hochstein, who was due to travel to Israel on Thursday.
“Hochstein, during his call with me, suggested to me that we could reach an agreement before the end of the month and before 5 November,” Mikati told Lebanon’s Al Jadeed television.
“We are doing everything we can and we should remain optimistic that in the coming hours or days, we will have a ceasefire,” Mikati said.
The draft published by Kan was dated Saturday. When asked to comment, White House national security spokesperson Sean Savett said: “There are many reports and drafts circulating. They do not reflect the current state of negotiations.”
But Savett did not respond to a query on whether the version published by Kan was at least the basis for further negotiations.
The Israeli network said the draft had been presented to Israel’s leaders. Israeli officials did not immediately comment.
Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the leaked ceasefire proposal.
Earlier on Wednesday, , said the Iran-backed armed group would agree to a ceasefire within certain parameters if Israel wanted to stop the war, but that Israel had so far not agreed to any proposal that could be discussed.
It was Qassem’s first speech as secretary-general, a day after Hezbollah announced his election to the post after
