Palestinians inspect the site of Israeli strikes on a school sheltering displaced people, amid Israel-Hamas conflict, in Gaza City, August 3, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa 

Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza and West Bank Result in Multiple Fatalities

Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza City

An Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering displaced persons in Gaza City resulted in the deaths of at least 15 Palestinians on Saturday. This incident followed two airstrikes in the occupied West Bank, which killed nine militants, including a local Hamas commander, according to a statement from Hamas.

West Bank Airstrikes

The Israeli military reported that the first of the two West Bank airstrikes targeted a vehicle near the city of Tulkarm. This strike aimed at a militant cell allegedly en route to carry out an attack. Hamas confirmed that one of those killed was a commander of its Tulkarm brigades, while its ally Islamic Jihad claimed the other four men who died in the strike as its fighters. Hours later, a second airstrike in the area targeted another group of militants who had fired on Israeli troops during a counterterrorism operation. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that four people died in this strike, with Hamas confirming that all nine individuals killed in the two airstrikes were fighters.

Rising Violence in the West Bank

Violence in the West Bank has been escalating, with frequent Israeli raids in the territory. This area is part of the land Palestinians seek for a future state. The increase in violence has included more frequent anti-Israeli street attacks by Palestinians. These latest strikes come amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, raising fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East.

Strikes in Gaza Strip

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli strike on a school in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood killed at least 15 people. The Hamas-run government media office reported the fatalities, while the Israeli military claimed the school was being used as a command center for Hamas to hide militants and manufacture weapons. Hamas has denied operating from civilian facilities like schools and hospitals. Earlier on Saturday, Israeli strikes killed six people in a house in Rafah and two others in Gaza City, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli military stated that its forces had targeted militants and destroyed Hamas infrastructure in Rafah and other areas of the enclave.

Casualties and Ongoing Conflict

According to Gaza health officials, the Israeli military campaign in Gaza has resulted in at least 39,550 Palestinian deaths. The offensive began following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 250 individuals, based on Israeli tallies.

Diplomatic Efforts and Regional Tensions

A high-level Israeli delegation visited Cairo briefly on Saturday to attempt to resume Gaza ceasefire negotiations. The delegation returned to Israel hours later. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of attempting to alter the “outline” of a potential agreement proposed by U.S. President Joe Biden in May. Hamas has accused Netanyahu of not wanting to end the war.

Chances for a breakthrough appear slim, with regional tensions escalating following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the killing of Fuad Shukr, a top military commander from Hezbollah, in Beirut. These assassinations have heightened concerns that the conflict in Gaza could escalate into a wider Middle East war. Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of carrying out these assassinations, pledging retaliation. Israel has not confirmed nor denied responsibility for Haniyeh’s death.

International Diplomatic Contacts

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken engaged in separate discussions with French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on the need to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza and to prevent the conflict from spreading. Egypt’s foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, emphasized the unprecedented and dangerous developments in the region in a phone call with Iran’s acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani. The Italian Foreign Ministry also appealed to Iran for restraint and to contribute to de-escalation efforts in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions.