Deir al-Balah, July 9: At least 40 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, as international mediators raced to complete a ceasefire deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a second meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, pushing for a ceasefire that might lead to an end to the 21-month war in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas are considering a new US-backed ceasefire proposal that would pause the war, free Israeli hostages, and send much-needed aid into Gaza. The war started after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry (AP)
