Israeli strikes kills 19 in southern Gaza, health officials say

In the north, the bodies of at least six people, including a baby, were recovered from two houses in Gaza City which were hit, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency.

Meanwhile, three people were killed in a strike in the central town of Deir al-Balah, while another infant was killed in the nearby, urban Bureij refugee camp, medics said.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on those strikes.

Gaza’s health ministry also issued an urgent appeal for fuel to operate the generators of hospitals in the south. It warned that the generators would stop functioning within hours, putting the lives of hundreds of patients at risk.

It came as indirect talks on a ceasefire and hostage release deal continued in Qatar, where US President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy said “a lot of progress” had been made.

Stephen Witkoff told a news conference in Floriday on Tuesday that he would soon travel to Doha to join the negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egyptian and US officials.

“I’m really hopeful that by the inaugural, we’ll have some good things to announce on behalf of the president,” he added.

Trump meanwhile repeated his threat that “all hell will break out in the Middle East” if Hamas does not release the 100 hostages it is still holding before he takes office on 20 January.

Hamas and Israel have accused each other of obstructing progress towards a deal.

Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

More than 45,930 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.