GAZA: In a series of overnight airstrikes, Israeli forces have killed at least 15 people in Gaza, including several women and children. The tragic toll was confirmed by hospital officials and an Associated Press journalist on Sunday.

The strikes hit the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis. In Bureij, nine individuals, including two children, lost their lives, while Khan Younis saw the death of at least six people, including two girls. The community mourns the loss, with grieving families embracing the small bodies wrapped in white shrouds.

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to travel to the United States on Monday to meet with President Joe Biden and address Congress, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Netanyahu’s visit aims to strengthen support for Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas and to discuss the nine-month war as cease-fire talks are set to continue with a team arriving on Thursday.

Gaza’s already dire humanitarian conditions have worsened, with recent findings of the polio virus in sewage samples. The World Health Organization reports that no cases of polio symptoms have been treated yet. With 2.3 million people in Gaza facing severe shortages in water and sanitation, the situation remains critical.

The current conflict, which began on October 7 with an attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel, has claimed over 38,900 lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. This includes civilians and combatants. The initial assault by Hamas resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and the kidnapping of about 250 people, with around 120 still held, some presumed dead.

Netanyahu remains committed to dismantling Hamas’ military and governance capabilities and securing the return of the hostages. Meanwhile, Israeli citizens and families of hostages continue to call for a cease-fire to bring their loved ones home.

Efforts by mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are ongoing to negotiate a phased cease-fire agreement. Concerns about regional escalation persist, with Israel striking Yemen’s port of Hodeida in response to a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv. This move could potentially open a new front in the regional conflict.

Additionally, on Sunday, the Israeli military intercepted a missile from Yemen, as the Houthis promised further “impactful strikes.” In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanese areas, including the border town of Alma al-Shaab, have resulted in injuries to two Lebanese soldiers. The strikes followed the detection of drones crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory.

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