Israel on killing spree as Gaza death toll hits 20,000

NT Bureau, Agencies

Gaza City/Tel-Aviv: The Hamas government's media office in the Gaza Strip said Wednesday at least 20,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since the war with Israel began, reports AFP.

Some 8,000 children and 6,200 women were among the dead, it said, as the conflict continued to rage more than two months after it broke out on October 7.

However, Hopes rose Wednesday that Israel and Hamas may be inching toward another truce and hostage-release deal in the Gaza war, following talks in Europe and a visit to Egypt by the head of the Palestinian militant group.

Right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there can be no Gaza cease-fire until Hamas militants are destroyed, but the White House expressed hope that the truce talks can bring results.

“These are very serious discussions and negotiations and we hope that they lead somewhere,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

His comments came shortly after Netanyahu, under pressure from Washington and other allies over civilian casualties, reiterated his goal of destroying Hamas and said there will be no cease-fire until that is accomplished.

“We won’t stop fighting until we’ve achieved all the objectives we’ve set ourselves: the elimination of Hamas, the release of our hostages and the end of the threat from Gaza,” Netanyahu repeated.

A Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP in Gaza that “a total cease-fire and a retreat of the Israeli occupation army from the Gaza Strip are a precondition for any serious negotiation.”