Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza Tuesday

Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli air strikes and shelling killed at least 18 people across the territory on Tuesday, including children.

Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said the strikes primarily targeted Deir el-Balah, Gaza City and the Khan Yunis area.

"Last night was harsh and bloody," Bassal told AFP, accusing Israel of conducting "dozens of air and artillery strikes across all areas of the Strip".

"Eighteen people were killed and dozens injured" in strikes on a tent and several homes in Deir el-Balah, Khan Yunis and Gaza City, he added.

Ten people, including a one-year-old girl, were killed when a strike hit the home of the Abed family in the Al-Manara area of Khan Yunis, Bassal said.

The other deceased included the child's parents, grandfather and uncle, he added.

In a separate strike, four children were killed when a home belonging to the Abu al-Shaar family in the Al-Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City was struck, Bassal said.

Another strike hit a tent filled with displaced Palestinians, killing three people in the Deir el-Balah area, he added.

Witnesses said an Apache helicopter fired on areas of Jabalia in northern Gaza, where Israeli forces have been conducting a sweeping offensive since October.

The latest strikes occurred as a "final round" of talks to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal was due to begin in Qatar, according to a source briefed on the negotiations.

Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday that 61 people were killed in the Palestinian territory in the past 24 hours, taking the overall war death toll to 46,645.
The ministry said at least 110,012 people have been wounded in more than 15 months of war.