Intensified Israeli strikes kill 60 in Gaza as U.S. pushes for ceasefire talks

At least 60 Palestinians were killed on Monday in one of the deadliest attacks in recent weeks.

Israeli air and ground forces launched fresh strikes across the Gaza Strip, even as high-level discussions on a potential ceasefire are set to take place in Washington.

Ahead of scheduled meetings with U.S. officials, Israel’s strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer traveled to Washington to discuss the ongoing conflict in Gaza and issues related to Iran. His visit comes just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump urged both sides to “Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back.”

According to sources familiar with the matter, Dermer will begin meetings with the Trump administration on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate.

The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders to residents in several large areas of northern Gaza on Monday, triggering a fresh wave of displacement. Israeli forces pushed into Gaza City’s Zeitoun suburb, targeting homes and schools with artillery and airstrikes. Residents say they were ordered to evacuate before several schools—where hundreds had sought shelter—were bombed.

Gaza health officials reported that at least 58 people died in Monday’s strikes, including 10 in Zeitoun and another 13 southwest of Gaza City. Medical teams said most of the 13 were killed by gunfire, though residents also reported airstrikes in the area.

A particularly devastating airstrike hit a beachfront café in Gaza City, killing 22 people, including women, children, and a journalist. The Palestinian Journalist Syndicate stated that more than 220 journalists have lost their lives in Gaza since the war began in October 2023.

The Israeli military said the recent attacks targeted Hamas command centers in northern Gaza, and that precautionary measures were taken to reduce civilian harm. However, no official comment was given regarding the strike on the beachfront café or the casualties in southwestern Gaza.

Despite international calls for de-escalation, Israel continues to issue new displacement orders and resume operations in areas it had previously cleared. The military has justified these renewed operations as necessary to eliminate Hamas fighters, particularly in Gaza City.

As diplomatic efforts continue, Dermer is also expected to discuss a possible upcoming visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House. Israel’s security cabinet is preparing to meet and consider its next steps in the conflict.

On Friday, the head of Israel’s military stated that the current ground campaign is nearing its objectives, while Netanyahu on Sunday mentioned that there are “new opportunities” for recovering the hostages, of whom about 20 are believed to be alive.

Ceasefire negotiations, facilitated by mediators Egypt and Qatar, have intensified, although no formal date has been announced for renewed talks. A Hamas official stated that any agreement would require Israel to commit to ending the war and withdrawing from Gaza. Israel has maintained that the war will only end once Hamas is disarmed and dismantled.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel has agreed to a U.S.-proposed 60-day ceasefire and hostage deal, saying, “Israel is serious in its will to reach a hostage deal and ceasefire in Gaza.”

In Jerusalem, Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger called for immediate action, stating, “The suffering of civilians is increasingly burdening Israel’s relations with Europe. A ceasefire must be agreed upon.” She urged for the unconditional release of hostages by Hamas and for Israel to ensure humanitarian aid can flow freely into Gaza.

While Israel claims it allows aid into Gaza and accuses Hamas of intercepting supplies, Hamas denies these claims and accuses Israel of using starvation as a tactic against the civilian population.