Israeli airstrikes killed at least 17 people in Gaza on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to health officials, even as efforts to advance a ceasefire face new setbacks following Jared Kushner's diplomatic outreach earlier this week.
On Monday, U.S. negotiator and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for four hours, urging Israel not to create obstacles to the peace proposal, according to a person familiar with the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity. Two days later, deadly strikes resumed across Gaza.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican lawmakers largely supported Israel's right to target Hamas commanders, arguing that operations against militant leadership remain essential to regional security. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said eliminating senior Hamas officials serves U.S. interests in preventing terrorism.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted Israel will not withdraw from its current positions in Gaza until Hamas completely disarms. His office reiterated that Israel retains the right to self-defense against terrorist threats, regardless of ceasefire negotiations.
The Israeli military released statements identifying four Hamas commanders killed in recent strikes: Muhammad Hamdi Ahmad Al-Masri, Muhammad Attar, Muhammad Fathi Hussein Nasser, and Samed Samir Harb Abu Habal, all accused of attacks against Israeli troops or involvement in the October 7, 2023 assault.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats and human rights advocates have called for an immediate end to Israeli operations in Gaza following the new casualties. Senate Foreign Relations Committee members have urged the Trump administration to use its leverage with Israel more forcefully to enforce ceasefire terms.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) has repeatedly called for a permanent ceasefire and humanitarian access, arguing that continued strikes undermine U.S.-brokered diplomatic efforts. Human rights organizations including Amnesty International said any ceasefire agreement must include provisions for accountability for civilian casualties.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem criticized the Board of Peace — the body Trump established to oversee the ceasefire — saying it has provided cover for Israel to escalate attacks instead of pressuring compliance with the agreement.
What the Numbers Show
Since the ceasefire took effect in October, Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,273 people in Gaza, according to health officials there. The total death toll from the nearly three-year Israel-Hamas war has exceeded 73,400 Palestinians, per Gaza's Health Ministry figures considered generally reliable by U.N. agencies.
Wednesday's strikes included an attack on a police station in Tufah, Gaza City, that killed eight police officers and a 13-year-old girl, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. A separate strike at Nuseirat refugee camp killed one person. On Tuesday evening, a strike on a seaside cafe killed seven Palestinians including a child.
The Israeli military said it conducted reviews of 150 incidents of troop conduct during the war and will launch criminal investigations into the 2024 killings of a 5-year-old girl and her family, as well as 15 Palestinian paramedics in 2025.
The Bottom Line
The strikes highlight persistent tensions between ceasefire terms and ongoing Israeli military operations. Major sticking points remain on sequencing: Hamas has said it would begin disarming only if Israel halts strikes and withdraws first, while Netanyahu insists Israel will not pull back until disarmament is complete.
Trump announced earlier this month that Hamas had agreed to disarm, but Hamas clarified its position — saying heavy weapons would be laid down later and contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state, which Israel's government opposes. The ceasefire negotiations have offered few concrete commitments as both sides hold firm on preconditions.
Israeli troops also crossed into southern Gaza early Wednesday and detained a Hamas police colonel in the Muwasi coastal area west of Khan Younis, according to witnesses and a Hamas official.