Gaza: Israeli airstrike on UN school in Gaza Strip. 16 people were killed in the attack. Israel has also stepped up attacks in the Lebanese border areas.
Israel is moving ahead with a heavy-handed attack on Gaza amid desperate efforts to end the war. Ten months have passed since the clash between the two countries. Israel responded yesterday that it would send representatives next week to Qatar-mediated peace talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesman responded that the ceasefire and the release of the hostages are linked. David Barnia, the head of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, returned after a preliminary meeting with mediators.
Barnia discussed the proposals of Hamas. Mossad officials are reported to have told mediators that they are optimistic that the Israeli cabinet will accept the ceasefire proposal currently under discussion.
A senior Israeli official was also quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying that Israel’s Netanyahu has approved sending a delegation to Gaza to negotiate a cease-fire agreement with Hamas and the release of hostages.
