Thu Jan 09 08:28:02 UTC 2025: ## Israeli Airstrikes Kill at Least 12 in Gaza Amid Ongoing Ceasefire Negotiations
**Gaza City, Palestine – January 9, 2025** – At least 12 Palestinians, including three young girls, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza Thursday, according to the civil defense agency. The attacks, which targeted homes in Nuseirat and Jabalia, come as international mediators push for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza.
The strikes mark a grim escalation despite ongoing negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed optimism in Paris on Wednesday, stating that a ceasefire was “very close.” He indicated that any deal would likely be based on President Biden’s three-phase plan for hostage release and a ceasefire, unveiled last May.
However, the latest airstrikes cast doubt on the imminent success of these negotiations. The reported deaths of a father and his three daughters in a targeted house strike highlight the devastating human cost of the ongoing conflict, now 15 months long. Paramedics described the horrific scene of recovering the bodies from under the rubble. Further casualties were reported in a separate strike in Jabalia.
Despite the ongoing violence, mediators remain committed to securing a deal, which is hoped to be reached before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20th. The situation remains tense, with Israeli air strikes and shelling continuing across Gaza.
First Piper 