At least six people have been killed and another 14 injured in an Israeli strike on a crowded café in Gaza City, according to Palestinian sources. The attack took place on Tuesday, 18 August, at a café near the city’s port that had become a makeshift shelter for people displaced by the war.
The strike hit an area where displaced Palestinians had sought refuge after being forced from their homes by the prolonged conflict. Following the attack, several bodies were taken to Al-Shifa Hospital, according to Palestinian sources cited by Al Jazeera. The reported casualties have added to the growing toll among civilians sheltering in densely populated parts of Gaza.
The Israeli military said the strike was directed at several Hamas commanders. According to the military, the individuals targeted had been involved in planning attacks against Israel. However, the Israeli army did not publicly provide evidence to substantiate its claim or immediately disclose further details about the identities of those it said were targeted.
The attack comes as efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza remain stalled. Israel and Hamas continue to disagree over the conditions required for an end to the fighting, particularly the issues of Israeli military withdrawal and the future of Hamas’s armed forces.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to oppose a US-backed ceasefire proposal in its current form. His stated position is that Israel will not withdraw its troops from Gaza unless Hamas first agrees to surrender its weapons.
Hamas has taken the opposite position. The group says it will not give up its weapons until Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza. The conflicting demands have remained a major obstacle to efforts by mediators to reach a lasting ceasefire agreement.
Around 60 per cent of the Gaza Strip is currently under the control of the Israeli military, according to the report. The continued military presence and fighting have left large numbers of Palestinians displaced, with many forced to seek shelter in temporary camps and other civilian locations.
The latest strike also underscores the dangers faced by people sheltering in areas that have become heavily populated because of repeated displacement. Cafés, schools, public buildings and other civilian facilities have at times been used as temporary places of refuge as Palestinians move in search of safer locations.
Hamas condemned the attack in a statement, describing it as a ‘blatant disregard’ for calls for a ceasefire issued by mediators and countries involved in efforts to guarantee an agreement. The group also accused Israel of undermining ongoing attempts to halt the fighting.
The reported deaths come amid continued diplomatic efforts to end the Gaza war. Yet the positions of the two sides remain sharply divided, while civilians continue to bear the consequences of the conflict. The latest casualties are likely to add further pressure on international mediators seeking a halt to hostilities and greater protection for displaced Palestinians.
