Israeli attacks killed at least 13 people and injured dozens across Gaza from dawn on Sunday, according to information compiled by Al Jazeera, as Egypt hosted renewed discussions intended to preserve a ceasefire. The reported strikes occurred in Gaza City, Deir el-Balah and the al-Mawasi area near the southern city of Khan Younis.
The violence unfolded while Hamas and other Palestinian factions met mediators in Cairo. Representatives from Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye, along with envoys connected to a Board of Peace, participated in efforts to move the agreement forward. Sources linked to Hamas and officials familiar with the talks told Reuters that the group viewed an end to Israeli attacks as necessary for progress. Discussions were expected to last several days.
Major combat had been paused since October 2025 under a ceasefire brokered by the United States, but the next phase remained stalled. The broader U.S.-supported plan called for Israeli forces to withdraw, Hamas to disarm and reconstruction to begin after more than two years of destructive fighting. The two sides had not agreed on how to carry out those steps.
The first stage involved Hamas releasing the remaining captives in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, according to the supplied report. The intended second stage was more contentious: Hamas was expected to disarm as Israeli troops began leaving Palestinian territory. Hamas political bureau member Husam Badran said shortly before the talks that the group would not hand over its weapons at that point and that Palestinian factions would need to discuss the arsenal’s future.
Control of territory was another major dispute. Al Jazeera reported that Israel’s military held about 64% of Gaza, compared with 53% contemplated by the ceasefire. It said Palestinians had been displaced and remaining buildings demolished in those areas. On May 28, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had directed the military to expand control to 70% of the territory.
The supplied report said approximately 947 Palestinians had been killed and more than 2,900 wounded in Israeli attacks since the October truce, while Hamas fighters had killed four Israeli soldiers during the same period. It described continuing attacks on apartments, markets, vehicles and cafes, as well as evacuation orders arriving shortly before homes were struck. These casualty and incident figures were attributed to Al Jazeera’s reporting.
The broader Palestinian death toll since October 2023 stood at at least 72,971, according to the source, with nearly 1.9 million people displaced. The source also noted that prominent scholars and a United Nations independent inquiry had characterized Israel’s campaign as genocide; Israel’s position on that characterization was not included in the supplied packet.
The Cairo meetings therefore opened amid both immediate casualties and unresolved structural questions. Any durable next phase depended on reconciling demands over attacks, disarmament, troop withdrawal, territorial control and rebuilding—issues the parties had been unable to settle for months.
