Deadly air strikes in Gaza Strip efforts towards a truce continue

Hezbollah fires another 20 rockets across border at Israel, as war enters lOth month

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GAZA - Israel carried out deadly air strikes in the Gaza Strip on July 7 as the war entered its 10th month, with fighting raging across the Palestinian territory and fresh diplomatic efforts under way to halt the violence.

Lebanon's Hezbollah movement fired another 20 rockets at northern Israel, leaving one person injured there, the latest cross-border attacks launched in solidarity with Gaza's Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Efforts towards a truce continued with US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators hoping to halt the worstever Gaza war, which has caused mass civilian casualties and devastated the coastal territory since Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel.

Egypt's Al-Qahera News reported that Cairo was "hosting Israeli and American delegations to discuss the outstanding points" for a ceasefire and hostage release deal, citing an unnamed high-level official source.

Mediators were in contact with Hamas amid "intensive Egyptian meetings this week with all parties to push efforts" for a truce, said the news report late on July 6, without giving further details or dates.

Israel has also said it would send a delegation in the coming days to continue talks with Qatari mediators, even though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman said on July 5 that "gaps" remained with Hamas.

US President Joe Biden announced a plan in late May that included an initial six-week truce and the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners.