Palestinian officials report that Israeli airstrikes throughout the Gaza Strip have resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals, with children accounting for half of the casualties.

The Civil Defense, a group of first responders operating under the Hamas-controlled government, stated that three children and their mother were killed in an airstrike late Monday in the Tufah neighborhood of Gaza City. The group reported that three additional individuals were missing after the strike.

Another attack late Monday struck a building in downtown Gaza City, resulting in the deaths of a child, three women, and a man, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

In southern Gaza, an attack on a residence early Tuesday claimed the lives of five individuals, including a man, his three children (as young as 3 years old), and a woman, according to a casualty list provided by Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where the bodies were taken.

Palestinian health officials do not disclose whether those killed in Israeli strikes are civilians or combatants.

Israel maintains that it endeavors to minimize civilian casualties and accuses Hamas of placing civilians in jeopardy by conducting operations in residential areas. However, the military rarely offers commentary on individual strikes, which frequently result in the deaths of women and children.

Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that Israel’s military operation has led to the deaths of over 40,000 individuals in Gaza. The conflict commenced when militants led by Hamas infiltrated southern Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and the abduction of roughly 250 individuals.

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TEL AVIV, Israel — Gen. CQ Brown, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, engaged in meetings with top Israeli defense officials on Monday and visited the military’s Northern Command headquarters.

Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey, Brown’s spokesperson, indicated that the chairman met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israeli Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi in Tel Aviv, and participated in operational updates with senior leaders of the Israeli Defense Force.

“The leaders reaffirmed the significance of the U.S.-Israeli strategic partnership while also addressing the recent engagements along the Israeli-Lebanese border and the necessity to reduce tensions to prevent a wider conflict,” said Dorsey.

He emphasized the need for Israel to defend itself, along with the urgency of delivering greater humanitarian aid to Gaza and the importance of minimizing civilian casualties. Dorsey mentioned their discussions about Brown's recent meetings with regional partners, including his visits to Jordan and Egypt.

He stated that the U.S. “continues to collaborate with Israel and other allies and partners on strategies to enhance regional security and stability, safeguard U.S. forces in the Middle East, and deter a broader conflict.”

Gallant’s office stated that the Israeli defense minister expressed gratitude to Brown for “his unwavering commitment to Israel’s security,” which includes the deployment of U.S. military personnel in the Middle East.

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian medical authorities report that an Israeli airstrike has resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians in the northern West Bank.

The Israeli military announced late Monday that it targeted an “operations room” used by armed groups in the Nur Shams refugee camp located in the city of Tulkarem. Palestinian medical officials confirmed that five bodies were transported to a nearby hospital.

Neither Palestinian health officials nor the Israeli military immediately revealed the identities of those killed.

This is the latest act of violence to take place in the West Bank, where around 640 Palestinians have lost their lives since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Most of these deaths have been attributed to Israeli incursions into Palestinian cities and towns.

UNITED NATIONS – Sixteen evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military this month have forced Gazans into even smaller areas within the territory. The latest order has led to the closure of the U.N. humanitarian operations center. However, UNRWA, the U.N. agency aiding Palestinian refugees, continues to provide healthcare and other essential assistance.

As a consequence of these orders, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were already displaced have been compelled to relocate once again. Moreover, the humanitarian zone declared by Israel has been significantly reduced to approximately 11% of the entire Gaza Strip, as reported by Sam Rose, the senior deputy field director for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, in a statement to reporters on Monday.

“Furthermore, this 11% of land is not suitable for habitation, lacking adequate services and essential infrastructure for a livable environment,” Rose emphasized during a briefing from Gaza,

He explained that it is precisely within this environment, characterized by limited access to aid, essential services, water, and healthcare, that polio has recently resurfaced in Gaza, “with a small number of cases that have the potential to spread rapidly.”

Rose announced that a United Nations initiative to immunize 95% of children under 10 years old is set to commence on Saturday. The operation involves over 3,000 personnel, including 1,000 from UNRWA, the largest primary healthcare provider in the Gaza Strip.

He expressed optimism that humanitarian ceasefires required for the campaign will be respected by Israel, Hamas, and other armed groups.

A senior U.N. official revealed that Israel’s latest evacuation order on Sunday encompassed the U.N. operations hub in Deir al-Balah, necessitating its immediate closure. The official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the situation, confirmed that the U.N. has been engaging with Israel regarding the recent order and enhancing humanitarian operations.

Rose stated that UNRWA services are continuing with local staff, approximating that 15,000 Palestinians received healthcare services throughout Gaza on Monday.

However, he emphasized that the capacity of the U.N. humanitarian system to function in Gaza “is becoming increasingly challenging.”

He indicated that an estimated one million Palestinians each month are deprived of essential food due to obstacles at border crossings. Only about 100 trucks carrying aid enter Gaza daily, instead of the necessary 500.

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Associated Press journalist Edith Lederer provided input for this report.

WASHINGTON — Despite intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah over the weekend, Gaza cease-fire talks in Cairo have not been disrupted. A “working-level” group of negotiators is continuing discussions on technical aspects of a potential agreement, the White House stated on Monday.

A cease-fire is considered the best option to prevent an even larger regional conflict, as Hezbollah has pledged retaliation against Israel for the killing of senior commander Fuad Shukr last month. Meanwhile, Iran has vowed revenge for the recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, who was killed in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

“The talks in Cairo were not impacted,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. “We are certainly glad to see that.”

Kirby mentioned that progress was achieved during four days of high-level talks that concluded in Egypt on Sunday, though they did not reach a long-awaited cease-fire or hostage agreement.

However, the parties agreed to continue discussions between lower-level officials with the aim of resolving some of the remaining differences between Israel and Hamas.

Kirby stated that the working group is attempting to refine the proposed exchange that would involve the release of hostages held in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

However, the two sides disagree on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand that the Israel Defense Forces maintain a presence in two key corridors in Gaza, the Philadelphi corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt and the Netzarim east-west corridor that crosses the territory.

Brett McGurk, the White House Middle East advisor, was leading the U.S. delegation in the talks in Cairo on Monday, but he was anticipated to depart soon as lower-ranking officials aim to address remaining issues, Kirby mentioned.

The talks are expected to last for several days.