BEIRUT, Lebanon — Israeli forces escalated their air and ground strikes in Gaza and Lebanon on Monday, pressing forward against militant targets as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proposed a temporary two-day truce in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
Although neither Israel nor Hamas commented on Sisi’s proposal, Israeli media reported that Israel’s intelligence chief, David Barnea, was in Qatar for potential negotiations on a hostage release deal.
A year into the war that began when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, violence continues without reprieve.
Iran, which backs Hamas but has avoided direct conflict with Israel, warned it would “respond firmly” to recent Israeli airstrikes on its military sites over the weekend.
In southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah has engaged Israeli forces, an airstrike targeted Tyre, killing at least five people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
A collapsed building in Tyre left a trail of casualties as emergency responders scrambled to reach survivors.
Hezbollah stated that its forces retaliated along the border with rocket and artillery fire, further escalating a conflict that has already led Israel to ramp up airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds.
Lebanese death tolls have surpassed 1,620 since September, according to AFP.
In Gaza, Israeli strikes killed three individuals in a drone attack on Gaza City, while air raids continued across northern and central regions of the territory.
Israel’s military said it targeted Jabalia in North Gaza, eliminating “dozens of terrorists” through a combined ground and aerial offensive.
As operations intensified, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief, Hossein Salami, issued a stark warning, saying Israel would face “bitter consequences” following recent air raids on Iranian sites.
A UN Security Council meeting convened at Iran’s request is expected later on Monday, as Tehran seeks international condemnation of Israel’s actions.
At the same time, Egypt’s proposed ceasefire plan aims to broker a prisoner exchange, involving the release of four Israeli hostages in Gaza in return for Palestinian prisoners.
This proposal includes the possibility of further negotiations to secure a comprehensive ceasefire.
However, one of the main sticking points remains Hamas’s demand for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, which Israeli leaders have firmly rejected.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant acknowledged Sunday that while military force alone would not fulfill Israel’s goals, significant concessions might be necessary.