Jerusalem: After France, the UK and Germany joined global calls for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is due in Tel Aviv Monday, and is also expected to press Israel to wind down its offensive in Gaza.
The 10-week-old war has killed over 18,700 Palestinians and transformed much of the north of Gaza into a moonscape. Nearly 85 per cent of Gaza’s population have fled their homes.
More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 116 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas raided southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking about 240 hostages.
PTI

Press Trust of India