Child among six dead as Israel bombs seaside cafe in Gaza

An Israeli airstrike on a seaside cafe in Gaza killed six individuals, including a child, on Tuesday, according to Palestinian officials. The attack came a day after US envoy Jared Kushner concluded what Palestinian officials called inconclusive peace talks with Israeli and Hamas representatives. The military claimed they targeted several Hamas commanders intending to assault Israel's forces in Gaza.

Images from the scene revealed a child's shoes scattered amidst the debris, alongside the bodies of others. Several more people sustained injuries, some of whom tragically fell into the port basin, prompting rescue efforts. The port area has transformed into a large refugee camp for Palestinian families throughout the conflict that began in October 2023.

Footage on social media depicted Palestinians attending to the wounded in the cafe and neighboring tents, with some casualties transported to nearby hospitals. Palestinian officials have reported over 1,200 fatalities resulting from Israeli strikes since a ceasefire ended the peak of the violence last October, with 800 more bodies retrieved during that period.

Although there were initial hopes for progress on US President Donald Trump's peace initiative, which proposed Hamas disarming in stages for an Israeli withdrawal, Israel has not endorsed the plan. US envoy Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, departed Jerusalem on Monday after a two-day round of discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas leaders, and mediators.

An Israeli official confirmed that Netanyahu firmly stated the military would maintain its presence in Gaza and that no troop reductions were forthcoming. Israel reportedly agreed at the Kushner talks to establish working groups on disarming Gaza and enhancing sanitation in the territory.