Israel bombards Gaza, welcomes new truce talks

RAFAH, Palestinian Territories (AFP) — Israel’s armed forces bombarded Gaza on Sunday, but officials also said diplomatic efforts were expected to resume in coming days towards a truce and hostage release deal.

Airstrikes and artillery shelling rained down again overnight on northern, central and southern area of Gaza in the more than seven-months-old war sparked by Hamas’ 7 October attack on Israel.

Fighting has centered on the far-southern city of Rafah, where Israel has vowed to destroy the last remaining Hamas battalions despite a chorus of international opposition to a ground invasion of the city.

Israel’s assault there from early May led Egypt to shut its side of the Rafah border crossing.

Israeli media has said intelligence chief David Barnea had agreed to a new framework for talks on a ceasefire in a meeting with America’s Central Intelligence Agency chief and Qatari mediators in Paris.