The UK's Telegraph newspaper reported on 3/7, citing military sources, that Israeli pilots returning from an airstrike mission against Iran on 13/6 requested permission to use their remaining missiles and bombs on Hamas-linked targets in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli ground commanders approved the request and provided target coordinates for the jets to strike before landing. This practice reportedly became widespread during the 12 days of Israeli airstrikes against Iran.

This meant the Israeli air force maintained its offensive against Gaza, even while shifting its primary focus to Iran, before a ceasefire between Tel Aviv and Tehran was reached on 24/6.

When asked about this information, the Israeli military stated that while the initial bombing may have been a spontaneous act by a pilot, subsequent airstrikes were planned and targeted legitimate objectives in Gaza.

Israeli fighter jets prepare to land near Tel Aviv, September 2024. Photo: AFP

The exact number of Gazans killed during the 12 days of conflict between Tel Aviv and Tehran is unclear. Gazan health officials reported hundreds of civilian deaths during this period, including many from tank fire near aid distribution points.

On 18/6, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported 10 deaths, including women and children, following an Israeli airstrike on the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. Five people were also killed in a separate attack the same day on a tent camp in the southern city of Khan Younis.

Peace talks in Gaza have recently progressed, and a ceasefire agreement could be announced in the coming days. Hamas has reportedly accepted in principle a 60-day ceasefire proposal. Israeli sources indicate their government is considering a comprehensive agreement for a lasting end to the Gaza conflict.

According to Egypt's Al-Rad TV, the ceasefire agreement involves a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and immediate negotiations for a permanent end to the conflict after the first hostages are released.

In addition to a lasting ceasefire, the talks address the release of all hostages and the future governance of Gaza after the conflict.

Location of Iran, Israel, and the Gaza Strip. Graphic: BBC

The Gaza conflict erupted in October 2023 after Hamas launched a coordinated attack on southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Forty-nine hostages remain in Gaza, 27 of whom are presumed dead by Israel.

Israel's subsequent retaliatory operation in Gaza resulted in over 57,000 deaths, mostly civilians, according to local health officials.

Pham Giang (According to AFP, Telegraph)