Israeli forces intensified bombardments across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, marking two years since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, as negotiators met in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to advance President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan aimed at halting one of the region's most destructive conflicts in decades.
Residents described overnight tank shelling and airstrikes that leveled buildings in Khan Younis, Al-Rimal, and Al-Nasr, while the Israeli military said it continued ground operations against Hamas fighters. Gaza's Health Ministry reported 67,160 Palestinians killed since the war began, including large numbers of children and women, and 169,679 injured, with thousands still missing beneath rubble.
In Gaza City, witnesses reported "massive explosions" in Al-Karama, Tal al-Hawa, and Sheikh Radwan, while Israeli helicopters fired on areas around Khan Younis. Artillery hit residential blocks, killing at least three people in the Al-Sabra district. "It's been two years that we are living in fear, horror, displacement and destruction," said Mohammed Dib, a 49-year-old resident.
The escalation came as Israeli and Hamas delegations entered a second day of indirect talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, seeking agreement on a cease-fire, hostage releases, and troop withdrawal from Gaza. Both sides have endorsed the framework of Trump's proposal, which calls for the return of all hostages within 72 hours and the disarmament of Hamas in exchange for amnesty and reconstruction aid.
However, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari urged caution, saying: "The plan consists of 20 points, and all of these points require practical interpretations on the ground." He added that the success of negotiations depended on "Hamas handing over hostages seized in the 2023 attack," which he said would mark "the end of the war."
Palestinian factions rejected disarmament, issuing a joint statement under the banner "Factions of the Palestinian Resistance," declaring: "No one has the right to cede the weapons of the Palestinian people. This legitimate weapon will be passed through the Palestinian generations until their land and sacred sites are liberated."
In Israel, commemorations were held at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square and the site of the Nova music festival, where 364 people were killed in 2023. "They were supposed to get married on February 14th, Valentine's Day," said Orit Baron, whose daughter Yuval died alongside her fiancé. "They are buried next to each other because they were never separated."
Meanwhile, cultural institutions across Gaza reported catastrophic losses amid continued strikes. The Palestinian National Library said dozens of museums, archives, and historic sites had been destroyed, including the Great Omari Mosque Library, which lost over 190 rare manuscripts, and Al-Basha Palace Museum, home to thousands of ancient artifacts. Over 95% of Gaza's schools and universities have been damaged or destroyed, leaving 650,000 students without access to education.
