Israel Says It Killed 40 Fighters in Rafah Tunnels as Gaza Death Toll Reaches 70,100

Overview

• The Israel Defense Forces reported more than 40 Palestinian combatants killed over the past week in operations to dismantle tunnel networks near Rafah, and said four more were shot after emerging from underground.
• The Gaza Health Ministry put cumulative deaths at 70,100 since 2023, as the UN warns of a deep humanitarian emergency and estimates about $70 billion will be needed for reconstruction.
• A U.S.-brokered truce in place since October 10 largely holds, though Israel and Hamas trade accusations of violations and sporadic lethal incidents persist.
• Cairo talks this week brought together Egyptian and Turkish intelligence chiefs and Qatar’s prime minister, with proposals under discussion for disarmament, a transitional authority, and an international stabilization force.
• Family members said an Israeli drone strike killed two children in Bani Suheila, while the military said it targeted two suspects who posed an immediate threat; the accounts conflict.