ISRAELI air attacks on Gaza today left at least 19 Palestinians dead, local sources report.

The latest Israeli killing spree comes as the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sends the head of Israel’s spy organisation to Qatar for talks to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza.

Eyewitnesses say Israeli attacks targeted at a school acting as a shelter in Zaynab al-Wazir killed eight Palestinians, including two children, and left scores injured.

In another Israeli attack, two Palestinians were killed in a residential neighbourhood of the Shujaiya neighbourhood, east of Gaza City.

Three other Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded when Israeli war planes attacked a tent housing displaced families in the central Gaza city of Dier al-Balah.

In Khan Yunis, south of Gaza, one Palestinian was killed and two others injured in an Israeli air strike that targeted a house in Abasan al-Kabira, east of the city.

Eyewitnesses also reported that four Palestinians were killed and several others wounded in the al-Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City.

Last week, the Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israelis and more than 109,378 injured since the Israelis began its retaliation to the attack by Hamas and its allies on October 7 2023.

About 1,200 were killed during the October 7 attack and 250 were taken hostage.

The release of hostages and the freeing of Palestinians taken prisoner by the Israelis is one of the key issues to be agreed during talks in Qatar to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu is sending the director of the Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, David Barnea, to the talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, his office said on Saturday.

Both the outgoing and incoming administrations in the United States are known to be pressing for a deal before the presidential inauguration on January 20. 

A phased ceasefire deal is on the table, but Mr Netanyahu has signalled that he is only committed to the first phase, a partial hostage release in exchange for a brief halt in fighting.

Hamas has insisted on a full Israeli troop withdrawal from the largely devastated territory, but Mr Netanyahu has insisted on destroying Hamas’s ability to fight in Gaza. 

Families of the roughly 100 hostages still being held in Gaza are continuing to press Mr Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring their loved ones home.

“Return with an agreement that ensures the return of all hostages, down to the last one,” said a statement by a group representing some hostages’ families.