Over 60 Palestinians, including members of the same family, were killed in Israeli strikes overnight in the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas, hours before a meeting of Benjamin Netanyahu’s security council that will focus on negotiations aimed at a possible truce.

After the more than five months of war between Israel and Hamas sparked by a bloody attack by the Palestinian Islamist group, the death toll continues to rise in Gaza, with 31,645 dead since October 7, according to Hamas, as widespread famine threatens, according to the UN.

The wounded in Gaza number at least 73,676, according to today’s announcement by the Ministry of Health in the Palestinian enclave. In the last 24 hours, 92 Palestinians have lost their lives. And, despite international pressure for a cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has vowed to wipe out Hamas, is determined to continue the war and his army has not stopped shelling the Palestinian territory it is besieging.

Today, the Hamas Health Ministry spoke of at least 61 dead, including women and children, in the dozens of night strikes by the Israeli army against the Gaza Strip. Raids intensified in Deir al-Ballah, Gaza City in the north and the towns of Khan Younis and Rafah in the south, according to reports.

In the face of the devastating war, international mediators – the US, Qatar, Egypt – are trying to reach a new agreement on a humanitarian ceasefire, following the one at the end of November. No result so far.

Israel’s security cabinet is expected to meet at the end of the day to determine the “mandate” for the mission that will travel to Doha for the new talks.

However, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right baron, opposes this mission. “Netanyahu must order… the army to enter Rafah immediately and intensify military pressure until Hamas is destroyed.”