Israel Reviews Gaza Beach Cafe Strike Killing 24 Palestinians

The Israeli army has initiated a review of a deadly strike on the Al-Baqa cafe, a popular seafront venue in Gaza City, which it said targeted several Hamas militants. Gaza's civil defense reported at least 24 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in the attack, with eyewitnesses describing a horrific scene of bodies mangled and burned. The cafe, which had survived over 20 months of conflict, was a gathering place for locals not displaced by the ongoing violence. The Israeli military stated that prior to the strike, aerial surveillance was used to mitigate civilian harm, but the incident remains under investigation. This strike comes amid Israel's larger military campaign launched in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, which killed over 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians. Meanwhile, Qatar has signaled a potential window for a Gaza truce following a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, though no formal negotiations have yet occurred.