International Community Urges Israel and Hamas to Negotiate Cease-Fire as Death Toll in Gaza Reaches 18,000

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The war ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel has already brought unprecedented death and destruction to the impoverished coastal enclave, with much of northern Gaza obliterated, more than 18,000 Palestinians killed, and over 80% of the population of 2.3 million pushed from their homes.

The Israeli military continued pounding the Gaza Strip Tuesday, determined to carry on with its stated mission of destroying the Palestinian militant group Hamas despite rising calls for a cease-fire and its most valuable ally, the United States, urging Israel to “put a premium on human life.”

Israel insists it is only targeting terrorists and terror infrastructure, but pressure to halt the ceaseless bombing was mounting fast as Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry said the war had killed more than 18,000 people.

The United States has been increasingly isolated in its support of Israel, with the United Nations Security Council, the European Union and other countries calling for an immediate cease-fire. The U.S. has blocked a Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire, saying it does not address the root causes of the conflict.

The war has also sparked protests around the world, with demonstrators in cities from London to Los Angeles calling for an end to the violence. The protests have been met with a heavy-handed response from Israeli security forces, with hundreds of protesters arrested and dozens injured.

The conflict shows no signs of abating, with both sides seemingly determined to continue the fight. The international community is now calling on both sides to come to the negotiating table and find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.