DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) - The conflict in Gaza escalated on Sunday as Israeli strikes in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 35 people, according to hospital officials. This comes a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the war would continue for "many more months," rejecting international calls for a cease-fire.

The military stated that Israeli forces were operating in Khan Younis, Gaza's second-largest city, while residents reported airstrikes in the central region, the latest focal point in the nearly three-month air and ground war that has engulfed most of the territory.

Concerns have been raised about the potential for a broader regional conflict. On Sunday, the U.S. military announced that its forces had shot and killed several Iran-backed Houthi rebels during an attempted attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea, which is connected to the ongoing maritime conflict linked to the war in Gaza.

Israel's objective in the conflict is to demolish Hamas' governance and military capabilities in Gaza, from where the group launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7. In response, Israel has unleashed an unprecedented air and ground offensive that has resulted in the deaths of over 21,800 Palestinians and more than 55,000 injuries, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza. The war has also caused a humanitarian crisis, with a quarter of Gaza residents at risk of starvation, as reported by the United Nations. Moreover, the Israeli bombardments have rendered large parts of the territory uninhabitable, displacing approximately 85% of Gaza's 2.3 million residents.

This week, Israel expanded its offensive to central Gaza, targeting densely populated communities that serve as shelters for refugees from the war that surrounded Israel's establishment in 1948 and their descendants. As a result, much of the population has been forced south, seeking refuge in shelters and tent camps near the Egyptian border, even as Israel continues to strike those areas.

In the area of Zweida in central Gaza, witnesses reported that an Israeli airstrike claimed the lives of at least 13 people and left dozens more wounded. The bodies, draped in white plastic, were laid out in front of a hospital, where prayers were held before burial. Hospital officials from Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Deir al-Balah confirmed receiving 35 bodies on Sunday.

The Israeli military stated that it was engaged in combat with militants in Khan Younis, where Hamas leaders are believed to be hiding. Additionally, Israeli forces found and defused a bomb in a kindergarten in the urban Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas continued launching rockets towards southern Israel.

Israel has encountered strong resistance from Hamas since initiating its ground offensive in late October, resulting in the deaths of 172 soldiers. The magnitude of destruction in Gaza, coupled with the protracted duration of the war, has raised doubts about Israel's ability to achieve its goal of dismantling Hamas and the potential aftermath of such a scenario.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that Israel must maintain long-term security control over the Gaza Strip, stating that the war would persist for "many more months." He also claimed that Israel would assume control of the Gaza side of the border with Egypt, asserting that any other agreement would not guarantee the demilitarization required. However, Egypt, one of the mediators between Israel and Hamas, is expected to oppose any Israeli military presence in the region.

Netanyahu's stance has put him at odds with the Biden administration, which supports the formation of a unified Palestinian government to administer both Gaza and parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel's reluctance to support Palestinian statehood has been a longstanding obstacle to resuming peace talks, which ceased over a decade ago.

Amidst the ongoing conflict, there are signs that the Israeli population is growing impatient. Thousands of people participated in one of the largest demonstrations against Netanyahu since the war commenced, echoing protester Gal Tzur's sentiment that the prime minister's continued rule poses a significant existential threat to the country. Another protest called for the release of the estimated 129 remaining hostages held by Hamas, with families and supporters demanding that hostage releases take precedence over other objectives in the war.

While Egypt has proposed a multistage plan for a temporary cease-fire and a swap of hostages for prisoners, both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group have stated that no further releases will occur until Israel ends the offensive and withdraws from Gaza. As of now, the sides remain far from reaching a new agreement.