Fighting in Gaza continues as Hamas gives ‘initial’ approval to truce plan
Scores of people were reported killed overnight as fighting in Gaza entered its next day. Mediator Qatar announced that Hamas had given its initial approval to a hostage-prisoner exchange deal that could temporarily halt the conflict with Israel.
According to Hamas’s health ministry, 105 people were killed overnight, while the group’s press office reported further raids and shelling in the city of Khan Yunis, which has been a focal point of the hostilities.
The United Nations has stated that the nearly four-month-long fighting has made Gaza uninhabitable, exacerbated by dire shortages of essential supplies caused by an Israeli siege.
International pressure for a ceasefire has been mounting due to the worsening humanitarian crisis and escalating civilian casualties.
Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, announced on Thursday that talks between Qatari, US, Israeli, and Egyptian officials in Paris had produced a comprehensive truce proposal, which had been approved by Israel. Hamas has now given its initial positive response to the plan.
However, a Hamas source revealed to AFP that there is no agreement on the framework yet, with factions having important observations about the proposal. The source also criticized Qatar’s statement as rushed and inaccurate.
An anonymous Hamas source had previously disclosed that the three-stage plan would begin with a six-week pause in fighting, permitting increased aid deliveries to Gaza. Only specific categories of hostages would be released during this initial phase, with negotiations surrounding the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the potential for further hostage-prisoner exchanges in subsequent stages.
The Gaza conflict originated from Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,160 people, mostly civilians. In response, Israel launched a fierce offensive that has claimed the lives of over 27,000 people in Gaza, predominantly women and children.
During a visit to Khan Yunis, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant informed troops that the local Hamas brigade had been dismantled, and a similar outcome was expected in Rafah, the southern border town where displaced civilians sought refuge.
Gallant emphasized that military means remained the only way to secure the release of Israeli captives held by Hamas, stating that their operations would exert pressure capable of achieving this goal.
Nevertheless, demands for a ceasefire and hostage agreement have gained momentum in Israel, with protesters gathering in Tel Aviv and urging the government to bring the hostages back immediately.
Meanwhile, violence has also escalated in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli troops and settlers have killed over 370 Palestinians since October 7. In response, the United States issued sanctions against four Israeli settlers, considering the situation a serious threat to regional peace, security, and stability.
The Gaza conflict has also prompted increased attacks by Iran-backed allies of Hamas across the Middle East, which have ensnared US forces. On Thursday, US forces intercepted a drone and destroyed an explosives-laden uncrewed surface vessel attributed to Huthi rebels off Yemen’s coast.
CENTCOM revealed that the Huthis had launched two anti-ship missiles, possibly aimed at a cargo ship in the Red Sea. While the missiles did not hit the vessel, this incident marked a continuation of the Huthis’ targeting of Red Sea shipping since November, purportedly in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
In conclusion, as fighting in Gaza lingers on, hopes for a truce and hostage-prisoner exchange deal persist. However, significant obstacles and differences of opinion within Hamas remain, making the success of the proposed plan uncertain. The toll on Gaza’s population and the urgent need for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid have triggered growing international calls for an end to the conflict.
