Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israel will return to the negotiating table for ceasefire talks with Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza. This marks another attempt to reach an agreement to pause Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
Previous efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to broker a ceasefire have stalled as the conflict drags into its sixth month. Hamas has previously proposed a phased release of all remaining hostages on the condition that Israel ends its military operations in Gaza, opens borders for aid and reconstruction, and releases hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants serving life sentences.
Netanyahu has dismissed these demands as unrealistic, asserting that Israel will continue its offensive against Hamas until the group is dismantled, even after any potential hostage release.
According to reports, Hamas is believed to be holding around 100 hostages, as well as the remains of approximately 30 people killed in the group’s October 7 attack or who died in captivity. That surprise attack triggered the current conflict and claimed the lives of over 1,200 Israelis.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that Israel’s military campaign in the territory has resulted in more than 32,000 deaths and 74,000 injuries, though the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. It claims that women and children account for two-thirds of the fatalities.
The United Nations has stated that 100% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are facing severe food insecurity. Aid deliveries have been hindered by Israeli military restrictions, ongoing hostilities, and the breakdown of public order, according to the UN and international aid organizations.
While these developments unfold in the Israel-Hamas war, doctors visiting hospitals in Gaza have expressed shock at the toll of the war on Palestinian children. Simultaneously, discussions are underway to bring Israeli officials to the United States to discuss the Gaza operation, according to the White House.
In a separate incident, Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed 16 people, while militant rockets from Lebanon claimed the life of one Israeli, escalating cross-border violence. Additionally, the United States has imposed sanctions on the online media site Gaza Now and its founder for allegedly supporting Hamas.
The Israeli military has also announced the cancellation of traditional jet aircraft flyovers on Independence Day, May 14, citing the need to concentrate efforts on the Gaza offensive. However, a flight honouring soldiers killed in the 1948 war will proceed as scheduled.
Meanwhile, the International Court of Justice has issued two new provisional measures in a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of acts of genocide in Gaza – charges that Israel strongly denies.
(With inputs from AP)
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