Israel and Hamas engaged in discussions on Sunday regarding the specifics of an agreement aimed at ceasing hostilities in the Gaza Strip and facilitating the return of hostages. Palestinian officials reported that intensified Israeli airstrikes over the weekend resulted in the deaths of over 100 individuals.

A representative from Hamas indicated that the organization had consented to a list of 34 Israeli hostages to be released as part of a potential agreement that could pave the way for a ceasefire. However, a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office quickly countered that Hamas had not submitted a hostage list.

Subsequently, the Hamas official provided Reuters with a copy of the list, which included the names of 34 hostages that the group is willing to release in any forthcoming ceasefire arrangement with Israel.

Efforts are intensifying to establish a ceasefire in the ongoing 15-month conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as to secure the return of Israeli hostages taken to Gaza, prior to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. This initiative coincides with a notable increase in Israeli military operations in the region, with reports indicating that Israeli airstrikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of 105 Palestinians over the weekend, according to medical sources. The Israeli military claimed to have eliminated numerous Hamas militants.

The U.S. State Department emphasized that Israel must adhere to international law and take “significantly more” measures to protect civilians, while also affirming Israel’s right to self-defense. Israeli negotiators were sent to Doha on Friday to continue discussions facilitated by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, with the Biden administration actively encouraging Hamas to reach an agreement.

Hamas announced on Friday its intention to reach an agreement promptly, although the proximity of a resolution between the two parties remains uncertain. A Hamas representative informed Reuters that any potential agreement regarding the return of Israeli hostages would depend on a deal that includes Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the establishment of a permanent ceasefire or cessation of hostilities. The official, who requested anonymity, stated, “Up to this point, the occupation has remained inflexible regarding an agreement on ceasefire and withdrawal, showing no willingness to advance the discussions.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly asserted that the conflict will only conclude with the complete dismantling of Hamas as both a military and governing entity. Israel initiated its military operations in Gaza following a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and around 250 hostages taken, according to Israeli sources. The ongoing military campaign has devastated large areas of the enclave, displacing most residents and resulting in the deaths of 45,805 Palestinians, as reported by the Gaza health ministry.

INTENSIFIED CONFLICT

Israeli airstrikes persisted across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, with one airstrike reportedly killing five individuals in a residence within the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, according to health officials. Another strike resulted in four fatalities in Jabalia, located in the northern part of the enclave. Later that day, an airstrike targeted a police station in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, claiming the lives of five people, though it was unclear if all the deceased were police personnel. As night fell, medics reported that an Israeli airstrike had killed three individuals in the Bureij camp in central Gaza, raising the total death toll for Sunday to 17.

The Israeli military reported that it targeted Hamas militants operating from a humanitarian zone in Khan Younis, as well as an Islamic Jihad militant allegedly responsible for attacks from a humanitarian area in Deir al-Balah.

In the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, family members and neighbors hurried to the Zuhd family’s residence, which was hit by an Israeli airstrike late Saturday, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, according to medical sources. Efforts to locate four others believed to be trapped beneath the debris continued into Sunday morning.

Three men were seen removing rubble with their bare hands in an attempt to recover bodies and search for any potential survivors.

On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that its forces had targeted over 100 locations throughout Gaza over the weekend, resulting in the deaths of numerous Hamas militants. The military also reported the destruction of rocket launch sites that had been utilized for recent attacks on Israel. Additionally, it stated that an Islamic Jihad militant involved in the October 7 attack on Israel was killed last week in the Jabalia area.