U.S. and Arab mediators have made some strides in their efforts to establish a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, although Palestinian sources involved in the discussions indicated on Thursday that these advancements are insufficient to finalize a deal.
As negotiations continued in Qatar, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes throughout the region, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 individuals, according to Palestinian medical personnel.
Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt are intensifying their efforts to broker a ceasefire in the ongoing 15-month conflict and to secure the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas before President Joe Biden’s term concludes.
President-elect Donald Trump has issued a warning that there will be significant consequences if the hostages are not released by his inauguration on January 20.
On Thursday, a Palestinian official involved in the mediation process stated that the lack of a finalized agreement does not imply that the negotiations are stagnant, emphasizing that this represents the most serious attempt to achieve a resolution thus far.
“There are comprehensive discussions taking place, with mediators and negotiators meticulously analyzing every word and detail. Progress has been made in narrowing existing gaps, but a deal has yet to be reached,” he conveyed to Reuters, without providing additional specifics.
On Tuesday, Eden Bar-Tal, the Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, affirmed Israel’s commitment to securing an agreement for the return of its hostages from Gaza, while noting that Hamas is creating obstacles to this process.
The two parties have been at a standstill for a year over two critical issues. Hamas has stated it will only release its remaining hostages if Israel agrees to cease hostilities and withdraw all troops from Gaza, while Israel maintains that it will not end the conflict until Hamas is dismantled and all hostages are freed.
SEVERE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
On Thursday, reports indicated that the death toll from Israel’s military operations included eight Palestinians who lost their lives in a residential building in Jabalia, the largest of Gaza’s historic refugee camps, where Israeli forces have been active for over three months. Additionally, nine individuals, including a father and his three children, were killed in two separate airstrikes targeting homes in the central Gaza Strip, according to health officials. There has been no comment from the Israeli military regarding these incidents.
Palestinian health officials report that over 46,000 individuals have died as a result of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The region has suffered extensive destruction, and the majority of its 2.1 million residents have been displaced multiple times, facing severe shortages of food and medical supplies, as noted by humanitarian organizations.
Israel has denied obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza, asserting that it has enabled the delivery of hundreds of truckloads of food, water, medical supplies, and shelter materials to warehouses and shelters in the past week. The military campaign was initiated by Israel following a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of over 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced the recovery of the body of Israeli Bedouin hostage Youssef Al-Ziyadna, along with evidence suggesting that his son Hamza, who was taken on the same day, may also be deceased. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “We will continue to make every effort to return all of our hostages, the living and the deceased.”
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