Ceasefire Negotiations in Gaza Reignite Amidst Israeli Strikes That Claim Hundreds of Lives in Just 72 Hours
Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have resumed in Qatar, both parties reported, amid an escalation of Israeli bombing campaigns that have resulted in hundreds of fatalities over the past 72 hours, in preparation for a significant ground offensive.
Palestinian health officials stated that at least 146 individuals have been confirmed dead on the third day of Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign, marking one of the deadliest series of attacks since a ceasefire broke down in March.
Many more wounded individuals are being treated in hospitals, with numerous others still trapped beneath debris.
Israel has indicated its intention to expand its ground presence in Gaza through a new initiative referred to as “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” which follows US President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the region.
Taher Al-Nono, a media advisor for Hamas leadership, informed Reuters that a new round of indirect discussions with the Israeli delegation in Doha commenced on Saturday, covering all topics “without pre-conditions.”
Israel claims it is preparing to capture more territory in Gaza.
“The Hamas delegation presented the group’s stance and emphasized the urgency to end the conflict, exchange prisoners, withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza, and allow humanitarian assistance and necessities for the people of Gaza to enter the region,” he added.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz also expressed in a statement that negotiations regarding a deal to release Israeli hostages held by Hamas have resumed in Doha, without Israel agreeing to a ceasefire or lifting its blockade beforehand.
The Israeli military stated that it is conducting extensive airstrikes and mobilizing troops to achieve “operational control” over certain areas of Gaza.
Health authorities in Gaza reported that most casualties today were found in towns located at the northern edge of the enclave, including Beit Lahiya and the Jabalia refugee camp, as well as in the southern city of Khan Younis. They noted that 459 individuals had been injured.
Israeli forces had previously advised residents to evacuate northern regions.
“Northern Gaza is undergoing a systematic extermination campaign,” Hamas stated, urging Arab leaders at a summit in Baghdad to take decisive action to halt the aggression and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Read more: Pro-Palestinian protesters demand immediate ceasefire; Palestinians in Gaza face ‘forced starvation’, says President
Since March, discussions have failed to reinstate a truce under which Hamas would release the remaining hostages taken during the October 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the current war.
Hamas has maintained that it will not release the hostages unless Israel ends its military operations, while Israel insists it will continue its campaign until Hamas is dismantled.
At the Arab League summit, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, whose country mediates peace talks alongside Qatar, remarked that Israel’s actions aimed to “obliterate and annihilate” Palestinians and “terminate their existence in the Gaza Strip.”
United Nations experts have warned that famine is imminent in Gaza, more than two months after Israel suspended all supply deliveries. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher recently called on the Security Council to intervene to “prevent genocide.”
Israel attributes civilian suffering to Hamas for operating among civilians and diverting aid, a claim Hamas denies. Israel asserts that there was sufficient food provided to Gaza during the six-week ceasefire earlier this year to stave off immediate hunger.
Thick smoke rises over devastated buildings in Gaza following Israeli airstrikes.
Yesterday, Mr. Trump acknowledged the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza and the pressing need for aid deliveries.
A US-backed initiative plans to begin distributing aid to Gazans by the end of May using private US security and logistics firms. The UN has announced it will not collaborate with this group due to concerns about impartiality, neutrality, and independence.
The health infrastructure in Gaza is barely functional, with hospitals repeatedly targeted by the Israeli military throughout the 19-month conflict, leading to critical shortages of medical supplies.
The head of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, Marwan Al-Sultan, reported an influx of severely injured patients from the latest bombardment. He stated, “Since midnight, we have received 58 martyrs, while many victims remain trapped under the rubble. The situation inside the hospital is dire,” he conveyed on X.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on 5 May that Israel is gearing up for an intensified offensive against Hamas, with plans from his security cabinet that could involve seizing control of all of Gaza and aid distribution.
French President Emmanuel Macron remarked last night that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is unacceptable, expressing hope to discuss the matter soon with both Mr. Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.
His comments coincided with Taoiseach Micheál Martin joining six other European leaders in denouncing what they termed as “the man-made humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before our eyes in Gaza.”
