BEIRUT: A senior official of Hamas, Osama Hamdan, said on Saturday there has been no progress in Gaza ceasefire talks between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group. Meanwhile, the Israeli military operations continue to ravage Gaza as the Palestinians’ death toll surpasses 37,834 since October 7.
Hamas is still ready to “deal positively” with any ceasefire proposal that ends the war in Gaza, Hamdan told a news conference in Beirut.
Osama Hamdan said that talks aimed at securing a ceasefire with Israel have not advanced. He expressed Hamas’s readiness to engage positively with any proposal that could Israeli violence.
Director Abbas Kamel of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate held talks with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh regarding efforts to negotiate a potential ceasefire and secure the release of hostages, according to Walla.
Hamdan states that about 346 thousand Palestinian children in Gaza under the age of five are malnourished, and 160 thousand women who are pregnant need additional nutrition to avoid malnutrition. He also accuses Israel of being responsible for the “continuing high risk of famine throughout the Gaza Strip” and the “restrictions on humanitarian access.”
Hamas official Osama Hamdan said that they also “appeal in particular to the charitable and humanitarian institutions that support Palestine and intensify their efforts and urgent initiatives to promote all forms of relief and assistance.”
Earlier, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said that any agreement must ensure an immediate ceasefire and cessation of Israeli bombardments in Gaza, deeming other terms unacceptable. “If Israel thinks targeting my family will change our position or that of the resistance, they are delusional,” the Haniyeh said.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Mission to the United Nations warned Israel that any broad military aggression against Lebanon would likely result in a devastating war, with all options, including resistance fronts, potentially being mobilized if Israel initiates hostilities, Al Jazeera reported.
The situation in Gaza has deteriorated significantly, with United Nations officials describing the conditions as “unbearable” and “extremely dire.” Louise Wateridge, a senior communications officer with UNRWA, detailed the grim reality faced by Gazans, highlighting widespread destruction and lack of essential services.
Wateridge, speaking from central Gaza via video link to reporters in Geneva, painted a grim picture. “Today, it has to be the worst it’s ever been. I don’t doubt that tomorrow again will be the worst it’s ever been.” She described buildings reduced to rubble and people forced to live in shells of homes without access to basic necessities like water, sanitation, and food.
Meanwhile, Israeli military operations have intensified in Gaza, with reports of ongoing airstrikes and ground operations targeting civilian infrastructures and refugee camps.
Gaza’s health ministry reported that at least 37,834 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and 86,858 wounded since October 7 due to Israeli military actions. In the past 24 hours alone, 40 Palestinians lost their lives and 224 were wounded, according to the ministry.
United Nations special rapporteur Tlaleng Mofokeng denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide,” underscoring the catastrophic humanitarian crisis unfolding. Mofokeng highlighted the severe impact on mental health among Gazans, exacerbated by relentless bombings and widespread trauma.
