CAIRO: The leader of Hamas was expected in Cairo on Thursday for talks on a proposed truce in Gaza, as Israel continued its offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Hamas is reviewing a proposal for a six-week truce in its conflict with Israel. Mediators gathered in Paris, and international efforts towards a new pause in the devastating war are gaining momentum.
In Gaza, fighting and aerial bombardment persist, with the main focus of combat in the southern city of Khan Yunis, where Israel claims leading Hamas militants are hiding. Witnesses reported several Israeli airstrikes hitting the city, with heavy fighting reported around two hospitals.
The latest night of strikes, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, resulted in the death of 119 people. Leo Cans, head of mission for the international NGO Doctors Without Borders for the Palestinian Territories, described the situation as a “massacre.”
Israel accuses Hamas of operating from tunnels under hospitals in Gaza and using medical facilities as command centers, a charge denied by the Islamist group.
Due to constraints on the delivery of humanitarian aid, the population is “starving to death,” warned Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s emergencies director. He emphasized that civilians in Gaza are not parties to the conflict and should be protected, along with their health facilities.
The UN reported heavy bombardment across the Gaza Strip, particularly in Khan Yunis, with 184,000 Palestinians from the city registered to receive humanitarian assistance after fleeing their homes.
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As mediation efforts intensify, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is due in Cairo to discuss a truce proposal thrashed out in Paris last weekend with CIA chief William Burns. The three-stage plan involves an initial six-week halt to the fighting, allowing more aid deliveries into the Gaza Strip. During this stage, only “women, children, and sick men over 60” held by Gaza militants would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Negotiations around the withdrawal of Israeli forces and possible additional phases involving more hostage-prisoner exchanges are also part of the plan. The rebuilding of the territory is among the issues addressed by the deal.
The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, resulting in around 1,140 deaths. The war has claimed the lives of at least 26,900 people in Gaza, with the territory now facing significant challenges in terms of reconstruction. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out pulling forces from Gaza, vowing to destroy Hamas in response to the October attack. The ongoing negotiations are considered constructive by Netanyahu’s office, although he opposes releasing “thousands” of Palestinian prisoners as part of any deal.
The war’s impact has been widespread, with violence involving allies of Hamas surging since October. This has drawn in US forces and other actors, leading to broader geopolitical repercussions. The International Monetary Fund reports a one-third drop in container shipping through the vital Red Sea trade route this year due to the conflict.
