Hamas has proposed a new ceasefire deal offering to release nine hostages in exchange for a 60-day truce and the release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel. The offer emerged as Israel launched one of its deadliest military offensives in Gaza since the war began.
A Palestinian official told the BBC that the proposal includes daily access for 400 aid trucks into Gaza and evacuation for medical emergencies. Talks, mediated by Qatar and the United States, began on Saturday in Doha.
Israel has not publicly responded to the offer but previously stated it will not commit to a full withdrawal from Gaza or an end to the war. It has, however, demanded proof of life for all remaining hostages and detailed information about their condition.
Saturday also saw the launch of a major new Israeli operation dubbed “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported over 150 airstrikes within 24 hours, targeting locations across the Gaza Strip. At least 300 people have been killed since Thursday, according to Gaza health authorities, with strikes hitting hospitals and refugee camps.
The intensified bombardment comes amid growing international alarm over Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis. Aid groups report that Israel’s 10-week blockade on food and medical supplies has pushed Gaza’s 2.1 million residents to the brink of famine.
Journalist Ghada Al Qurd, reporting from inside Gaza, described the situation as “terrifying and horrible,” saying her family is surviving on one meal a day. She accused Israel of using food as a weapon — a claim echoed by UN officials.
British reconstructive surgeon Victoria Rose, working in Khan Younis, said children in Gaza are severely malnourished, with many experiencing tooth loss and heightened vulnerability to infection due to starvation.
“Children are really thin… a lot have burn injuries and no capacity to heal,” she told BBC Radio 4.
Despite the humanitarian outcry, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated earlier this month that his government plans to expand its operations in Gaza to destroy Hamas and force civilians southward.
The renewed military campaign comes after the collapse of a fragile ceasefire in March. Since the war reignited on March 18, more than 3,000 people have been killed, bringing Gaza’s death toll to over 53,000 since October 7, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
The new offensive has drawn condemnation from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, and Germany’s Foreign Ministry, which warned the attacks would deepen Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, said: “How many more Palestinian lives will be wiped off from their homeland by bombardments, hunger or lack of medical care?”
He accused the international community of allowing atrocities to become “a new norm” under “indifference.”
Israel’s war in Gaza began in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages. Hamas still holds 58 hostages.
As ceasefire negotiations continue in Doha, it remains unclear whether Israel will accept Hamas’ latest proposal or press ahead with its full-scale ground incursion. Meanwhile, families in Gaza and Israel alike remain gripped by fear and uncertainty, caught between diplomacy and devastation.
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