Israel issues grim warning to Hamas, vowing potential eradication; Trump hints at imminent Gaza truce
expands on the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as negotiations for a ceasefire continue. The US President has announced that a ceasefire agreement is close, but Hamas has yet to accept a hostage deal proposed by US envoy Steve Witkoff. Israel has given Hamas an ultimatum: agree to the deal or face destruction. Tensions remain high, with dire conditions on the ground in Gaza, where the UN warns that the entire population is at risk of famine.
The US-backed proposal includes provisions for a temporary truce, but Hamas has demanded amendments, including a phased release of hostages and a staged Israeli troop withdrawal. Witkoff has dismissed Hamas's proposed amendments as "totally unacceptable."
Hamas wants immediate negotiations for a permanent ceasefire to begin once the temporary truce is in place, and has also proposed the establishment of an independent committee to administer Gaza's affairs post-ceasefire. Israel and its allies are resisting this provision.
In addition to fighting in Gaza, Israel has doubled down on settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, defying calls from world leaders for a two-state solution. This week, Israel announced the creation of 22 new settlements in Palestinian territory, which it has occupied since 1967. The move has been condemned by Egypt, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and others.
Also this week, Israel has faced international criticism over its attacks in Gaza, which have killed at least 45 people, including children. A strike targeting a family home in Jabalia left seven dead, and Palestinian residents sobbed over the bodies of their loved ones at Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but said separately that the air force had hit "dozens of targets" across Gaza over the past day.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reports that at least 4,058 people have been killed since Israel resumed operations on March 18, taking the war's overall toll to 54,321, mostly civilians. Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, also mostly civilians. Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas's attack, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
- The proposed ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Gaza are complicated by Hamas's demand for amendments concerning the release of hostages and Israeli troop withdrawal.
- In addition to the conflict in Gaza, Israel's settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, such as the creation of 22 new settlements this week, has sparked criticism from international leaders calling for a two-state solution.
- Beyond the ongoing war-and-conflicts, car-accidents and fires have claimed lives in Gaza, with the health ministry reporting at least 4,058 people killed since March 18, most of whom are civilians.
- The general-news landscape is also dominated by crime-and-justice issues, with at least 45 people, including children, killed in Israel's attacks in Gaza this week, sparking international outcry.
- The fame and well-being of the people in Gaza are under threat, as the UN has warned that the entire population is at risk of famine due to the dire conditions on the ground. The political repercussions of this conflict extend beyond Israel, with Egypt and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemning Israel's actions.
