Hamas announced that discussions in Qatar concerning a potential truce and the exchange of hostages and prisoners in Gaza were “serious and positive,” following the arrival of an Israeli delegation in Doha to engage with mediators.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was en route to Cairo for negotiations on a ceasefire in Gaza, with sources indicating that a deal could be finalized in the upcoming days.
Ceasefire discussions between Egypt and Qatar resumed in recent weeks after previous attempts to broker a truce by the United States had faltered.
“Hamas states that, given the serious and positive dialogues occurring today in Doha with the support of our Qatari and Egyptian brothers, achieving an agreement on a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange is feasible if the occupation stops imposing new conditions,” the Palestinian Islamist group conveyed in a statement.
A ceasefire and hostage exchange were achievable if Israel refrained from imposing additional conditions, Hamas asserted in its statement.
According to an official familiar with the discussions, an Israeli technical team was in Doha yesterday for working-level talks with Qatari mediators to address “remaining issues.”
The focus of the talks was on closing gaps on a deal that U.S. President Joe Biden outlined over six months ago, the official revealed.
Israeli airstrikes claimed the lives of two families in Gaza.
This diplomatic advancement occurred amidst significant Israeli airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of extended families in their homes across two locations in northern Gaza, while tanks advanced in the south toward a humanitarian zone along the Mediterranean coast, forcing displaced families to flee once more.
Palestinians waited for food at a distribution center south of Khan Yunis.
Medics reported that at least ten individuals were confirmed dead following an airstrike on a residence in the Daraj suburb of Gaza City, which obliterated the building and caused damage to nearby homes.
In Beit Lahiya, under Israeli siege since early October, at least 15 individuals were believed dead or missing beneath the debris of a house struck by an airstrike during dawn, according to medics. Rescuers were unable to reach the area to verify the casualty count.
An additional ten Palestinians were reportedly killed in separate strikes throughout Gaza City and Beit Lahiya, medics stated.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to reports of the airstrikes. Israel maintains that it targets militants while attributing civilian harm to fighters operating within civilian areas, a claim the fighters dispute.
In Beit Lahiya, Israel has initiated what it refers to as an offensive to disrupt Hamas fighters’ regrouping; Palestinians allege that the military aims to depopulate a buffer zone along the northern border of the enclave, a claim Israel denies.
In the southern section of the enclave, specifically Rafah near the Egyptian border, Israeli tanks advanced deeper into the western Mawasi area, forcing numerous families to flee northward toward Khan Younis, residents reported.
Shortly thereafter, residents observed the army detonating several houses and setting numerous tents ablaze.
Israel has previously designated the Mawasi area along the Mediterranean coast as a humanitarian zone.
An Israeli army tank stationed on a road in the al-Mawasi area in Rafah.
Thousands of Palestinians have been residing in tents there for several months after following Israeli directives to relocate for their safety.
Videos shared across social media displayed plumes of thick black and gray smoke rising from the vicinity of the tent encampments. Reuters was unable to immediately verify the timing or exact location of these images.
Upon being contacted by Reuters, the Israeli military stated it had no information that matched the reports of tanks moving toward Mawasi.
The conflict erupted when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and the abduction of over 250 hostages taken back to Gaza, as reported by Israeli authorities.
In response, Israel initiated an air and land offensive that has led to the deaths of more than 45,000 individuals, primarily civilians, according to Gaza authorities.
This campaign has displaced nearly the entire population and left much of the enclave in ruins.
