Israel to Join Qatar Talks on Gaza Ceasefire \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israel will send a delegation to Qatar for U.S.-backed ceasefire negotiations after nearly 21 months of conflict. Hamas has responded “positively” but insists on stronger guarantees, while continued airstrikes and aid site violence mark escalating humanitarian crises. Over 2 million Gazans rely on foreign aid amid rising civilian casualties.
Quick Looks
- Diplomatic Talks: Israel to send negotiating team to Qatar Sunday
- U.S. Involvement: Trump hosts Netanyahu Monday at the White House
- Hamas Position: Calls current proposal “positive” but demands further assurances
- Civilian Toll: Israeli airstrikes kill 14 Palestinians; 10 more die seeking food
- Aid Worker Injuries: Two Americans hurt at GHF aid site—GHF cites Hamas
- Humanitarian Crisis: Over 57,000 Palestinians killed; famine threat looms
- Negotiation Focus: Hamas seeks troop withdrawal and full war cessation
- Hostage Families: Rally in Tel Aviv demanding comprehensive truce guarantees
- Aid Access Issues: Food delivery blocked by conflict and military oversight
Deep Look
After nearly 21 months of unrelenting warfare, signs of diplomatic progress are emerging as the United States intensifies efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. On Saturday, the Israeli government announced it would dispatch a negotiating team to Qatar on Sunday, a move widely interpreted as a positive shift in a long-stalled peace process. The development came shortly after Hamas gave a “positive” response to a U.S.-backed ceasefire framework—though disagreements over key provisions persist.
At the core of the current negotiations is a proposed 60-day truce that could serve as a stepping stone to a full cessation of hostilities. U.S. President Donald Trump is personally involved in the mediation process and is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday to finalize potential terms. Despite the diplomatic progress, Netanyahu’s office stated that Hamas is still demanding “unacceptable” changes to the draft deal.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Hospital officials reported that at least 14 Palestinians were killed Saturday in Israeli airstrikes, while 10 others died in chaotic scenes as they tried to secure food aid. The widespread food insecurity, compounded by Israel’s control over key supply routes and border crossings, has pushed Gaza’s population to the brink of famine. Over 2 million residents are now dependent on international aid to survive.
Among the deceased was a Palestinian doctor and his three children, victims of an Israeli airstrike on a tent camp in the Muwasi region, a coastal zone often considered a relative refuge. Elsewhere, four more civilians were killed in Bani Suheila, and three additional deaths were confirmed in Khan Younis. Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, overwhelmed by casualties, reported these figures even as Israel’s military offered no immediate comment.
Further complicating matters, violence erupted at a food distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S. and Israeli-backed aid initiative intended to bypass United Nations distribution channels. The GHF claimed two American aid workers were wounded in a grenade attack allegedly launched by Hamas militants, though no definitive evidence was presented. The incident has drawn sharp condemnation, while fueling an ongoing debate over the legitimacy and effectiveness of GHF operations.
Critics, including the United Nations and several international NGOs, argue that the GHF system enables Israel to manipulate food aid as a political tool and fails to uphold neutral humanitarian principles. These organizations have largely refused to work with the foundation, warning that its distribution points—guarded by private contractors and encircled by Israeli military—expose desperate civilians to undue risk. Hamas, too, has urged the Palestinian public to reject GHF aid, accusing it of operating under Israeli influence.
Eyewitnesses and Gaza’s Health Ministry estimate that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed or injured while attempting to access GHF sites. The U.N. Office for Human Rights recently confirmed that 613 Palestinians died in a single month while seeking aid—many within areas near GHF facilities. Though Israel insists it only uses live fire when its soldiers are under threat, it has also admitted to using warning shots as a crowd-control tactic.
This grim backdrop adds urgency to the ceasefire discussions. For displaced civilians like Jamalat Wadi in Deir al-Balah, the return to normalcy feels both elusive and desperately needed. “We are tired,” she said. “Enough starvation, enough closure of crossing points. We want to sleep in calm.”
The strategic divide between Hamas and Israel remains a stumbling block. Hamas is demanding that any temporary truce be tied to a permanent end to hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli troops. Israel, however, insists that it must retain the right to resume military action until Hamas is dismantled. These divergent views have previously torpedoed negotiations, and it’s unclear whether this round will succeed.
Family members of Israeli hostages are also adding pressure. “Send a delegation with a full mandate to bring a comprehensive agreement to end the war and bring everyone back. No one must be left behind,” urged Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan remains captive.
The conflict, which ignited after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel—resulting in 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages—has escalated into one of the region’s deadliest chapters. Israel’s subsequent military offensive has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, including thousands of women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. While the Ministry is governed by Hamas, its statistics are still regarded by the United Nations as the most reliable source for wartime casualties.
As negotiations continue in Qatar and world leaders convene in Washington, the coming days could be decisive. The possibility of a 60-day ceasefire offers a fragile but vital opportunity to halt the bloodshed, deliver aid, and lay groundwork for a broader peace.
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