Updated: Gaza Crisis Deepens as Israel Pressures Hamas Talks

4 hours ago

3182 posts

Updated: Gaza Crisis Deepens as Israel Pressures Hamas Talks \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israel launched Operation Gideon Chariots in Gaza to pressure Hamas over hostage negotiations. As fighting intensifies, indirect talks in Qatar continue, with U.S. involvement. Over 150 Palestinians were killed in recent airstrikes, deepening the humanitarian crisis.

Quick Looks

Operation Gideon Chariots Launched: Israel intensifies military operations in Gaza targeting Hamas infrastructure and fighters.
Hostage Negotiations Ongoing: Prime Minister Netanyahu orders negotiators to remain in Qatar for indirect talks.
Civilian Toll Mounts: Over 150 Palestinians killed in 24 hours; children among dead in Jabaliya and Gaza City.
No Visit from Trump: Former U.S. President’s Middle East trip excluded Israel, dashing hopes for ceasefire momentum.
Blockade Enters Month Three: Gaza remains cut off from food, water, and fuel amid looming famine.
U.S.-Backed Aid Group Forming: Gaza Humanitarian Foundation prepares to begin delivery despite UN objections.
Public Pressure in Israel: Tel Aviv protests demand hostage release deal and end to ongoing war.
Death Toll Soars: Gaza Health Ministry reports over 53,000 deaths since October; Israel confirms hostages still alive.

Deep Look

Israel launched a major new military campaign in Gaza on Saturday, intensifying its offensive against Hamas under the codename Operation Gideon Chariots. The operation, declared with “great force” by Defense Minister Israel Katz, is aimed at pressuring Hamas to release Israeli hostages still believed to be held in Gaza while also seeking to dismantle the group’s military infrastructure.

The move comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his negotiating team to stay in Qatar, where indirect hostage negotiations are ongoing with Hamas. Netanyahu, who has publicly vowed to destroy the militant group that has controlled Gaza for nearly 20 years, remained in contact throughout the day with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the team stationed in Doha.

While Israel pushes forward militarily, Hamas has remained firm in its demand: any agreement must end the war and require Israeli troop withdrawal — a condition Israeli officials categorically reject.

The renewed offensive coincided with the end of former President Donald Trump’s Middle East trip, which notably excluded a stop in Israel, dampening international hopes for diplomatic breakthroughs or aid access. Some analysts had speculated that Trump’s visit might catalyze a ceasefire or humanitarian corridor, but his departure signaled otherwise.

Civilian Death Toll and Strikes Across Gaza

The Gaza Health Ministry reported over 150 deaths in the last 24 hours alone, citing relentless Israeli airstrikes across northern and central Gaza. In the crowded Jabaliya refugee camp, an airstrike killed at least four children, with several others injured. A subsequent strike in the same area killed four more, according to al-Awda Hospital.

Further south, a strike in Deir al-Balah claimed the lives of 14 civilians, including a family of six. Meanwhile, in Gaza City, an airstrike outside a school sheltering displaced families killed four more.

“This is unacceptable. Until when? Until we all die?” asked Naji Awaisa, fleeing with his family through streets reduced to rubble, black smoke clouding the skyline behind him.

Though Israel did not immediately comment on the specific incidents, its military stated separately that it had killed “dozens of fighters” and destroyed an “underground route” used by militants in the north.

Blockade’s Third Month: Humanitarian Crisis Worsens

Gaza’s blockade, now in its third month, has left over 2 million residents without consistent access to food, water, or fuel. Experts warn that unless aid resumes quickly, famine is inevitable. While the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—backed by the U.S.—plans to begin operations by month’s end, many traditional aid organizations, including the United Nations, are refusing to participate.

“It doesn’t align with humanitarian principles,” said Tom Fletcher, the U.N.’s humanitarian chief. “There’s already a delivery plan in place—160,000 pallets ready to go. We just need permission to operate.”

The foundation, led by U.S. military veterans and former humanitarian officials, claims to have secured key agreements with Israeli authorities to begin aid distribution, but it remains unclear how it will address the scale of Gaza’s needs without broad international cooperation.

Protest Movement in Israel Builds

As Israeli airstrikes continued, the domestic political scene grew more volatile. Hundreds gathered in Tel Aviv, protesting both the continuation of the war and the government’s handling of the hostage situation. Signs depicted Palestinian children killed in the bombardments, alongside photos of Israeli hostages still in captivity.

“Let me be crystal clear,” said Dalia Kushnir-Horn, sister-in-law of hostage Eitan Horn, “All of Israeli society—left, right, secular, religious—stands united in calling for a hostage deal. To miss this moment would be a historic betrayal.”

The military says as many as 23 hostages are still believed alive, but concern is growing for at least three whose conditions are unknown. Hamas had released an Israeli-American hostage before Trump’s visit as a goodwill gesture, though it failed to move negotiations forward.

War Background: From October 7 to Present

The Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages. Israel responded with a full-scale military campaign, aimed at dismantling Hamas’ governance and militant capabilities.

Since then, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 53,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The continued high casualty rates and infrastructure destruction have drawn widespread condemnation, even as Israel asserts it is targeting military objectives and operating within the laws of war.

With no end to hostilities in sight, the humanitarian outlook remains grim. Aid groups, world leaders, and civilians alike are calling for urgent action. Whether Operation Gideon Chariots brings Hamas to the table or deepens the spiral of violence remains to be seen.