In Cairo, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan stated on Saturday that ceasefire negotiations with Israel regarding the Gaza conflict have made no progress. Hamdan, speaking at a press conference in Beirut, emphasized that Hamas remains willing to respond positively to any ceasefire proposal that brings an end to the hostilities.
Efforts by Arab mediators, backed by the United States, have thus far failed to reach a ceasefire agreement, with both sides blaming each other for the deadlock. Hamas insists that any agreement must not only halt the fighting but also ensure a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. In contrast, Israel has expressed readiness only for temporary ceasefires until Hamas, which has governed Gaza since 2007, is eliminated.
Hamdan criticized the United States for pressuring Hamas to accept Israel’s terms. He reiterated Hamas’s readiness to engage constructively with proposals that secure a permanent ceasefire, lead to a full withdrawal from Gaza, and facilitate a potential prisoner exchange.
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According to Gaza’s health ministry, the Israeli offensive has resulted in nearly 38,000 deaths and extensive damage to the densely populated coastal enclave. While the ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, officials assert that a majority of those killed are non-combatants. Israel has reported over 300 military casualties, attributing at least a third of Palestinian fatalities to armed fighters.
Palestinian health authorities reported that Israeli airstrikes across Gaza killed at least 35 people and injured others on Saturday. The Israeli military confirmed the deaths of two soldiers in northern Gaza amid ongoing combat operations in Gaza City’s Shejaia neighborhood.
Residents reported significant Israeli military advances into various districts, including areas around local markets, with intensive air and ground fire. Hamas’s armed wing and Islamic Jihad reported fierce confrontations, with fighters launching anti-tank rockets and mortar shells against advancing Israeli forces.
The Israeli military stated that it had engaged in close-quarters combat and airstrikes in Shejaia, where it claimed to have discovered Hamas observation posts, weapons caches, drones, and a rocket launcher near schools.
Hamas denied allegations of operating within civilian areas like schools and hospitals, asserting that its activities are confined to legitimate military targets.
After more than eight months of Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza, militants continue to mount attacks on Israeli forces, even in areas previously declared under Israeli control.
Israeli leaders have indicated that the current intensive phase of the conflict is nearing its conclusion, with future operations focused on preventing Hamas from regrouping.
In Rafah, southern Gaza, Israeli operations reportedly resulted in casualties among Palestinians and forced families from the western coastal areas to relocate northward, according to Palestinian medical officials and residents.
Israel has stated that its military actions in Rafah aim to dismantle the last remaining Hamas battalions.
