Israel has yet to respond to a ceasefire proposal even as airstrikes pound Gaza, sparking calls for urgency from Qatar, which is mediating the talks — www.naijnaira.com reports.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majid al-Ansari said Hamas had shown a “positive response” to the latest plan, which he described as nearly identical to a US-backed deal Israel had earlier accepted, according to AP.
The proposal includes a 60-day truce, the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and a significant flow of humanitarian aid.
“If this proposal fails, the crisis will worsen,” al-Ansari warned, stressing that Israel’s silence risks collapsing the fragile negotiations.
In Tel Aviv, families of hostages held in Gaza marched demanding an agreement, calling for their loved ones’ release and an end to the fighting.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed Hamas only agreed to negotiate out of fear that Israel might occupy Gaza City.
Prime Minister Netanyahu recently announced plans to move forces into heavily populated areas, a step that aid groups fear could lead to even greater casualties.
Hospitals across Gaza continue to report rising deaths, with Nasser Hospital confirming entire families killed overnight in airstrikes.
The United Nations says the limited trickle of aid cannot prevent mass hunger, warning that starvation is spreading rapidly across the Strip.
“The risk of starvation is everywhere in Gaza. This is a direct result of the Israeli government’s policy of blocking humanitarian aid,” said OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan.
The UN reported that children are among those dying daily from hunger-related causes, underscoring the worsening humanitarian emergency.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
