In a significant development amid ongoing conflict, Hamas has announced the commencement of a new round of negotiations aimed at resolving the war in Gaza, just hours after Israel launched a major military offensive. Taher al-Nounou, an advisor to the Hamas leadership, confirmed to the BBC that these talks officially began on Saturday in Doha, with no preconditions set by either side, allowing for a comprehensive discussion of all pertinent issues.
Israel’s military escalation and operation details
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz indicated that Hamas representatives had returned to indirect negotiations in Qatar, seeking a resolution concerning hostages. Katz described this move as a “departure from the recalcitrant position they had taken up until that moment.”
This diplomatic effort follows a declaration from the Israeli military via its Hebrew X account, stating that troops have been mobilized for “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” aimed at capturing “strategic areas” of Gaza while working to secure the release of hostages. In parallel communications on its English-language X account, the military asserted it would persist in its operations “until Hamas is no longer a threat and all our hostages are home,” claiming to have targeted over 150 sites in the Gaza Strip within a mere 24 hours.
The Times of Israel highlighted the operation’s biblical reference to Gideon, suggesting the Israeli Defence Forces would take control of territory, relocate civilians to the southern region of Gaza, and conduct aggressive actions against Hamas to prevent the group from managing aid supplies. As the operation intensifies, thousands of Israeli troops, comprising both active soldiers and reservists, are anticipated to enter Gaza shortly.
Humanitarian crisis and international response
Israel’s blockade on aid to Gaza was reinstated in March following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire. Recent comments from US President Donald Trump highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in the region, noting that “a lot of people were starving.” According to rescuers from the Hamas-run civil defense service, approximately 250 individuals have lost their lives due to Israeli attacks since Thursday, with local health authorities reporting at least 146 fatalities and numerous injuries over the last day.
Many residents of northern and central Gaza are now facing evacuation orders, a directive that humanitarian organizations deem nearly unfeasible, as many have already been repeatedly displaced during the ongoing conflict. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel was gearing up for an “intense entry into Gaza” to seize and maintain territory, a plan delayed until after President Trump’s recent Middle Eastern tour, which concluded on Friday.
“This latest barrage of bombs, forcing people to move amid the threat of intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighbourhoods, and the denial of humanitarian assistance underline that there appears to be a push for a permanent demographic shift in Gaza that is in defiance of international law and is tantamount to ethnic cleansing,” warned UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk.
Furthermore, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed that the United States is “troubled” by the escalating situation. Reports from Victoria Rose, a British reconstructive surgeon at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, reveal the overwhelming toll on medical professionals, stating that her team is “exhausted” and has experienced significant weight loss. “The children are really thin,” she noted, highlighting severe health issues among young patients, including malnutrition and serious burn injuries, which have led to increased vulnerability to infections.
A recent assessment supported by the UN identified Gaza’s population as being at “critical risk” of famine, although the Israeli government has consistently refuted claims of a food shortage. The current military campaign initiated by Israel aims to dismantle Hamas following the group’s cross-border assault on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others. As of now, Hamas retains 58 hostages, while reports indicate that over 53,000 individuals have died in Gaza since the onset of the conflict, according to the territory’s health ministry.