Gaza: Hamas has officially submitted its response to mediators regarding a United States-backed ceasefire proposal, as the war-ravaged Gaza Strip continues to spiral into one of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises. The response, delivered through Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries, addresses a deal that would see the release of 10 living Israeli captives held in Gaza and the return of 18 bodies, in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
While no full details of Hamas's position have been disclosed, the development marks a potential step forward in weeks of stalled negotiations amid rising international pressure to end the devastating conflict. The United Nations has described Gaza as the “hungriest place on Earth,” stating that all 2.3 million people in the besieged enclave are now facing catastrophic levels of hunger, with no safe zone remaining and limited access to aid.
In a parallel diplomatic standoff, condemnation mounted after Israeli authorities blocked a scheduled visit by ministers from five Arab nations to the West Bank city of Ramallah. The visit was expected to support Palestinian leadership amid ongoing occupation, but Israel's move has further strained already fragile regional relations.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 54,381 Palestinians have been killed and 124,054 wounded since Israel began its military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks. The Government Media Office has updated the death toll to over 61,700, citing thousands believed to be still buried under rubble, presumed dead.
On the Israeli side, approximately 1,139 people were killed during the October 7 assault, which included cross-border incursions, rocket fire, and hostage-taking. More than 200 individuals were abducted and taken into Gaza during that attack, prompting a large-scale military retaliation that has since devastated much of the territory.
As hunger, displacement, and destruction overwhelm Gaza, the fate of ceasefire talks now hinges on the next moves by both Hamas and Israel. Global calls for a resolution grow louder, but the humanitarian toll continues to rise with no immediate end in sight.
