U.S. and Arab negotiators are intensifying efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, sources close to the talks revealed Thursday.
The discussions, held in Egypt and Qatar, aim to halt the 14-month-long conflict in Gaza and include a potential exchange of hostages and prisoners.
The mediators have reportedly narrowed differences on critical issues, but significant hurdles remain.
A proposed cease-fire deal would encompass the release of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, alongside Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
However, progress has been slow, with both sides holding firm on contentious points.
As talks drag on, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens.
Medics reported that Israeli airstrikes killed at least 44 Palestinians on Thursday.
Overnight, 13 people died in separate strikes on Gaza City and a central camp.
Later, airstrikes claimed 15 more lives in two shelters housing displaced families in eastern Gaza City's Tuffah suburb.
Another strike on a residential house in the Sabra area added three more fatalities to the grim toll.
Israeli forces have targeted what they describe as Hamas command centers, including former school complexes in Tuffah.
The military alleges that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure to plan and launch attacks, an accusation Hamas denies.
Meanwhile, residents of northern Gaza, including Jabalia, reported widespread destruction as Israeli troops demolished clusters of homes.
“The longer these talks last, the more destruction and death take place in Gaza,” said Adel, a 60-year-old displaced resident of Jabalia now in Gaza City. “Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and Rafah are being wiped out.”
Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) released a report Thursday accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
The aid group cited forced displacements, mass killings and dire living conditions under siege.
“The signs of ethnic cleansing and the ongoing devastation – including mass killings, severe physical and mental health injuries and the inability to access basic necessities like food and medicine – are undeniable,” said MSF President Christopher Lockyear.
Israel has dismissed such accusations, maintaining that its military campaign targets Hamas – not civilians.
Israeli officials accuse Hamas of using civilians as human shields, a claim Hamas refutes.
A sticking point in the negotiations is the structure of the cease-fire agreement.
Hamas reportedly favors a comprehensive deal, while Israel advocates a phased approach.
The first phase would likely include the release of hostages and some Palestinian prisoners.
Key unresolved issues include Israel’s insistence on retaining the right to act against future threats from Gaza and the stationing of Israeli forces during the cease-fire phases.
“Israel will maintain security control over Gaza with full freedom of action,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated earlier this week.
The latest conflict, which escalated dramatically following Hamas' incursion on southern Israel in October 2023, has exacted a horrific toll.
The incursion killed 1,200 Israelis, with over 250 people taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.
Approximately 100 hostages are still believed to be held, though their conditions remain unclear.
In Gaza, the Israeli rampage has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, displaced the majority of its 2.3 million residents, and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Human Rights Watch on Thursday accused Israel of committing genocide and extermination by denying Gaza residents access to clean water.
“Thousands have died because of the lack of clean water, which constitutes acts of genocide under international law,” the group stated.
Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the claim, accusing Human Rights Watch of spreading falsehoods.
Officials emphasized that Israel has facilitated water and humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza despite the forces' ongoing attacks on Palestinian civilians.
