On Monday, international pressure intensified for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Britain, France, and Germany jointly calling for an immediate end to the hostilities between Israel and Hamas. This plea was issued just a day after Hamas, the Palestinian militant group responsible for the October 7 attack that sparked the current conflict, urged mediators to implement a truce plan proposed by US President Joe Biden instead of continuing negotiations.
In a joint statement, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the urgency of ending the fighting and the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas. They also stressed the need for immediate and unrestricted delivery of aid to the people of Gaza.
International mediators have invited both Israel and Hamas to resume talks aimed at achieving a long-sought truce and the release of hostages. This comes after recent fighting and the killing of Iran-aligned militant leaders raised concerns about a potential wider conflict. Israel has agreed to participate in these talks, scheduled for Thursday, at the invitation of the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. Meanwhile, Hamas has expressed its preference for the implementation of Biden's truce plan, as endorsed by the UN Security Council, rather than engaging in further negotiations.
Hamas has also demanded that mediators present a plan based on Biden's vision and the UN Security Council resolution, and compel Israel to comply. Biden's plan, described as a three-phase roadmap to an enduring ceasefire and the release of all hostages, has yet to produce an agreement despite ongoing mediation efforts.
In other developments, Hamas has appointed Yahya Sinwar as the new Gaza chief following the death of Ismail Haniyeh, a key political leader and truce negotiator, who was killed in Tehran in an attack blamed on Israel. Haniyeh's assassination, along with the killing of Hezbollah's military chief in Beirut, has led to intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent a broader Middle East war.
The urgency for a ceasefire has increased following an Israeli air strike that reportedly killed 93 people at a school in Gaza, housing displaced Palestinians. Gaza officials have identified 75 bodies from this strike, which, if confirmed, would be one of the largest single-strike casualties in the ongoing conflict. Israel claims to have targeted militants operating from the school and mosque, stating that at least 19 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists were eliminated.
The Gaza war, which began with Hamas's October 7 attack, has resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of 251 people, 111 of whom remain held captive in Gaza. Israel's retaliatory offensive has claimed the lives of at least 39,897 people, according to Gaza's health ministry. Biden's proposed roadmap includes a six-week ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza, and the release of some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and other regional allies have vowed retaliation against Israel for the killings of Haniyeh and Hezbollah's military chief. In response, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered an aircraft carrier group and the USS Georgia guided missile submarine to the Middle East. Meanwhile, in Gaza, hundreds of Palestinians have fled northern neighborhoods in Khan Younis following fresh evacuation orders from Israel, adding to the tens of thousands already displaced in the region.
