The Palestinian movement Hamas has said it intends to continue negotiations on a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, on condition that the humanitarian situation in the enclave improves significantly.
Hamas ready to resume ceasefire talks
“It is extremely important to significantly improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation and receive a written response from the enemy regarding our actions. This is a condition for returning to negotiations,” Basem Naim, a member of the movement’s political bureau, told CNN.
He also explained that continuing negotiations “under conditions of starvation loses its meaning and effectiveness.”
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Thursday to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.
According to Israeli media reports, Witkoff plans to visit Gaza and humanitarian aid distribution points run by the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), which is supported by the US and Israel and has recently come under criticism from the international community. This will be Witkoff’s second trip to Gaza this year, the first taking place in January.
“New ways” to return hostages
After the failure of the latest round of talks with Hamas representatives and the withdrawal of their representatives from Qatar, US and Israeli officials promised to explore “new ways” to return 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, 20 of who are believed to be alive. In particular, Witkoff reported that the US would consider “alternative options” for the release of the hostages. President Donald Trump said he would support Israel in continuing its military operations to “get rid of the terrorist group and that the fight will now be fought differently.”
In Israel, the chances of reaching an agreement on an exchange deal with Hamas in the near future are viewed with pessimism. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is expected to continue its military operations in the Gaza Strip, while increasing the amount of humanitarian aid entering the area.
Two Israeli rights groups accuse Tel Aviv of Gaza genocide
B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel claim that the actions of the Israeli authorities in Gaza indicate the deliberate destruction of the Palestinian people. For the first time in history, Israeli human rights organisations have accused their own state of genocide.
On Monday, B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel published independent reports concluding that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip are not merely a military operation, but a deliberate destruction of the civilian population, infrastructure and the very life of the Palestinians.
“Based on a legally rigorous analysis, we declare with a heavy heart: this is genocide,” said Guy Shalev, executive director of Physicians for Human Rights, at a press conference in Jerusalem. According to him, the systematic destruction of the healthcare system, the blocking of the evacuation of the wounded, the denial of food and the use of humanitarian aid as a tool of pressure indicate a clear intent.
Until now, accusations of genocide have been made by international organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as by the governments of several countries, including South Africa, which has filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice. However, within Israel itself, such words had not been spoken aloud — until now.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s spokesman, David Menzies, called the accusations “baseless” and accused human rights activists of “blasphemy against Israel.” According to him, the IDF “never targets civilians” and takes “all possible measures to avoid civilian casualties.” Menzies again accused Hamas of “using civilians as human shields” and of being responsible for the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. However, human rights activists point to something else: 21 months of relentless strikes on Gaza, blocking access to food, water, medicine and the deliberate destruction of hospitals and infrastructure are not accidental casualties of war, but a strategy that goes far beyond the fight against Hamas.
In its 79-page report, B’Tselem quotes Israeli politicians openly calling for a starvation blockade of Gaza and its “wiping off the face of the earth.” About 2 million Palestinians live in conditions that international observers have long called a humanitarian disaster.
Meanwhile, former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis wrote on X:
“The Israeli Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, B’TSELEM, agonised long (too long in my view) and hard before coming up with this report and its crystal clear verdict: Israel is committing genocide. Nothing more needs to be said.”
