Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in this undated handout picture released on February 24, 2024. Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS
Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen engaged in clashes across the Gaza Strip over the weekend, with ongoing discussions by mediators to expedite talks on a potential ceasefire. The primary focus of these talks is to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and provide a respite during the month of Ramadan for the beleaguered enclave.
Despite the mediation efforts, the likelihood of achieving a truce remains uncertain. Israel has indicated its intention to simultaneously broaden its operations to dismantle Hamas, while the Islamist faction persists in its demand for a permanent cessation of the nearly five-month-long conflict. Reports from residents indicated Israeli forces conducted shelling in various areas of the enclave, with tanks entering Beit Lahiya and confrontations between soldiers and gunmen in the Zeitoun sector of Gaza City, both located in the north, an area initially seized early in the offensive.
Medics reported that at least 86 Palestinians lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes since Saturday. Israel’s military confirmed the death of two soldiers in clashes in south Gaza and stated that its forces engaged and neutralized Palestinian gunmen in Zeitoun and other locations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his war cabinet for a briefing late on Saturday, receiving updates from intelligence chiefs who had met with Qatari, Egyptian, and U.S. mediators in Paris regarding a potential second Gaza ceasefire.
Sources in Egypt revealed plans for further talks in Doha during the week, with mediators shuttling between Hamas and Israeli representatives, along with a subsequent round in Cairo. However, there was no immediate confirmation from Israel, Hamas, or Qatar regarding these developments. The first cessation of hostilities in November resulted in the release of approximately half of the 253 individuals seized by Hamas during an October 7 cross-border incident that triggered the conflict. Israel reciprocated by freeing three times the number of Palestinians from its security prisons and facilitating additional humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israeli media, citing unnamed officials, reported a potential framework for the return of around one-third of the remaining 130 hostages during a six-week truce coinciding with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. However, there has been no formal confirmation from either side. Palestinian officials asserted that Hamas insists on Israel halting the offensive and withdrawing its forces as part of any agreement. Israel, on the other hand, signaled its intention to advance into one of the last towns where Hamas maintains intact forces, specifically referring to Rafah in the southernmost part of Gaza near the border with Egypt.
Prime Minister Netanyahu mentioned on Facebook that efforts are underway to establish another framework for the release of abductees and complete the elimination of Hamas battalions in Rafah. He indicated that the Israeli security cabinet would review military plans for Rafah, including the evacuation of over a million displaced Palestinian civilians who have sought shelter there, drawing concern from international powers about their fate.
According to Gaza medical officials, nearly 30,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict. The October 7 raid by Hamas resulted in the death of 1,200 people in Israel, which, in turn, reported the loss of 241 soldiers in subsequent ground fighting in Gaza, as per official tallies.
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