US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed scepticism regarding modifications proposed by Hamas to the ceasefire agreement. At a recent press briefing in Qatar, Blinken emphasised that certain changes suggested by the group were deemed “unworkable,” casting doubt on the immediate prospects for peace.
Both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) announced that they had submitted responses to a UN-backed ceasefire proposal to mediators in Qatar and Egypt. However, the specifics of their replies and how they align with international expectations remain unclear.
The US-proposed ceasefire plan received rare endorsement from the UN Security Council. Hamas claims a “responsible, serious and positive” response, while Israel accuses Hamas of altering key parameters, effectively rejecting the proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opposed any ceasefire before dismantling Hamas’ military and governance capacity. Hamas, in contrast, demands a permanent ceasefire with international guarantees.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry in Gaza has issued a warning about the imminent collapse of the enclave’s healthcare infrastructure. Hospitals, health centres, and the sole oxygen station in the Gaza City governorate are on the verge of shutting down due to a critical fuel shortage.
A UNICEF official from within Gaza described the devastation: “Homes, hospitals, schools, universities, agriculture, the economy… devastated. And still the bombs fall.” The continuous bombardment has left vast swathes of the region in ruins, with the civilian population bearing the brunt of the conflict.
In the occupied West Bank, an Israeli military raid on the town of Kafr Dan near Jenin killing at least six Palestinians.
A UN investigation has accused both Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7. The findings are detailed in two reports by a UN Human Rights Council commission of inquiry, chaired by former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay.
Since the launch of its war on Gaza on 7 October, Israel has killed at least 37,202 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded 84,932 others. Israeli forces have also destroyed nearly 75 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, schools, and places of worship, while also blocking the entry of essential aid into the occupied enclave, pushing the population of 2.5 million people to starvation.
