Hamas has stated it is prepared to “engage immediately and seriously in a cycle of negotiations” to implement the terms of a draft ceasefire proposal supported by the United States, according to a statement issued by the militant group.
Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, also signaled its support for the negotiations but insisted on “guarantees” that Israel would not resume military operations once the hostages held in Gaza are released.
The ongoing conflict was triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, which led to a large-scale Israeli military campaign aimed at dismantling the group and securing the release of hostages taken during the attack.
Two temporary ceasefires brokered previously by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States led to short pauses in fighting and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees.
On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his commitment to bringing home all hostages currently held in Gaza, stating: “I feel a deep commitment, first and foremost, to ensure the return of all our abductees, all of them,” amidst mounting public pressure.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump also commented on the situation, expressing concern for the civilians in Gaza: “They’ve gone through hell,” he said, while calling for their safety.
New 60-Day Ceasefire Proposal
According to a Palestinian source familiar with the talks, the current U.S.-backed proposal includes a 60-day truce during which Hamas would release around half of the Israeli captives still alive in Gaza—estimated to be 22 individuals—in return for Israel freeing an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners.
Out of the 251 individuals abducted during the October attack, 49 remain in captivity in Gaza, with the Israeli military stating that 27 of them are presumed dead.
Nearly 21 months of conflict have resulted in catastrophic humanitarian conditions for over two million residents of the Gaza Strip. Israel has expanded its military campaign in recent weeks, targeting suspected Hamas positions across Gaza, including areas near Gaza City in the north, and Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south.
Gaza Civil Defence spokesperson Mohammad al-Mughayyir reported that Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least 52 people on Friday. The Israeli military acknowledged the reports and stated it was reviewing the incidents, requesting additional details for some of them.
Due to limited access and severe media restrictions, AFP noted that it could not independently verify the casualty figures provided.
Among the reported casualties were five individuals allegedly shot while waiting for humanitarian aid near a U.S.-run distribution center in Rafah and others near Wadi Gaza Bridge. These deaths follow a string of similar incidents near aid points, which the United Nations has warned could worsen an already dire famine risk.
At Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, families mourned 16 individuals killed in Thursday’s shooting near another aid center. One grieving woman, Narmin Abu Muammar, said: “I lost my brother at the American distribution center that was supposed to feed people. They are killing people, not feeding them.”
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) confirmed that Abdullah Hammad, a recently contracted staff member, was among those killed in Thursday’s incident, making him the 12th MSF worker to have died in the ongoing conflict. “We demand an end to this bloodshed,” the organization said in a statement.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, jointly operated by U.S. and Israeli agencies, has distanced itself from reports of fatalities near its distribution sites.
Mughayyir further reported that eight people, including a child, died in an airstrike targeting the tents of displaced civilians near Khan Yunis. Two other strikes on coastal camps claimed eight more lives, including two children.
The Israeli military stated it is conducting operations throughout Gaza aimed at dismantling Hamas’s military infrastructure.
According to an AFP tally based on Israeli data, the Hamas-led attack in October 2023 killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Israel’s military campaign has resulted in at least 57,268 deaths in Gaza, the majority of whom were civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-administered territory. The United Nations recognizes these figures as credible.
