Israel weighs Hamas ceasefire response as Gaza starvation deepens

Shafaq News – Gaza

Israel announced Thursday it is reviewing Hamas’s response to the latest ceasefire proposal conveyed by the US, Egypt, and Qatar, as the war in Gaza entered its 657th day amid a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.

While the contents have not been made public, Israeli media indicated substantial gaps remain. Channel 12 cited an Israeli official saying that Hamas’s reply leaves unresolved core issues, particularly the framework for a prisoner exchange and the timetable for Israeli military withdrawal. The official added that while the reply does not enable immediate progress, Israel is examining whether the barriers can be overcome.

Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported that the response allows negotiations to continue “in a generally positive direction,” though notable disagreements persist.

The response comes amid dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Local health authorities reported that since October 2023, the enclave recorded 111 deaths from starvation, including dozens of children. Added to the total death toll that surpassed 59,106, with more than 142,500 wounded.

Aid organizations warned that food, clean water, and medicine are in dangerously short supply.

The last ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on January 19, 2025, and lasted until March 18. However, Israel resumed wide-scale military operations.