US President Donald Trump on Wednesday was hopeful about the efforts for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in Gaza. “I think great progress is being made on Gaza,” Trump said, further stating that his special envoy Steve Witkoff had briefed him that a ceasefire agreement is “very close.”
His remarks came days after the declaration of a truce between Israel and Iran, putting it to an end after 12 days of cross-border war that sparked fears of an increase in conflict across the region.
Qatar and Hamas confirm the intensity of talks
Qatar, which has been pivotal in mediating the conflict in Gaza, on Tuesday said it had stepped up efforts to secure a ceasefire.
Our contacts with the Egyptian and Qatari brother mediators have not ceased and have grown more intense in the past few hours,” Hamas official Taher al-Nunu stated in a press release to AFP.
But he also explained that Hamas had “not yet received any new proposals” to formally conclude the war.
Israel Stays Mum on Truce Talks
The Israeli cabinet, however, has kept mum regarding any fresh attempts at ceasefire. Israel has asserted that it will continue pursuing military action in Gaza until Hamas is vanquished or disarmed and the remaining 58 hostages abducted on the day of the October 7, 2023 attacks are released.
Human Toll of War Remains Devastating
The October 2023 Hamas attack claimed 1,219 lives, primarily civilians, and took 251 hostages. Israel’s military says 49 hostages are still in Gaza, with 27 presumably dead.
As a reprisal, Israel attacked Gaza with a large-scale military campaign that has killed over 56,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This includes both soldiers and combatants, although the ministry does not quantify them separately.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly raised alarms over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning that more than two million people face famine-like conditions due to Israeli blockades. Fatalities during food aid distributions have become near-daily occurrences, worsening the crisis.
International Pressure Builds for Peace
The rising death toll, continuous hostage drama, and worsening humanitarian crisis have mounted international pressure on both sides to seal a ceasefire. Trump’s declaration is a sign of increased US engagement, particularly after brokering the Israel-Iran ceasefire.
As negotiations heat up, the world waits anxiously to witness whether the building momentum translates into a durable truce in Gaza.