Israeli strikes kill 32 Palestinians as Israel signals readiness for ceasefire discussions
At least 32 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip since dawn today (Sunday), said hospital sources while Israel signalled readiness to resume indirect ceasefire discussions with Hamas in Doha.
Medical sources in Gaza told Al Jazeera that 29 of the deceased were killed in Gaza City, which has faced some of the heaviest bombardment in recent days.
The latest attacks came as Israel's cabinet, after five hours of heated debate, agreed to send negotiators to Doha for renewed ceasefire talks with Hamas.
The decision followed mounting international pressure and growing concerns over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Disagreements within Israel's leadership, particularly over control of aid distribution, had delayed the move.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Saturday that Hamas had made 'unacceptable' changes to the Qatari ceasefire proposal but he approved the sending of negotiators for indirect proximity talks.
'In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages – on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to – be continued,' his office said.
Read: Hamas seeks early Gaza ceasefire
Hamas, for its part, described its response to mediators as 'positive' and reiterated its readiness to begin immediate negotiations on how to implement the ceasefire.
Hamas has demanded that the United Nations be allowed to resume aid distribution across more than 400 points in Gaza, a system used before the collapse of the last ceasefire in March. Israel, however, seeks to maintain control through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
According to Al Jazeera, the negotiations in Doha will centre on a draft ceasefire proposal brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
The proposal entails a 60-day ceasefire guaranteed by US President Donald Trump, the release of Israeli captives and the remains of others held by Hamas, and the immediate flow of aid through agreed channels, including the UN and Red Crescent. All Israeli military activity would cease across Gaza, with other operations paused for 10 hours daily. Talks for a permanent ceasefire will be due to begin immediately.
Israel's war on Gaza
Since October 2023, more than 57,300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian authorities.
Israel's actions in Gaza have drawn global scrutiny. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Moreover, Israel is facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
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