Israel and Hamas resumed indirect ceasefire negotiations in Doha on Saturday even as Israeli forces intensified aerial and ground operations across Gaza, killing at least 146 Palestinians in a single day and wounding hundreds more, according to Gaza health authorities. The latest escalation marks one of the deadliest phases since the collapse of a temporary truce in March.
The renewed talks come as Israel mobilizes troops and equipment for what it has called "Operation Gideon's Chariots," a broad ground campaign aimed at achieving "operational control" over key areas of the enclave. The Israeli military said it is conducting extensive airstrikes in northern Gaza, including Beit Lahiya, the Jabalia refugee camp, and Khan Younis in the south. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported 459 people injured in Saturday's strikes alone.
Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nono confirmed that negotiations had resumed in Qatar without preconditions. "The Hamas delegation outlined the position of the group and the necessity to end the war, swap prisoners, the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and allowing humanitarian aid and all the needs of the people of Gaza back into the strip," he told Reuters.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also confirmed the renewed dialogue, stating that Hamas had shifted from a previously "uncooperative" posture. He emphasized that Israel is not linking negotiations to a ceasefire or a lifting of the blockade. "Israel emphasises that if the talks do not progress, the [military] operation will continue," Katz said.
A proposed U.S.-backed deal reportedly includes the release of 10 hostages in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire. Talks have resumed following the conclusion of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the region, which Israeli officials had said would precede any major military escalation.
On the ground, humanitarian conditions have continued to deteriorate. Gaza's health system is near collapse, with hospitals overwhelmed and many medical facilities destroyed. "Since midnight, we have received 58 martyrs, while a large number of victims remain under the rubble. The situation inside the hospital is catastrophic," said Dr. Marwan Al-Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza.
The war, now in its nineteenth month, began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed more than 53,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters. Nearly the entire population of Gaza-2.3 million people-has been displaced.
United Nations officials say famine is imminent, with aid deliveries blocked since March. U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher asked the Security Council whether it would act to "prevent genocide." A U.S.-backed aid effort involving private security and logistics firms aims to begin deliveries by the end of May, though the U.N. has declined to participate, citing concerns over neutrality.
