Escalation in Gaza as ceasefire talks remain fragile amid mounting humanitarian crisis

Daily News Egypt

a day ago

As ceasefire negotiations stall in Doha, Gaza is witnessing one of the deadliest escalations in recent weeks, with intensified resistance operations and surging humanitarian alarm over the ongoing Israeli assault.
On the 641st day of the war, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for high-casualty attacks that killed five Israeli soldiers and wounded 14 others in northern Gaza. Footage released by the group showed strikes on Israeli military vehicles in Gaza City, while the Al-Quds Brigades—the armed wing of Islamic Jihad—reported destroying two Israeli vehicles in Shujaiya and targeting Israeli forces in Khan Younis.
The latest attacks follow a sophisticated ambush in Beit Hanoun, where explosive devices and automatic weapons were used against Israeli soldiers from the 'Netzah Yehuda' unit of the Kfir Brigade. The ambush, which occurred inside an area under Israeli control, has sparked internal debate and criticism among Israeli security officials.
Abu Obeida, spokesperson for Al-Qassam, vowed that the armed resistance would continue, stating that 'enemy funerals and corpses will become a regular event as long as this criminal war against our people continues.'
While the violence intensifies on the ground, indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel resumed in the Qatari capital under the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that discussions are still focused on a broad framework, with no detailed progress reported.
US President Donald Trump, following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed cautious optimism, claiming that 'things are going well' and that no serious obstacles remain to achieving a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is reaching unprecedented levels. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned that conditions have become 'unbearable,' with widespread hunger, especially among children. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported that the overwhelmed healthcare system is collapsing, with hospitals struggling to cope with mass casualties, many of them injured near food distribution centres.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli airstrikes since early Tuesday, bringing the total death toll since 7 October 2023 to 57,575, with 136,879 injured. Eight Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours while waiting for food aid, raising the death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza's humanitarian operations to 766, with over 5,044 injured.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor described the situation as a 'comprehensive erasure' of Gaza's population, stating that Palestinians are being forced to live in less than 15% of the territory under near-total surveillance and constant bombardment. In a statement from Geneva, the group said the enclave has become a 'giant open-air detention camp,' where civilians are deprived of food, water, shelter, medical aid, and the right to return to their homes.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini issued a stark warning: 'Gaza is dying.' In a statement released Monday, he said over 1,500 medical personnel and more than 600 civilians seeking food have been killed. 'It's a cruel choice between two forms of death,' he said, calling for an immediate ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade, and unhindered humanitarian access.
International condemnation of the Israeli campaign continues to grow. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned that Britain may escalate its measures if the crisis persists. In May, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government imposed punitive steps, including suspending trade negotiations, introducing arms embargoes, and sanctioning violent Israeli settlers.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares also condemned Israel's actions, particularly the targeting of civilians waiting for aid. He called the situation 'unacceptable' and reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian access, and the release of hostages.
While Israel insists its military operations aim to neutralise threats from Hamas and other factions, international calls are intensifying for an immediate end to the campaign. With civilian casualties mounting and critical infrastructure shattered, Gaza's humanitarian crisis deepens by the day.