Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed Wednesday in Doha, Qatar, even as Israeli airstrikes continued to pound Gaza, killing dozens overnight.
The talks are being mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, with U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler expected to arrive in Doha after meeting with families of Israeli captives in Tel Aviv.
Speaking with the families, Witkoff expressed cautious optimism, saying there is “a genuine chance for progress” in the negotiations.
Despite the renewed diplomatic efforts, violence on the ground has not subsided.
According to medical sources in Gaza, at least 65 Palestinians have been killed since midnight, most in northern Gaza, including in the heavily bombarded Jabalia refugee camp.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his government’s position, ruling out any pause in the military campaign.
“There will be no situation where we stop the war,” Netanyahu said.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, currently on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, stated that Washington is working to help broker an end to the fighting.
“We want peace, and we want it soon,” Trump said.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate rapidly.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that more than 52,900 people have been killed and over 119,000 injured since the outbreak of war.
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The Government Media Office has updated the death toll to over 61,700, noting that thousands remain buried under rubble and are presumed dead.
As aid struggles to reach civilians, international divisions over Gaza’s future are deepening. Russia, China, and the United Kingdom have rejected a U.S.-Israeli aid proposal, instead calling for a full lifting of Israel’s two-month-long blockade.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) issued a stark warning Wednesday, reporting a worsening water crisis. “Seventy-five percent of Gaza’s households now have less water than a month ago,” the agency said, adding that efforts to restore water access are hampered by restrictions on importing spare parts.
While negotiators in Doha continue talks, prospects for an immediate ceasefire remain uncertain amid continued hostilities, mounting casualties, and stalled international consensus.
