Senior Hamas officials suggest that a potential agreement is on the horizon, involving the release of hostages by the militant group and the corresponding liberation of Palestinian prisoners by Israel.
Senior Hamas officials indicated on Tuesday that there is a possibility of reaching an agreement soon, involving the release of hostages by the militant group and the corresponding release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel.
Negotiations involving Israel, the United States, and Qatar, which mediates with Hamas, have been ongoing for weeks. The discussions focus on a potential hostage release, coupled with a temporary cease-fire in Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid. It's important to note that similar predictions of a hostage agreement in recent weeks have proven premature.
Israel's army is expanding its operations across northern Gaza, engaging Palestinian militants in the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp, the largest in the territory. The military has stated that forces are "preparing the battlefield" in the Jabaliya area, north of Gaza City, and have eliminated dozens of militants in recent days. Additionally, troops discovered three tunnel shafts where fighters were hiding and destroyed rocket launchers.
Verification of the details of the fighting is challenging, and a strike on a nearby hospital on Monday resulted in the death of 12 people as Israeli troops and tanks confronted militants outside its gates.
Israel asserts that Hamas uses civilians and hospitals as shields, while critics argue that Israel's siege and continuous aerial bombardment amount to collective punishment for the 2.3 million Palestinians in the territory following Hamas' Oct. 7 incursion into southern Israel.
According to Palestinian health authorities, over 12,700 Palestinians, with two-thirds being women and minors, have been killed since the war's onset. The authorities do not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths, and about 4,000 people are reported missing. In Israel, more than 1,200 people, primarily during the Oct. 7 attack, have been killed, with around 240 taken captive by militants.
Current updates include Israel noting signs of Hamas activity at Shifa, yet a promised command center remains elusive. Babies born prematurely in Gaza have been evacuated to Egypt. Cyprus' president expresses readiness to ship aid to Gaza. Ukrainian refugees in Israel find themselves once again living in a conflict zone.
For more information on the latest Israel-Hamas war, you can visit [AP’s coverage](https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war).
Hamas official indicates a potential agreement on hostage release in the near future.
Israel, the United States, and Qatar have been engaged in weeks-long negotiations concerning a potential hostage release, coupled with a temporary cease-fire in Gaza and increased humanitarian aid.
As of now, Hamas has released four hostages, Israel has successfully rescued one, and the bodies of two were discovered near Shifa. Senior Hamas official Izzat Rishq mentioned on Tuesday that an agreement could be reached "in the coming hours," involving the release of captives by Hamas and the release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel. Hamas' leader in exile, Ismail Haniyeh, also expressed optimism about a potential deal, although similar predictions in recent weeks have proven premature.
Israel's three-member war Cabinet met with representatives of the hostages' families, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who emphasized the government's equal prioritization of hostage release and the defeat of Hamas. Netanyahu stated on social media that they will not cease efforts until the hostages are home, Hamas is dismantled, and there is no further threat from Gaza.
During the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, Hamas and its allies captured over 240 hostages, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians.
The brother of an acclaimed Palestinian poet in Gaza, Mosab Abu Toha, has reportedly been arrested by Israeli troops, with his whereabouts currently unknown. Mosab has been sharing his firsthand experiences through contributions to Western media during the Israel-Hamas war. According to his brother, Hamza Abu Toha, Mosab was arrested while evacuating to southern Gaza in compliance with Israeli military orders. While Mosab's wife and children were allowed to continue south, he was detained by the military.
Mosab Abu Toha's last post on X (formerly Twitter) was on Nov. 15, stating, "Alive. Thanks for your prayers." PEN, a literary and free expression organization, has expressed concern about the arrest, calling for information on Abu Toha's whereabouts and the reason for his arrest. The New Yorker, a publication to which Abu Toha has contributed, has also called for his safe return. The Israeli military has stated that it is looking into the reports.
Around 200 individuals were evacuated from an Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza due to the conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas militants on Monday. The evacuation was coordinated by the United Nations and the International Committee for the Red Cross, with the evacuees taken to southern Gaza. The injured are receiving treatment at al-Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. However, between 400 and 500 more wounded individuals remain at Indonesian Hospital. The evacuations followed an incident in which a shell struck the hospital's second floor, resulting in 12 casualties. The Health Ministry and a medical worker blamed Israel for the incident, while Israel denied shelling the hospital, asserting that its troops returned fire on militants inside the compound.
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning on Monday, stating that health services in Gaza have experienced "catastrophic" damage, leading to the majority of hospitals no longer functioning. Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme, emphasized the critical situation during a United Nations briefing, pointing out that 1.7 million people in Gaza are displaced, using a limited number of hospital beds in less than a third of available hospitals.
Even if a ceasefire were to take place, the challenges would persist, as the health services are already struggling to provide care for complex medical cases, including cancer and kidney dialysis patients. Additionally, the expected 5,500 births in the next month could overwhelm the healthcare system.
The Israeli military's plans to advance further south are anticipated to exacerbate the already dire health conditions in Gaza. Ryan described the hospital and primary healthcare system situation in Gaza as "catastrophic" and the worst imaginable in the northern region.
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