Over 70 Palestinians perish in Gaza airstrikes amidst Israeli cabinet’s postponed ceasefire talks
A staggering loss: the airstrikes in Gaza have tragically claimed the lives of at least 70 more individuals amid the chaos of anticipated peace. Picture a Palestinian man, hobbling past the remnants of once-standing buildings, leaning heavily on a crutch. It’s a scene captured hauntingly by Mahmoud Issa for Reuters, an image that speaks volumes of the resilience and despair in a land held hostage by conflict.
As night turned to morning, the skies over Gaza bore witness to yet another storm of destruction. More Israeli airstrikes, more lives added to the tally of loss. The promise of peace had hovered tantalizingly close in the form of a ceasefire deal, as officials on both sides hoped to put a lid on over a year of war between Israel and Hamas. But as loud as the explosions were the whispers of uncertainty surrounding the deal’s fate.
The ink wasn’t even dry on the proposed agreement when word came from Israel’s inner sanctum, the security cabinet, that their Thursday morning meeting was postponed. In their words, allegedly, Hamas was pulling a last-minute stunt, trying to squeeze out more concessions from the deal’s mediator. “Once bitten, twice shy,” seemed to ring true for Israel as they awaited confirmation that Hamas was truly on board with all terms.
Meanwhile, from the heart of Gaza’s beleaguered population came a commitment to peace, at least according to one senior official from Hamas. Reuters quoted Izzat el-Reshiq asserting, early Thursday, their dedication to the fragile truce sketched out by mediators.
In Jerusalem, dissenters took to the streets, voicing their disapproval amid the commotion of families mourning fallen soldiers. They laid symbolic coffins draped in Israeli flags along the roadside, a somber spectacle challenging the terms of peace.
Tied up in this conflict are 98 Israeli hostages in Gaza, though the agreement’s first stage offers a ray of hope: the release of 33 captives—women, children, and older men among them. It’s a stark reminder of human lives caught in the crossfire.
Adding to the chaos of misinformation and fog of war, a false alarm tipped off an Israeli military report of incoming threat near a kibbutz by the Gaza border—a chilling thud of unease, but later debunked as misidentification.
In the whirlwind of claims and counterclaims, one thing is undeniably clear: independent confirmation of the casualties in this prolonged warfare is a journalist’s quandary, often shrouded in the mists of propaganda and political maneuvering.
The Times of Israel is stepping into this maelstrom with what they claim is the final text of the agreement between Israel and Hamas. It lays out the contours of a ceasefire in terms described as detailed and cautious, articulated in an appendix that is a companion piece to earlier frameworks dating back to May 27, 2024.
Armed with the legitimacy of an Arab diplomat in the know, the text reportedly excludes certain maps and specifics, leaving readers to wonder about the missing pieces of the puzzle. Without The Guardian being able to verify the document independently, we tread carefully in the murky waters of international diplomacy.
Yet, what emerges clearly from these eight segments is an elaborate dance: Israeli troops poised for withdrawal, the puzzling mathematics of hostage exchanges unfolding, and humanitarian crossings at Rafah awaiting deployment like lines in a meticulously rehearsed play. Within 50 days, we might see Israel stepping back from the Philadelphi corridor. Let’s not be hasty but hold onto hope for aid to reach Gaza’s desperate denizens. Here’s hoping providence grants us peace, if not today, then tomorrow. Report by Axadle.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
