Intensified Ceasefire Discussions in Gaza: High-Level Meeting in Qatar Led by President Donald Trump's Efforts

Intensified Ceasefire Discussions in Gaza: High-Level Meeting in Qatar Led by President Donald Trump's Efforts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dispatched a high-level delegation to Qatar to advance ceasefire talks. On the same day, Israeli forces launched attacks on a school and several homes in Gaza. An Israeli assault on the Zainab al-Wazir school in northern Gaza resulted in the deaths of eight people, including two women and two children. This school was sheltering displaced Palestinians.

The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service reported that there was no prior warning before the attack in the Jabalia al-Balad area. A mother told Al Jazeera, “We were attacked without any prior warning. I don’t know where our children are, whether they are wounded or killed.”

Al Jazeera’s journalist Moath al-Kahlout described the situation at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, where the injured were taken, as "bloody" and "dire," due to a severe shortage of medical supplies caused by the ongoing siege, which has lasted for more than 80 days.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported attacks on various locations in Gaza, including one in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City that killed four people. Additionally, three people were killed in a tent sheltering displaced families in Deir el-Balah, and further attacks near the Bureij refugee camp and the town of Khan Younis resulted in more casualties.

Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have renewed efforts to reach a ceasefire, focusing on the release of Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Netanyahu met with Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who assured Egyptian and Qatari mediators that the U.S. would continue efforts to secure a fair deal to end the conflict. Following the meeting, Netanyahu sent a high-level delegation, including the head of Mossad, to Qatar.

Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut reported, “There are many complex issues at play. Trump stated he would take aggressive steps to secure a ceasefire if it didn’t happen before he took office. However, both sides have tough conditions.” The Israeli public has expressed frustration with Netanyahu, believing he is incapable of ending the war.

Reporting on the situation in Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary noted, “It’s not just the airstrikes, but malnutrition is also killing Palestinians. Children are seen daily with empty pots, searching for community kitchens, as families struggle to provide even one meal per day.”

Vibe Klarup, head of Amnesty Denmark, declared, “Israel’s actions constitute genocide. This is not an opinion; it’s a conclusion based on a thorough legal analysis.”

According to Palestinian health authorities, at least 46,537 people have been killed in Israel’s attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023.