Israel launched a large-scale ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, accompanied by air strikes. More than 100 people have been killed, and the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza has been closed.
The military operation comes amid indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha. Hamas has said the talks have begun without preconditions, but there has been no significant progress.
Israel has said it is ready to stop the war if Hamas surrenders, a demand that the group is likely to reject. Hamas is demanding explicit international guarantees to end the war in exchange for the release of hostages.
A Hamas spokesman said they were ready to release 7-9 hostages in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 300 Palestinian prisoners. However, as CNN reports, another leader of the group denied this offer, stating that the hostages would only be released if there were international guarantees to end the war.
Israel’s new military campaign, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots,” forced Hamas to return to the negotiating table.
