President Joe Biden stated on Tuesday that it was up to Hamas to decide whether to accept a ceasefire deal. The Hamas terrorist group expressed its desire for a ceasefire with Israel before the Muslim Ramadan fasting period, while Israel and the United States indicated that a deal for a ceasefire was on the table, leaving the final decision in the hands of Hamas. Both parties appeared to be shifting the decision-making responsibility to the other, depending on whether certain conditions were met.
Negotiators from Hamas, Qatar, and Egypt were meeting in Cairo to negotiate a 40-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as Israel was not directly involved in the talks. However, the likelihood of a ceasefire appeared slim following another attack by the Houthi group on a ship in the Gulf of Aden that resulted in at least two fatalities. U.S. and British officials confirmed that the victims were sailors, marking the first deaths reported since the Houthi group began targeting shipping vessels.
President Biden emphasized that the fate of the ceasefire deal rested with Hamas, as Israel remained cooperative in the negotiations. The proposed agreement included the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, an increase in aid to Gaza to combat famine, and a list of all hostages held by Hamas. The White House outlined that the release of certain categories of hostages would trigger an immediate six-week ceasefire in Gaza, allowing for a surge of humanitarian assistance and setting the stage for lasting peace.
As the conflict persisted, reports of escalating violence and casualties continued to emerge from Gaza. Health officials in Hamas-run Gaza reported over 30,700 casualties from Israel’s offensive, with the death toll continuing to rise. The situation in Gaza was dire, with reports of food shortages, displaced residents, and overwhelmed healthcare facilities. The World Health Organization noted the critical need for medical referrals outside Gaza for thousands of individuals in need of urgent care.
The U.S. military conducted an airdrop of food aid to Gaza in response to the growing humanitarian crisis. The airdrop signaled a shift towards more direct action to provide relief to the affected population, amidst concerns of access restrictions to humanitarian aid in the region. The situation in Gaza remained precarious, with no immediate resolution in sight as the conflict between Israel and Hamas persisted.