Dozens of Israeli airstrikes targeted the Gaza Strip over the weekend as indirect cease-fire discussions between Israeli and Hamas officials continued through mediators in Qatar.
Israel's military reported on Sunday that it had struck more than 100 locations in the enclave, targeting sites from which militants had launched at least four projectiles toward Israeli territory on Friday and Saturday. The military claimed that the strikes resulted in the deaths of Hamas militants and that efforts were made to minimize civilian casualties; however, these claims could not be independently verified.
The Gaza health ministry stated that 88 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants. The Gaza Civil Defense agency reported that its teams responded to multiple airstrikes on residential buildings on Sunday, resulting in several casualties.
There is increasing pressure on both parties to finalize a cease-fire agreement that would include the release of hostages held in Gaza before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office on January 20. Both Hamas and Israel indicated they were sending delegations to Doha to engage with mediators.
An Israeli source, speaking anonymously, noted that the Israeli delegation remained in Doha over the weekend, and discussions were progressing slowly toward a limited agreement that would involve a temporary cease-fire and the release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for a number of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
Despite the ongoing talks, Hamas stated that the negotiations would focus on achieving a complete cease-fire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. An Israeli official, also speaking anonymously, indicated that Israel had not committed to ending the conflict.
Approximately 100 hostages remain in Gaza from the 250 individuals taken during the Hamas-led attacks in October 2023, with at least a third presumed dead. A week-long truce in November allowed for the release of 105 hostages, but subsequent cease-fire efforts have stalled due to significant gaps in demands from both sides.
Israeli officials have expressed concerns that Hamas is rebuilding its military capabilities in Gaza, with reports suggesting that the group is recruiting new fighters more quickly than Israel can eliminate them. Security officials informed an Israeli parliamentary committee that Hamas may have up to 19,000 fighters, with around 9,000 organized into units. Before the conflict, Israel estimated Hamas's strength at approximately 25,000 fighters, a figure that Hamas has never confirmed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in November that Israel's military had killed nearly 20,000 fighters during the conflict. The Gaza health ministry reports that over 45,000 Palestinians have died since the war began.
As discussions for a potential cease-fire gain traction, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, according to Palestinians and human rights organizations. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that recent Israeli airstrikes near Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis caused extensive damage and resulted in one fatality.
Last week, Israeli forces evacuated the staff and patients from Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last major hospital in northern Gaza, claiming it was a Hamas stronghold. The World Health Organization stated that this action rendered the facility non-operational, and remaining patients and healthcare workers were moved to the Indonesian Hospital.
However, Gaza's health ministry announced on Sunday that the Indonesian Hospital was no longer able to provide services, leaving the northern region of the enclave without any functioning hospitals amid ongoing bombardment.