There is no end in sight to the war in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which has been going on for six months and in which tens of thousands of people have lost their lives, writes the German agency dpa on Sunday.
Negotiations on a truce and the release of hostages held by Hamas continue in Cairo, and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure in Israel and abroad.
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities Saturday night to protest against Netanyahu’s government and demand more coordinated efforts to secure the release of those kidnapped by Hamas.
Last week’s airstrike by Israeli forces on a humanitarian aid convoy drew criticism from some of Israel’s staunchest international allies.
A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas intends to travel to Cairo on Sunday for negotiations on a possible ceasefire agreement, but these negotiations have stalled in recent weeks.
The war began on October 7 last year when hundreds of terrorists, mainly from Hamas, but also from other militant groups from Gaza, invaded across the established border and killed people in nearby places and at a music festival.
About 1,200 people were killed in Israel, and 250 were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. Dozens of them have since been released, and several others have been found dead or freed by the Israeli army.
The unprecedented attack led to a massive campaign of Israeli airstrikes and a ground military offensive that began just a few weeks in the northern coastal enclave and passed through every major city except Rafah in the very south.
More than 32,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks so far, according to Hamas authorities in Gaza.