Hamas sets conditions for continuing ceasefire negotiations

The Israeli English-language news site Ynetnews.com quoted Ali Baraka, a leading member of Hamas, as saying that several proposals had been made, but stressed that Hamas's position was that Israel must first end all military action in the Gaza Strip. Ali Baraka said that all Palestinian armed factions had the same view on the issue, and demanded that the border crossings be reopened so that humanitarian aid could reach the needy people.

Negotiations to establish a new ceasefire and release hostages have been ongoing in Cairo, Egypt, for days. These negotiations are being conducted through foreign mediators such as the United States, Egypt and Qatar. On December 24, regional and Israeli media reported that Egypt had proposed a new hostage swap in the Gaza Strip, under which Hamas would release 40 Israelis held in exchange for a 14-day ceasefire. In November, Hamas and Israel held a week-long ceasefire, allowing 80 Israeli hostages and 240 Palestinian prisoners to be released. The deal was brokered by Qatar, with the help of the United States and Egypt.

The situation in the Gaza Strip is increasingly unstable and insecure, amid severe food shortages in the coastal strip. On December 24, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern about the devastated health system in the Gaza Strip and reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the Mediterranean strip. Currently, only 9 out of 36 hospitals in the entire Gaza Strip are functioning.

All of these facilities are concentrated in the south and are overwhelmed. According to the UN health agency, hospitals in Gaza have suffered heavy damage due to the conflict. As of December 20, WHO recorded 246 attacks on hospitals in Gaza, killing 582 people and injuring 748 others. Meanwhile, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said 142 of its staff had been killed in Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip since the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out on October 7.