On August 18, 2025, a new chapter unfolded in the ongoing Gaza conflict as Hamas announced its acceptance of the latest ceasefire proposal, raising hopes—however tentative—for a pause in a war that has already claimed over 62,000 Palestinian lives and left the Gaza Strip teetering on the edge of further catastrophe. According to Al Jazeera, Hamas, along with other Palestinian factions, conveyed their approval to Qatari and Egyptian mediators, stating they were ready to resume negotiations aimed at ending Israel’s military campaign in the enclave.
The latest proposal, delivered by Qatar and Egypt on August 17, calls for a 60-day cessation of hostilities. During this period, the Israeli army would relocate to allow much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, a strip now battered by relentless bombardment and a deepening famine. The plan also includes the exchange of half of the 50 remaining Israeli captives for Palestinian prisoners within the same two-month window. A source familiar with the talks told Al Jazeera that this proposal “marks the beginning of the path to a comprehensive solution.”
The announcement came just after Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo. Both leaders, as reported by the Egyptian presidency, affirmed their opposition to any reoccupation of Gaza or forced displacement of Palestinians, emphasizing the urgency of reaching a ceasefire agreement. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, speaking from the Rafah border crossing on the same day, underscored the dire humanitarian situation, saying, “The current situation on the ground is beyond imagination.”
Yet, for all the diplomatic choreography, the path to peace remains fraught. Past ceasefire efforts have repeatedly collapsed. A truce brokered in January 2025 by Qatari, Egyptian, and U.S. mediators was unilaterally broken by Israel in March, according to Al Jazeera. Since then, Israel’s blockade on aid has intensified, causing what the United Nations and aid groups have described as a manmade starvation crisis. More than 260 Palestinians have reportedly died due to starvation since the blockade tightened, and the United Nations continues to condemn Israel for blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israel is pressing ahead with military plans to seize Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban center. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have made no secret of their intentions. Netanyahu, after conferring with the defense minister and the chief of staff, declared, “Hamas is under atomic pressure.” Katz added that Hamas was only willing to discuss a deal for the release of hostages “because of its fear that we seriously intend to conquer Gaza City.” Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich went further, voicing strong opposition to any ceasefire. “Hamas is under great pressure from the occupation of Gaza because it understands that this eliminates it and ends the story. Therefore, it is trying to stop it by returning to a partial deal. Precisely for this reason, we must not give in and grant the enemy a lifeline,” Smotrich said, as cited by Al Jazeera.
Hamas, for its part, has fiercely rejected Israel’s plan to relocate residents from Gaza City, labeling it a “new wave of genocide and displacement” for hundreds of thousands. The Israeli military began deploying tents and other shelter equipment on August 17, aiming to move residents from combat zones in northern Gaza to the south for their “safety.” But Hamas insists the humanitarian guise is a cover for a more sinister agenda. In a statement reported by Menna Alaa El-Din for Reuters, Hamas called the relocation plan “blatant deception,” accusing Israel of preparing to “cover up a brutal crime that the occupation forces prepare to execute.”
The international community is watching with alarm. The planned offensive to seize northern Gaza City, home to much of the enclave’s remaining population, has raised fears of another mass displacement. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel—killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities—has since spiraled into a humanitarian disaster. About 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are believed to be alive, as per Israeli estimates. The Israeli assault has not only killed tens of thousands but has also created a hunger crisis, displaced most of the enclave’s 2.2 million people, and left vast stretches of Gaza in ruins.
Amid the devastation, Israeli officials have acknowledged a shortage of combat soldiers, prompting repeated calls for conscription both within Israel and among Jewish communities abroad. Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhout noted that, despite the stated determination to proceed with the operation to seize Gaza City, “it’s unclear when and it’s unclear how.” She added, “They say that [taking Gaza City] is going to be one of the strategic moves that the Israeli military does in order to achieve its strategic objectives.”
Negotiators are expected to announce soon whether an agreement has been reached and to set a date for the resumption of talks. Yet, the shadow of previous failures looms large. The most recent round of indirect negotiations, facilitated in Doha, ended on July 25 without tangible results. The lack of sustained international pressure on Israel to accept a permanent ceasefire remains a sticking point, as noted by Abdullah Al-Arian, a Georgetown University professor in Qatar. He told Al Jazeera, “Historically, genocides don’t end through negotiated solutions. … They end usually because the party that committed the genocide is forced to end it, usually through external pressure, external intervention of some kind, and that has not happened yet.”
Human rights organizations have been unsparing in their criticism. On August 18, Amnesty International accused Israel of enacting a “deliberate policy” of starvation in Gaza. Their report, based on interviews with displaced Palestinians and medical staff treating malnourished children, concluded, “Israel is carrying out a deliberate campaign of starvation in the occupied Gaza Strip.” The United Nations and a chorus of international voices have echoed these concerns, repeatedly condemning Israel for blocking aid into Gaza and warning of an impending famine.
As the world waits for the next move—be it a fragile truce or another round of violence—the people of Gaza remain caught in the crossfire, facing displacement, hunger, and uncertainty. The coming days will test not only the resolve of negotiators but also the willingness of the international community to push for a lasting peace in a region scarred by decades of conflict.
