In a new escalation of violence targeting media workers, Israeli warplanes killed Palestinian journalist Hassan Asliha early Tuesday during an airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where he was receiving treatment for injuries sustained in a previous attack.
According to the Gaza Government Media Office, Asliha’s death raises the number of journalists killed since the start of the war to 215.
The strike comes amid continued Israeli military operations across the Gaza Strip. Over the past 24 hours, 31 Palestinians were reported killed and 73 wounded. An additional 15 bodies were recovered, bringing the total death toll since October 7, 2023, to 52,908, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
In a stark warning, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said Gaza’s entire population remains at acute risk of famine, as the Israeli blockade, mass displacement, and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid stretch into their 19th month.
As the humanitarian catastrophe deepens, the United States is mounting a last-minute diplomatic effort to broker a ceasefire. Israeli newspaper Maariv reported Tuesday that US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff presented a new proposal to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Monday meeting in Jerusalem. The proposal outlines a framework for halting the war, based on a comprehensive agreement involving the release of both living and deceased hostages.
The Biden administration hopes such an agreement could lay the groundwork for a permanent ceasefire and encourage flexibility from Hamas. Witkoff and Adam Boehler, the US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, are en route to Doha, Qatar, to join ongoing mediation efforts.
According to Axios, the White House sees this trip as a critical opportunity to secure a breakthrough—especially after Hamas’s release of US hostage Aidan Alexander. The release, which Hamas attributed to “serious engagement with the US administration and mediators,” is seen by some officials as a potential turning point in the stalled negotiations.
In a statement on Telegram, Hamas insisted that Alexander’s release was not the result of Israeli military pressure, but of direct diplomatic efforts. The group accused Netanyahu of misleading the Israeli public and reiterated that negotiations—not force—remain the only viable path to securing hostage releases and ending the war.
Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha said the group is prepared to “immediately enter comprehensive negotiations” for a sustainable ceasefire. The conditions outlined include a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, lifting the blockade, a prisoner exchange, and full reconstruction of the territory. He called on the US to intensify efforts to stop “the brutal war waged by war criminal Netanyahu on children, women, and unarmed civilians.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu drew sharp criticism after suggesting his government was seeking international partners to accept Palestinian emigrants from Gaza. Speaking during a visit with injured soldiers, he claimed, “We have set up an administration to allow them to leave,” and estimated that “over 50%” of Gazans would emigrate if given the opportunity.
The comments sparked controversy as Israeli forces pressed forward with renewed ground operations. On Sunday, Hamas’s armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, reported that its fighters attacked an Israeli engineering unit east of Shuja’iyya in Gaza City, killing the driver of a military vehicle during the confrontation.
Despite the ongoing diplomatic push, Netanyahu’s office announced Monday that a negotiating delegation would travel to Doha on Tuesday, in coordination with a planned regional tour by US President Donald Trump, who is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
However, the Israeli statement underscored that “negotiations will be conducted under fire,” signaling no pause in military activity. It added that implementation of a new military escalation plan would be delayed until after Trump’s visit, leaving a narrow window for potential agreement before further intensification.
