Israel discusses truce as Gaza desperation deepens

GAZA/JERUSALEM — Israel's cabinet organizing its campaign in Gaza has discussed the next steps for negotiations toward a hostage deal and cease-fire in its fighting with Hamas, as concern deepens over the increasingly desperate situation that civilians in the devastated Gaza Strip face.

An Israeli delegation that had traveled to Paris for fresh talks on a hostage deal returned to brief the cabinet on the conflict on Saturday night, an official and local media reports said.

National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said in a televised interview shortly before the gathering that the "delegation has returned from Paris, there is probably room to move toward an agreement".

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the meeting would discuss the "next steps in the negotiations".

Local media later reported that the meeting had concluded with the cabinet agreeing to send a delegation to Qatar in the coming days to continue the talks.

As with a previous weeklong truce in November in which more than 100 hostages were freed, Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been spearheading efforts to secure a deal.

Domestic pressure on the government to bring the captives home has also mounted, with thousands gathering in Tel Aviv on Saturday night at what has come to be known as "Hostages Square" to demand swifter action.

After more than four months of shortages inside the besieged Gaza Strip, the World Food Programme said last week its teams had reported "unprecedented levels of desperation", and the United Nations warned that 2.2 million people were on the brink of famine.

In Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza bedraggled children held out plastic containers and battered cooking pots for what little food was available.

Supplies are running out, with aid agencies unable to get into the area because of bombing, and trucks that do try to get through face frenzied looting.

The health ministry said on Saturday that a two-month-old baby identified as Mahmud Fatuh had died of malnutrition in Gaza City.

Israel has defended its record on allowing aid into Gaza, saying that 13,000 trucks carrying relief supplies had entered the territory since hostilities broke out.

The conflict began after an attack by Hamas on Oct 7 that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, according to an Agence France-Presse tally of official figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 29,606 people, mostly women and children, Gaza's health ministry said on Saturday.

Warplanes of the US-led coalition struck the Yemeni capital Sanaa late on Saturday in the latest round of military action against the Houthis.

"The American-British aggression aircraft again launched a series of raids on the capital," Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV reported.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes were meant "to further disrupt and degrade the capabilities" of the Houthis.

Agencies - Xinhua