Israeli forces launch fresh Gaza offensive

The window for lasting peace in the Gaza Strip remains perilously narrow, experts warn, as Israel launched a large-scale military operation on Saturday, despite mediators' efforts for ceasefire talks.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 100 Palestinians across Gaza overnight, health authorities said on Sunday.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has expanded its strikes on the enclave, killing hundreds of people since Thursday. It has said the expansion is aimed at "achieving all the war's objectives", including release of hostages and "the defeat of Hamas".

The intensified assault comes as international concern has mounted over worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza because of an Israeli aid blockade since March 2.

On Saturday, mediators Egypt and Qatar began a new round of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, but sources close to the negotiations told Reuters there had been no breakthrough.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, addressing the 34th Arab League Summit in Iraq on Saturday, said he was "alarmed" at the escalation and called for a permanent ceasefire.

The summit's statement urged the international community "to exert pressure to end the bloodshed" and let in aid.

As the conflict shows no signs of abating and the humanitarian crisis grows ever more dire, experts said the prospect for lasting peace remains clouded by uncertainty.

Ding Jun, director of the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, said Israel's decision to pursue a large-scale military campaign in Gaza alongside hostage negotiations reflects a calculated effort to navigate a complex domestic political landscape.

"On one hand, Israeli leaders face intense public pressure and mounting criticism over failed rescue attempts. To secure the release of hostages by any means necessary, and to date, negotiations have proved the only viable path," he said.

"On the other, sustaining military operations bolsters the government's 'wartime' legitimacy, reinforcing the narrative of national resolve."

The relentless operations of the Israeli military have left widespread infrastructure damage and deepened the humanitarian calamity in Gaza, he said.

"Ultimately, as the dominant actor in both conflict and diplomacy, whether a hostage-release deal or ceasefire deal can be achieved mainly depend on the political calculations of the Israeli authorities."

Humanitarian crisis

Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Lanzhou University in Gansu province, said Israel has long pursued a hard-line policy on the conflict, overlooking the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

"Israel is a predominant force backed by the United States. If it refuses to take concrete measures to address conditions in Gaza, it risks further deepening the territory's humanitarian crisis," he said.

The Israeli blockade and continuing military campaigns have severely restricted — and in some areas completely halted — the delivery of food, water, fuel and medical supplies to Gaza. As the humanitarian crisis intensifies, the international community must urgently come together to expand relief efforts and alleviate civilian suffering, said Ding, from Shanghai International Studies University.

Both experts emphasized the two-state solution and the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, urging countries to work within the UN framework and work with regional partners to pursue a peaceful and sustainable resolution.

"The military conflicts and humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip are untenable, and there is broad international consensus that an immediate ceasefire is essential to end the fighting and alleviate civilian suffering," Ding said.

"An obsession with force cannot deliver peace, and military occupation cannot secure lasting stability; only sustained political dialogue offers a viable path to resolving conflicts in Gaza."

Agencies contributed to this story.