Overview

• Hamas negotiators are in Cairo discussing potential ceasefire terms, including a long-term truce and hostage release, though no breakthrough has been reported.
• Israeli airstrikes intensified, killing at least 28 people and targeting humanitarian equipment, including bulldozers used for rubble removal and rescue operations.
• Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich faced backlash after prioritizing the elimination of Hamas over the return of Israeli hostages, deepening political divisions in the country.
• Gaza's health ministry reports over 51,000 Palestinian deaths since the conflict began, with humanitarian conditions worsening under a total blockade imposed by Israel.
• UN officials and aid groups warn of catastrophic consequences as Gaza faces severe shortages of food, medicine, and essential supplies, with children particularly at risk.