Gaza Herald – As indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas prepare to take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, aimed at implementing U.S.-led truce and prisoner exchange plans,
Israeli forces continued their relentless bombing campaign across Gaza, killing at least 24 Palestinians on Sunday. The attacks came despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s public call for Israel to pause
its offensive ahead of the discussions. Among the victims were four aid seekers shot near an aid distribution center north of Rafah, while the Nasser Medical Complex confirmed multiple additional casualties in densely populated areas.
The ongoing violence starkly contrasts with hopes for a ceasefire. Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that over 2,700 families, totaling more than 8,500 people, have been erased from the civil registry during two years of genocide. At least 1,015 children under the age of one have been killed, alongside 1,670 medical personnel, 254 journalists, and 140 civil defense rescue workers. These figures highlight the scale of the genocide inflicted on Gaza’s civilian population, where no home, hospital, or street is considered safe.
Preparations for the talks in Egypt follow an agreement by Hamas to release the remaining Israeli captives under a U.S.-proposed 20-point ceasefire plan. Israel, according to the plan, would pull back troops to the so-called “yellow line” established in August, while Hamas would begin disarmament. However, Israeli officials have stated that the military will maintain control of strategic areas to “protect communities,” raising doubts about the extent of Israel’s withdrawal. Meanwhile, U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are overseeing negotiations, with Arab states including Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE offering political backing for the process.
Despite diplomatic maneuvers abroad, the reality on the ground in Gaza remains unchanged. Explosions and airstrikes continued throughout the night, destroying homes, targeting displaced families, and adding to the mounting civilian killing toll. International statements and discussions have done little to halt Israel’s systematic campaign of mass killing and destruction. For the residents of Gaza, the talks are distant promises while the genocide continues in real time, leaving streets empty of safety, hospitals strained, and families fearing for their lives as the siege and bombardment shows no sign of stopping.
