Gaza ceasefire talks progress amid Israeli strikes killing civilians

Negotiations in Cairo, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey and backed by UN special coordinator Nikolay Mladenov, have reached a decisive phase as Hamas and other Palestinian factions agreed on a final 15‑point proposal aimed at ending the war, stopping Israeli attacks, securing a withdrawal from Gaza and beginning reconstruction.

At the same time, Israeli air strikes have continued to cause civilian casualties. Health officials reported at least four deaths, including a child in Khan Younis and an 18‑month‑old baby in Bureij refugee camp, and dozens of injuries across Gaza City and other sites. Since the ceasefire began in October, more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians.

The talks seek to move the ceasefire from a fragile arrangement to a sustainable one, addressing remaining issues such as the administration of Gaza’s civilian institutions and the role of a national committee headed by Ali Shaath.