Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, has expressed openness to discussions regarding a potential ceasefire with Israel. This statement was made by a senior Hamas official, Moussa Abu Marzouk, during a phone interview with Al Jazeera. Marzouk indicated that Hamas was willing to engage in “something of that sort” and “all political dialogues” when asked about the possibility of a ceasefire.
The Israel-Palestine conflict has escalated, resulting in a death toll exceeding 1,100 people, as Israel retaliated against Hamas’ deadliest attack, which involved assaults via air, water, and land on Israel.
A shocking discovery was made during search and rescue operations conducted by Israeli volunteers in the aftermath of the terror attack. At least 260 bodies were recovered from a site in Israel where a music festival was taking place.
The music festival, known as Supernova, was an all-night nature music festival located near the Gaza Strip and attended by thousands. It came under attack by Hamas militants based in Palestine on Saturday. Israeli rescue service Zaka reported that hundreds of bodies had been retrieved from the festival site, which was near Kibbutz Re’im in close proximity to Gaza.
Israel has been engaged in intense fighting with Hamas fighters who are still present in southern towns. The Israeli military has also deployed tens of thousands of troops near the Gaza Strip, with a commitment to defeating the Palestinian militant group. The surprise attack by Hamas has been compared to the impact of the 9/11 attacks in the United States, causing shock and concern throughout Israel.
“We’re still fighting,” stated military spokesman Richard Hecht, as Israeli forces continued battling holdout Hamas fighters in several locations in southern communities near the Gaza Strip. He expressed hope that full control could be achieved by the end of the day.
Palestinians in the densely populated Gaza territory, which is home to 2.3 million people, have braced themselves for what many anticipate will be a large-scale Israeli ground attack aimed at defeating Hamas and securing the release of approximately 100 hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued warnings to Gaza civilians to distance themselves from all Hamas sites, as he has vowed to reduce them to rubble. The conflict continues to be a major concern, and efforts to reach a ceasefire or resolution are ongoing.
