Netanyahu Ready for Temporary Gaza Ceasefire Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that his government is open to a “temporary ceasefire” in Gaza to facilitate the release of hostages, as international pressure intensifies over Israel’s renewed military offensive and deepening humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

“If there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages, we’ll be ready,” Netanyahu said, adding that at least 20 hostages held by Hamas and its allies are still believed to be alive.

However, he maintained that the Israeli military aims to bring all of Gaza under its control, stressing the need to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe while preserving Israel’s operational freedom. “We must avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action,” he stated.
Diplomatic Flashpoint in the West Bank

Netanyahu’s remarks came hours after Israeli troops fired what the military described as “warning shots” near a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank, sparking international condemnation and raising diplomatic tensions.

The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israeli forces of “deliberately targeting with live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation” near the volatile city of Jenin.

A European diplomat said the group had travelled to the area to observe the aftermath of months of Israeli military operations. The Israeli army said the delegation had strayed from its approved route and entered a restricted zone. Troops fired shots to steer the group away, and no injuries were reported. The military expressed regret for the “inconvenience caused.”

The incident prompted strong condemnation from Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, Uruguay, and the European Union. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for a full investigation and accountability for the incident.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

Tensions are escalating as Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsens. Overnight Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least 19 people, including a newborn baby, according to Palestinian rescue teams.

After nearly two months of a near-total blockade, aid deliveries into Gaza resumed this week. Israel said 100 aid trucks crossed into the territory via the Kerem Shalom crossing on Wednesday, following 93 the previous day. However, the UN said that due to ongoing security concerns, none of the aid had left the loading area by 1600 GMT Wednesday.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, confirmed that the humanitarian access remains critically constrained.

Meanwhile, a US-backed private entity, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), announced plans to begin independent aid distribution in the coming days. The group aims to deliver 300 million meals within its first 90 days, although traditional aid agencies and the UN have refused to cooperate with the GHF, accusing it of alignment with Israeli interests.

On the ground, conditions remain dire. Umm Talal al-Masri, a 53-year-old displaced resident of Gaza City, described the situation as “unbearable.”

“No one is distributing anything to us. Everyone is waiting for aid, but we haven’t received anything,” she said. “We’re grinding lentils and pasta to make bread. We barely manage one meal a day.”
Mounting Political Pressure

Israel has come under growing pressure, including from longstanding allies, to halt its expanded offensive and allow for greater humanitarian access. The European Union’s foreign ministers this week agreed to review their association agreement with Israel, a move Israel’s foreign ministry called a “total misunderstanding of the complex reality” it faces.

Sweden announced it would push for EU sanctions on Israeli ministers, while the UK suspended free-trade talks with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador for talks. Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as “worrying and painful” and called for unhindered humanitarian aid access.

Germany, meanwhile, defended maintaining its cooperation agreement with Israel, calling it “an important forum for discussing critical questions.”
The War’s Toll

Israel resumed operations across Gaza on March 18 following a two-month ceasefire. The war began with Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages. As of now, 57 hostages remain in Gaza, with 34 confirmed dead.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, at least 3,509 Palestinians have been killed since the renewed Israeli offensive began in March, bringing the total death toll in Gaza to 53,655.

In southern Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed three people on Wednesday in attacks targeting Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, further escalating tensions despite a ceasefire agreement with the Iran-backed militant group.