Efforts to renew ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapse, Netanyahu chooses bloodshed over peace

Efforts to renew a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas have collapsed, reigniting intense fighting across Gaza. In a televised address on Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a renewed military push, emphasizing that Israel would continue the offensive “until victory” despite the heavy toll.

The escalation follows Hamas’ rejection of an Israeli offer for a temporary truce. Instead, Hamas is demanding a permanent end to the war in exchange for the release of the 59 remaining hostages, a stance Israel has so far refused to accept. With no compromise in sight, Palestinian health officials report that over 90 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in the past 48 hours alone, including 50 on Saturday.

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Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has continued to worsen. Israeli forces have seized additional territory and ordered mass evacuations, raising fears among Palestinians of permanent displacement. Since the collapse of the last ceasefire in March, more than 1,600 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The hostage crisis remains a painful and unresolved aspect of the conflict. Hamas announced it had recovered the body of a guard holding Edan Alexander, a U.S.-Israeli dual citizen, whose fate now remains unclear. A recent video released by Hamas showed another hostage, Elkana Bohbot, pleading for help, intensifying pressure on the Israeli government from the families of those still held captive.

Adding to the regional complexity, indirect talks between U.S. and Iranian officials have resumed, aiming to develop a framework to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons while allowing peaceful nuclear development. Netanyahu, however, reiterated in his speech that Israel remains committed to countering Iranian nuclear ambitions.

As the war drags on, the cost continues to mount: more than 51,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since the conflict began after Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel. In that initial assault, 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 hostages were taken, triggering a war that shows little sign of ending.

The growing bloodshed, combined with the impasse over hostages and ceasefire terms, has deepened despair on both sides, leaving civilians in Gaza and families of the Israeli captives trapped in a cycle of fear and uncertainty.