Gaza endured another devastating dawn on Wednesday as Israeli warplanes launched one of the heaviest bombardments since the conflict began on October 7, 2023. Airstrikes targeted multiple areas across both northern and southern Gaza, killing at least 70 Palestinians and injuring over 100, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. Gaza's Ministry of Health later confirmed the toll, raising the cumulative number of casualties to 52,928 dead and 119,846 wounded since the onset of the war.
Despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire, prospects for a lasting truce remain bleak. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that negotiations with Hamas would continue "under fire," indicating no pause in military operations.
Nevertheless, Egyptian diplomatic sources told *Al-Araby Al-Jadeed* that new ceasefire talks are expected within hours. These negotiations aim to establish a temporary truce to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid and lay the groundwork for broader discussions on prisoner exchanges, the governance of post-war Gaza, and long-term reconstruction.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu signaled conditional openness to a short-term ceasefire, but insisted Israel would "continue the mission" to dismantle Hamas's military and administrative capabilities.
According to CNN, a senior Israeli delegation is currently in Doha, participating in indirect ceasefire talks with U.S. special envoy Steve Wietkoff and hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler. Israeli media reported that the delegation will remain in Qatar through at least Thursday, coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the region.
In a joint announcement, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said Washington and Riyadh had agreed on the need to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all Israeli hostages—reflecting a growing regional consensus in favor of de-escalation.
In a rare public rebuke, President Trump condemned Israel's conduct during a speech in Riyadh on Tuesday, stating, "The way the people of Gaza are being treated is unparalleled." He added that Gazans "deserve a better future" and pledged to work toward ending the war and securing the return of hostages.
Trump's remarks signaled a notable shift in tone from previous U.S. administrations and echoed a surge in international frustration over the scale of destruction and civilian suffering.
French President Emmanuel Macron also criticized Israel's actions, calling them "shameful and unacceptable" and describing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as the worst since the war's onset. While stopping short of labeling the situation a genocide, Macron stated that such classifications are "for historians, not presidents."
Netanyahu responded sharply, accusing Macron of siding with Hamas and reiterating that Israel's objectives remain unchanged: securing the release of hostages, eliminating Hamas's military infrastructure, and ensuring Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.
In a poignant cultural moment, French actress Juliette Binoche, presiding over the jury at the Cannes Film Festival, paid tribute on Tuesday to Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in April. Hassouna's story is featured in a documentary screening at the festival.
"Fatima should have been with us tonight," Binoche said during the opening ceremony. "Art endures—it bears witness to our lives and dreams." She also honored the suffering of hostages, prisoners, and refugees, noting that many are "facing horror and a terrifying sense of abandonment."
