On the 642nd day of the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, military operations and a spiralling humanitarian catastrophe continue to unfold, with Palestinian resistance forces escalating attacks and global concern mounting over Gaza's critical health and food conditions. Despite renewed international calls for a ceasefire, negotiations remain deadlocked. The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) declared that Gaza "will not surrender," vowing that the resistance will "set the terms" as it has shaped battlefield dynamics in the past. Senior Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq asserted that the release of Israeli captives will only occur through a "serious deal" negotiated with the resistance. In Washington, US President Donald Trump called the situation in Gaza "tragic" and urged an immediate end to the conflict. Meanwhile, White House Middle East envoy Steven Witkoff expressed cautious optimism that a ceasefire agreement could be reached by the end of the week. On the ground, Palestinian factions continue targeting Israeli forces inside Gaza. The Al-Qassam Brigades announced it had struck an Israeli D9 bulldozer with an explosive device in the Ma'an area south of Khan Younis, while the Al-Quds Brigades claimed to have sniped an Israeli soldier in the Tuffah neighbourhood of eastern Gaza City. According to Haaretz, 62 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of 2025. The outlet also noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to visit the families of any fallen soldiers. Other Israeli media reported the death of a civilian collaborator working with the army in northern Gaza. As the war rages, Gaza's humanitarian crisis has worsened dramatically. Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) reported a sixfold increase in the mortality rate of infants under one month old compared to pre-October 7, 2023 figures. Neonatal wards are overwhelmed, with severely malnourished babies and a crippling shortage of medical supplies amid crumbling infrastructure. The Gaza Ministry of Health said 105 Palestinians were killed and 530 injured over the past 24 hours, raising the total death toll to 57,680, with 137,409 wounded since the war began. The ministry also reported that 773 people have been killed and over 5,100 injured while waiting for humanitarian aid—commonly referred to in Gaza as the "breadline martyrs." UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thamin Khaitan urged Israel to immediately allow fuel and humanitarian aid into Gaza, condemning ongoing airstrikes and gunfire targeting civilians near aid distribution centres. He warned that only a "very limited" quantity of aid is entering the Strip and called on countries with influence over Israel to press for the opening of safe aid corridors. The World Health Organization confirmed that 11 medical supply trucks had reached its warehouses in Gaza for distribution to hospitals. However, the WHO stressed that the need far exceeds current aid levels and called for the unimpeded entry of fuel, food, and medical equipment. Israel's military reported that 883 of its soldiers have been killed and 6,060 wounded since the war began, most of them in operations inside Gaza. The current focus of military activity includes Khan Younis, Gaza City, and the northern Strip, with no indication that the fighting will abate soon. Meanwhile, the UK's Minister for the Middle East expressed concern over Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's reported proposal to relocate Gaza's population to Rafah. The minister warned against any further displacement of Palestinians and emphasised the importance of restoring civilian access to their towns, reiterating the UK's call for a ceasefire and long-term peace.
