The death toll from Israel's war on the Gaza Strip continues to rise as heavy military operations persist, with political negotiations stalled and international pressure mounting to halt the fighting. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported on Sunday that 79 Palestinians were killed and 379 wounded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths since hostilities resumed on March 18 to 13,137, with 56,121 injured. Overall, the toll since the war began in October 2023 has reached around 66,005 killed and 168,162 wounded. Palestinian authorities describe the conflict as a "war of extermination." Hamas announced that talks with mediators have been frozen since an assassination attempt targeted its leadership delegation in Doha on September 9. The group said it has not received any new ceasefire proposals but remains prepared to "positively and responsibly" consider any initiative that safeguards the "national rights of the Palestinian people." Diplomatic sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan have introduced amendments to the U.S. ceasefire proposal. These include a phased and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the deployment of international forces along the border, and the formation of a Palestinian technocratic administration tied to the Palestinian Authority, rather than an international governing body. Saudi Arabia renewed its call on the international community to "end the tragedy" in Gaza and "deter Israel." Speaking before the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan warned that "the international community's failure to take decisive action to stop Israeli violations will only contribute to destabilizing regional and global security." On the battlefield, Hamas's military wing, the Qassam Brigades, said contact had been lost with two Israeli captives following "intense bombardment" in Gaza City's Al-Sabra and Tel Al-Hawa neighborhoods. The group warned that the captives' lives were "in real danger" and demanded that Israeli forces withdraw south of Street 8 and suspend air operations for 24 hours to allow a rescue attempt. In New York, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said his country was ready "to build on President Trump's vision" to end the war and secure the release of Israeli captives. He cautioned that "the situation in the Middle East is on the brink of explosion" and stressed that "Israel cannot enjoy security unless the region does." He also reiterated Cairo's firm opposition to any plans for the forced displacement of Palestinians. In Washington, US Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News that "complex talks" were underway with Israeli participation, noting that Washington aims to deliver humanitarian aid to "the many innocent civilians" in Gaza while ensuring Hamas no longer poses "a terrorist threat to Israel." President Donald Trump voiced optimism about a potential breakthrough, declaring there is "a real opportunity for great achievements in the Middle East," without providing details. "Everyone is ready for something special," he wrote on his Truth Social platform, "something we will achieve for the first time ever."
