Hamas Insists on Existing Gaza Truce Deal Amid Continued Strikes

Hamas remains firm on its demand for Gaza truce talks to focus on an already discussed deal, rejecting new negotiations. This comes as Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 19 Palestinians. The U.S. still expects peace talks to proceed, while Israel and Hamas continue to clash in several areas.

Hamas is maintaining its stance that Gaza truce discussions should center on a previously discussed agreement with Israel and mediators, rather than initiating new negotiations, an official stated on Tuesday after Israeli airstrikes resulted in at least 19 Palestinian deaths in the enclave.

The U.S. announced on Monday that it anticipated peace talks scheduled for Thursday to proceed as planned, and indicated that a ceasefire agreement remained possible. Axios reported that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken would embark on a trip to Qatar, Egypt, and Israel on Tuesday for talks. Israel confirmed it would send a delegation to Thursday's discussions, but Hamas, the Palestinian militant faction controlling Gaza prior to the war, insisted on a practical plan to enforce a previously accepted proposal, rather than additional talks.

A Hamas official told Reuters that a CNN report claiming the group intended to attend Thursday's talks was inaccurate. "Our previous statement was clear: what is needed is implementation, not further negotiation," said the unnamed official. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday killed 19 Palestinians in the central and southern Gaza Strip, according to medics.

One airstrike in Deir Al-Balah resulted in six fatalities, including a mother and her four-day-old twin babies, while seven other Palestinians were killed in a strike on a house in the nearby Al-Bureij camp. Four people perished in separate strikes on the Al-Maghazi camp and Rafah, with two more deaths in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, medics reported.

Israeli military forces, along with the armed wings of Islamic Jihad and Hamas, have been engaging in combat across multiple regions, 10 months into a war that has seen nearly 40,000 Palestinian casualties. The Israeli military reported the elimination of Palestinian gunmen, dismantling of military infrastructure in Khan Younis, discovery of weapons and explosives in Rafah, and targeting of rocket launchers and sniper positions in central Gaza.

A ceasefire agreement aims to halt hostilities in Gaza, securing the release of Israeli hostages held in the enclave, in exchange for numerous Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. While Hamas seeks to conclude the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserts it will only end with Hamas's eradication.

In Deir Al-Balah, one of Gaza's most densely populated areas with hundreds of thousands of displaced residents, many are desperate for a truce. "Enough, we can no longer endure the war, hunger and repeated displacement," said Ghada, a mother of six who recently had to leave her tent in Khan Younis due to new Israeli evacuation orders.

"I hope this time they achieve a ceasefire. If not, I don't know how much longer we can survive," she told Reuters via a chat app. An unprecedented Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities surrounding Gaza on Oct. 7 resulted in around 1,200 fatalities and more than 250 people being taken captive in Gaza, making it one of the most significant assaults on Israel in its history.

In retaliation, Israeli forces have demolished much of Gaza, displaced the majority of its population, and resulted in approximately 40,000 deaths, according to the Palestinian health ministry, in a war that has drawn global condemnation. Israel reports over 300 soldier casualties. (Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

(With inputs from agencies.)