Doubts rise over Gaza truce plan as Israel-Hamas battles rage on

Concerns are rising over the proposed Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal announced by U.S. President Joe Biden, as intense fighting continues for a third day since his White House address.

On Friday, Biden introduced an Israeli three-phase plan aimed at ending the conflict, freeing all hostages, and rebuilding Gaza without Hamas in control. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reaffirmed Saturday that Israel will continue its military operations until all its goals are met, including dismantling Hamas’s military and governance structures.

There are doubts about how much Biden’s speech was coordinated with Netanyahu’s team, especially regarding the duration of any truce and the number of hostages to be released. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have called on Hamas and Israel to finalize the agreement based on Biden’s principles.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby expressed confidence that if Hamas agrees to the proposal, Israel would also consent. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised Israel’s plan during a call with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, the conflict shows no signs of abating. On Monday, the Israeli military reported hitting over 50 targets in Gaza within the past day. Gaza hospitals reported at least 19 deaths from overnight strikes.

The conflict began on October 7 with a Hamas attack on southern Israel, resulting in 1,190 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. About 250 hostages were taken, with 120 still held in Gaza. Israel’s subsequent retaliatory strikes have killed at least 36,439 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The fighting is particularly fierce in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, where most civilians have been displaced again, according to U.N. agencies. Airstrikes and artillery shelling continue in Rafah and Gaza City. The Israeli army is conducting targeted operations in Rafah, uncovering terrorist infrastructure and weapons.

The war has sparked intense domestic pressure on Netanyahu from two fronts: hostage families demanding a truce deal and far-right coalition allies threatening to leave the government if he agrees to a ceasefire.

Biden’s proposed plan includes an initial six-week phase with an Israeli troop withdrawal from populated Gaza areas and a hostage-prisoner exchange, followed by negotiations for a lasting ceasefire. Netanyahu, however, insists the stages are conditional to allow Israel to meet its war aims.

Far-right leaders like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir have threatened to leave the government if the truce is accepted. Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid has pledged support for Netanyahu if his coalition partners quit over the deal.

Defense Minister Gallant emphasized that Israel is considering alternatives to Hamas governance in Gaza post-war. The conflict has exacerbated humanitarian conditions in Gaza, with aid deliveries further delayed by Israel’s control of the Rafah crossing.

Cairo has coordinated some aid deliveries through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, though it refuses to work directly with Israel on humanitarian aid through Rafah.