Hunger and disease continue to stalk Palestinians in Gaza, and aid organizations are warning that children are at greatest risk of starvation. The latest dire warnings come as Israeli attacks have forced the population into an increasingly confined area and aid deliveries have all but halted.
In March, the collapse of a temporary truce that had begun in January marked the start of a new and deadly phase of the conflict, as Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza. Despite pressure from President Trump on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a new ceasefire, negotiations have so far stalled.
U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Italy this week to meet with officials from Israel and Qatar to try to broker a new ceasefire that would halt the fighting that began with the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel led by Gaza-based fighters of Hamas, who killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 251 others. The January truce was meant to facilitate the return of the remaining 50 Israeli hostages, fewer than half of whom are still believed alive.
On Thursday, however, Witkoff posted on X that U.S. team members were returning from Qatar, which has hosted the talks, because the response from Hamas "clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza."
This week, some 100 aid and human rights groups warned that Gaza is at risk of "mass starvation."
Here is a brief summary of the situation in Gaza, which includes reporting from NPR's Anas Baba in Gaza City:
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