On May 29, 2025, Hamas announced it is carefully considering a new ceasefire proposal put forth by US envoy Steve Witkoff, amid intensified Israeli military operations across the Gaza Strip. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of at least 44 Palestinians, escalating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Efforts to end the 18-month conflict have repeatedly stalled since hostilities resumed in March following a brief ceasefire. Witkoff expressed cautious optimism about presenting a new plan shortly, which Hamas confirmed receiving and is actively reviewing.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. After more than two months of a near-total blockade, aid deliveries have only recently resumed, yet international agencies warn that food insecurity has reached critical levels, with approximately 20% of the population at risk of starvation.
Israeli forces have intensified their campaign targeting Hamas infrastructure. According to Gaza civil defense officials, one airstrike alone in Al-Bureij killed 23 civilians, part of a total of 44 deaths recorded in recent raids. Additional casualties were reported near an American aid center at the southern Morag axis, where gunfire resulted in fatalities and injuries.
This aid center is managed by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), designed to circumvent Hamas control. While Israel supports this mechanism to prevent aid diversion to militants, the United Nations and European Union have voiced concerns that it undermines established UN-led aid efforts.
Many Gazans have described the aid distribution process as chaotic and humiliating. Sobhi Areef, 60, recounted the difficulty of risking personal safety simply to obtain basic food supplies such as flour.
Tensions over aid delivery culminated on May 28 when thousands of starving Palestinians stormed a World Food Programme warehouse in Deir al-Balah, seeking pre-positioned food stores, leading to damage and injuries.
Israel's UN ambassador, Danny Danon, defended the GHF program at a Security Council session, accusing the UN of obstructing efforts by intimidating NGOs cooperating with the foundation. Meanwhile, the UN notes its continued role in facilitating aid through the Kerem Shalom crossing, despite recent injuries during crowd surges at GHF sites.
Local accounts describe vulnerable populations, including elderly and women, struggling in overcrowded aid centers where younger individuals are prioritized due to their ability to carry supplies.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military reported the death of a contractor employee in northern Gaza, alongside strikes on multiple terror targets across the Gaza Strip in the past day.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi condemned Israel’s tactics as systematic starvation measures violating moral and legal norms during discussions with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
The conflict traces back to Hamas's unprecedented October 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths. Of the 251 hostages initially captured by Hamas, 57 remain held in Gaza, with Israel confirming 34 deceased.
Since the end of the most recent ceasefire on March 18, Hamas-run Gaza’s health ministry reports nearly 4,000 fatalities. The overall death toll from the conflict now exceeds 54,000, predominantly civilians.
