Western Allies Warn Israel Over Gaza Offensive as Fragile Talks Resume in Doha

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Western Allies Warn Israel Over Gaza Offensive as Fragile Talks Resume in Doha

 

Israel has launched a new and intense ground offensive in Gaza just as former U.S. President Donald Trump left the region without securing a ceasefire or hostage agreement. The Israeli military announced it had moved into both northern and southern Gaza as part of “Gideon’s Chariots,” a campaign Israel had previously warned would proceed if Hamas refused to accept a hostage deal on Israeli terms.

 

This military push follows days of relentless airstrikes that, according to Gaza health officials, have decimated families across the enclave. Under increasing pressure from international allies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to allow a limited amount of food into Gaza. On Monday, five aid trucks entered the area, approved by the Israeli agency overseeing humanitarian shipments. But UN aid chief Tom Fletcher dismissed the gesture as insufficient, calling it “limited” and a mere “drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.”

 

In response to the escalating violence, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada issued a stark warning to Israel on Monday. The three nations said they are prepared to implement “concrete actions,” including targeted sanctions, unless Israel halts its renewed military campaign and ensures unrestricted aid flows into Gaza.

 

As the conflict intensifies, indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel resumed over the weekend in Doha, Qatar. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed the offensive was the pressure point that compelled Hamas back to the negotiating table. However, analysts suggest it was more likely Trump’s Middle East visit that encouraged Hamas to reengage in talks.

 

Taher Al-Nunu, a senior Hamas official, confirmed on Saturday that “negotiations without preconditions” had begun in Doha, according to statements broadcast on Hamas-run Al Aqsa TV. Yet, despite the resumption of dialogue, progress appears murky. On Sunday, Israel indicated a potential willingness to end the war if Hamas agrees to surrender—an outcome many believe Hamas will never accept, especially while Israel maintains its demand for the group to disarm.

 

Adding to the confusion, Hamas has sent mixed signals regarding the negotiations. On Sunday, one senior Hamas figure told CNN that the group had agreed to release between seven and nine Israeli hostages in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 300 Palestinian prisoners. But just hours later, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri contradicted that account. In a statement posted on Al-Aqsa TV’s Telegram channel, he declared, “There is no truth to the rumors regarding the movement’s agreement to release nine Israeli prisoners in exchange for a two-month ceasefire.”

 

Zuhri elaborated on Hamas’ stance, saying, “We are ready to release the prisoners all at once, provided the occupation commits to a cessation of hostilities under international guarantees, and we will not hand over the occupation’s prisoners as long as it insists on continuing its aggression against Gaza indefinitely.”

 

With international pressure mounting, the situation remains fluid, and the prospects for a sustainable ceasefire are as uncertain as ever.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from CNN  2025-05-20

 

 

[stevenl]

Nothing will come of 'concrete sanctions' until gaza has been emptied. Next goal is the erst bank .

[scorecard]

9 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Nothing will come of 'concrete sanctions' until gaza has been emptied. Next goal is the erst bank .

What do you mean 'gaza has been emptied'?

[Yagoda]

Trump will tell Benny what to do when appropriate.

[scorecard]

58 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Trump will tell Benny what to do when appropriate.

Is Benny Benjamin Netanyahu?