حماس: إسرائيل تتلكأ.. واتصالات بشأن هدنة غزة

A Hamas official revealed that communications with intermediaries have intensified regarding reaching an agreement for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in Gaza, accusing Israel of "continuing to procrastinate."

The media advisor to the head of Hamas, Taher al-Nounou, stated today (Wednesday) that communications with intermediaries in Egypt and Qatar have not stopped and have intensified in recent hours, adding that Hamas welcomes any sincere efforts to stop the war and reach an agreement.

Al-Nounou emphasized that Hamas wants an agreement based on a comprehensive deal that achieves a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces from the Gaza Strip, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange deal.

These statements coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that an agreement is close in the besieged Gaza Strip. Trump linked the strike on Iran to the Gaza deal, considering that it would help in the release of hostages, pointing to progress being made on this issue.

Meanwhile, 41 Palestinians were killed in Gaza today, including 14 waiting for aid, at the hands of the occupying forces amid ongoing airstrikes on various areas of the Strip and targeting its infrastructure.

Israel resumed its war on Gaza following the collapse of the fragile truce last March. Its forces have advanced into many areas of the Strip, especially in the south, and have called for the evacuation of large areas in the north.

It vowed to remain in Gaza and not withdraw from the new areas it has controlled since last March, imposing a suffocating blockade and preventing the entry of food and medical aid.

The humanitarian crisis in the devastated Palestinian territory has worsened, amid UN warnings and calls for the need to open crossings and allow food in.

For its part, the Israeli army announced today the death of 7 of its soldiers during an attack with an explosive device in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. The army published the names of 6 soldiers, while refraining from releasing the name of the seventh, stating that they were killed as a result of an explosion of an explosive device in an armored vehicle they were traveling in. It said that the seven soldiers were serving in the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion.

According to a preliminary investigation conducted by the Israeli army, a Palestinian planted a bomb in a Puma armored vehicle, which the soldiers were in while driving in Khan Younis, and the explosion ignited the vehicle, with attempts to extinguish the fire failing.

The army stated that "all the soldiers inside it died as a result of the explosion and fire, while the remains of the burned vehicle were later pulled out of Gaza."