Hamas delegation heads to Cairo as Israeli airstrikes kill 26 in Gaza

A Hamas delegation has departed for Cairo to engage in discussions aimed at finding "new ideas" for a potential ceasefire, following a series of deadly airstrikes by Israel in Gaza.

The strikes on Tuesday resulted in at least 26 deaths, as reported by rescue teams.

These fresh efforts for peace talks come after Hamas rejected Israel’s proposal last week concerning the release of hostages held in Gaza.

The talks in Cairo are expected to involve high-level meetings with Egyptian officials.

Hamas's chief negotiator, Khalil Al-Hayya, is leading the delegation to explore options for a ceasefire.

However, prior diplomatic efforts have struggled to yield results, with negotiations stalling since Israel resumed its military offensive on March 18, which followed a two-month ceasefire period.

The diplomatic push is also influenced by recent statements from the new U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who urged Hamas to accept a deal that would facilitate the release of hostages in exchange for humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

In a video message, Huckabee emphasized the urgency of the hostages' release, adding that this would allow aid to flow freely without Hamas interfering with it.

Israel, which has long accused Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid for military purposes, blocked all aid to Gaza on March 2, right before its renewed offensive.

The international community has expressed growing concern over the dire situation in Gaza, where hunger and deprivation are worsening.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, called Gaza "a land of desperation," criticizing the use of aid as a weapon of war.

The attempts to broker peace began earlier this year, with Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt facilitating a truce that allowed for aid to reach Gaza, as well as exchanges of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

However, that truce collapsed after Hamas insisted on negotiations for a second phase that would lead to a permanent resolution, while Israel sought only to extend the initial ceasefire.

The situation on the ground remains dire. On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed at least 26 people, with many of the casualties coming from a strike on a house in Khan Yunis.

Eyewitness Ahmad Shourab described the scene, saying, "We found people torn apart. They were all women and children. What do they want from us?"

The airstrikes also targeted infrastructure, including bulldozers and equipment used for rescue operations, which have been crucial in pulling victims from the rubble.

Civil defence officials in Gaza highlighted the severe setbacks this has caused for recovery efforts.

In total, the death toll in Gaza has risen to at least 51,266 since Israel resumed its offensive.

The ongoing violence has deeply affected both sides, with Israel suffering significant casualties from the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which led to the current conflict.