Articles in this Cluster
18-05-2025
Hamas, via Qatari and US mediators in Doha, proposed releasing nine hostages in exchange for a 60-day truce, the release of Palestinian prisoners, 400 aid trucks daily, and medical evacuations from Gaza. Israel has demanded proof of life and full details on remaining hostages and has not publicly responded, while maintaining it will not withdraw troops or end the war. The talks came as Israel launched a major new offensive, “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” with heavy strikes across Gaza that rescuers say have killed at least 300 since Thursday amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. UN officials and European leaders condemned the escalation and called for a ceasefire. The conflict stems from Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, after which Israel began its campaign; Hamas is believed to still hold 58 hostages.
Entities: Hamas, Israel, Doha, Qatar, United States • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
18-05-2025
BBC interviews across Gaza depict severe hunger and scarcity under Israel’s more than 10-week blockade, with families often missing daily meals and aid deliveries frequently halted. Food kitchens are closing for lack of supplies; remaining market goods are prohibitively expensive. People describe extreme coping measures—like turning overcooked pasta into makeshift bread—and persistent dizziness and fatigue from malnutrition. Hospitals face strikes and critical shortages, forcing service shutdowns and relocations; staff continue working despite danger. Israel claims no food shortage and blames Hamas for looting aid, framing restrictions as pressure to free hostages. A proposed US plan to deliver aid via private companies with Israeli security has drawn UN criticism for “weaponising” assistance. Parents report children going to sleep hungry, capturing the deepening humanitarian crisis and warnings of imminent famine.
Entities: Gaza, BBC, Israel, Hamas, United Nations • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
18-05-2025
Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza, dubbed Operation Gideon Chariots, aiming to pressure Hamas into releasing remaining hostages while indirect talks continue in Doha with Qatari, Egyptian, and U.S. mediation. Israeli strikes have intensified across the Strip, with the IDF vowing to continue until hostages are freed and Hamas dismantled. Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens amid a months-long blockade, with UN agencies warning of imminent famine and severe shortages; Israel denies starvation claims, saying pressure targets Hamas. Over 150 Palestinians were reportedly killed in the last 24 hours, and total Palestinian deaths have surpassed 53,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. U.S. officials, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are engaged in efforts to secure a ceasefire-hostage deal. The conflict began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 in Israel and led to 251 hostages being taken.
Entities: Israel, Hamas, Gaza, Operation Gideon Chariots, IDF • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
18-05-2025
During a Middle East trip, President Trump said the U.S. would address the crisis in Gaza, noting “a lot of people are starving,” aligning with aid agencies’ warnings amid Israel’s months-long blockade. UN bodies report severe shortages and widespread malnutrition, including thousands of children; a six-year-old girl highlighted weighs just 13 pounds. Gaza authorities said at least 50 people were killed in Israeli strikes Friday, as Israel reportedly steps up operations in the north, while UNICEF condemned escalating child deaths. Qatar, involved in ceasefire mediation, and families of remaining Israeli hostages urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to pursue a deal, warning intensified attacks endanger captives. Israel maintains it targets Hamas and vows to continue until Hamas is defeated, hostages are freed, and Gaza no longer threatens Israel.
Entities: Donald Trump, Gaza, Israel, Hamas, UNICEF • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
18-05-2025
Israel launched a major ground operation across northern and southern Gaza alongside intensified airstrikes that Gaza health officials say killed over 100 people overnight and knocked out the last functioning hospital in the north. The campaign, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots,” aims to free hostages and defeat Hamas, with the IDF saying it will expand control, segment territory, and move civilians for “protection,” while allowing limited food aid to avert famine. Indirect ceasefire talks resumed in Doha amid mixed signals from Hamas: one leader floated a swap of 7–9 hostages for a 60-day truce and 300 Palestinian prisoners, which another Hamas official then denied, insisting all hostages could be released only with guaranteed end to the war. Israel indicated readiness to end the war if Hamas surrenders. Mediators from the US, Qatar, and Egypt are pushing renewed negotiations following US President Donald Trump’s visit to Doha, though his comments about making Gaza a US-led “freedom zone” drew attention. Aid groups warn civilians are bearing the brunt: over 300 killed and 1,000 injured since Thursday, entire families reported dead, and multiple hospitals struck or besieged, with all public hospitals in northern Gaza now out of service and famine risk rising.
Entities: Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Gaza, Hamas, Gideon’s Chariots, Doha • Tone: urgent • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
18-05-2025
Sky News reports a major escalation of Israel’s Gaza offensive, with the IDF conducting extensive strikes—over 150 targets in 24 hours—and mobilizing for broader operations. The intensified bombardment, particularly in northern Gaza around Jabalia and the Indonesian Hospital, has killed more than 250 people since Thursday, including a nurse and his family. Israeli officials frame the strikes as preparation for “Operation Gideon Chariot,” a plan to capture all of Gaza and push the population into a smaller southern enclave if no hostage deal is reached. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said Gaza would be “entirely destroyed” and many residents would depart to third countries. Amid a blockade on food, fuel, and water since 2 March and UN warnings of famine, Israel and a US-backed nonprofit propose militarized aid hubs run by private contractors; the UN condemns the plan as weaponizing aid and refuses participation. Satellite analysis shows large-scale destruction, with about two-thirds of Rafah’s built-up area reduced to rubble.
Entities: Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Gaza, Jabalia, Indonesian Hospital, Operation Gideon Chariot • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
18-05-2025
Israel and Hamas have resumed ceasefire talks in Doha amid intensified Israeli airstrikes and preparations for a major ground offensive in Gaza. Israel warned operations will continue if negotiations stall, while Hamas said discussions are proceeding without preconditions and pledged to work with mediators. Over 150 people were reportedly killed in Gaza in the past 24 hours, as Israel mobilizes forces under “Operation Gideon Chariot” to defeat Hamas and secure hostages. The talks follow US President Trump’s regional visit and the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander. Arab League leaders said they are seeking a ceasefire and plan to support Gaza’s reconstruction. Israel’s campaign, launched after Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, has resulted in more than 53,000 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Entities: Israel, Hamas, Doha, Gaza, Operation Gideon Chariot • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
18-05-2025
Israel announced expanded ground operations across northern and southern Gaza to pressure Hamas amid indirect cease-fire talks in Qatar. While intensifying airstrikes and committing five divisions to the campaign, Israel said it would allow a “basic quantity of food” into Gaza after an 11-week halt, citing operational needs and famine concerns. Details on aid delivery and the scope of the offensive remain unclear; forces have not yet entered central Gaza City or Khan Younis. Israel says it has struck hundreds of Hamas targets and killed “dozens” of operatives, while Palestinian officials report significant civilian casualties and over 53,000 deaths since the war began. Netanyahu signaled his team can discuss a broader deal to end the war but reiterated conditions: release of all hostages, removal of Hamas from Gaza, and demilitarization—terms Hamas rejects. Both sides face U.S. pressure as talks continue and military actions escalate.
Entities: Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu, Qatar • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
