Middle East crisis

Gaza War
Foreign Minister: Majority Wants Ceasefire – Take the Chance!

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says that a “vast majority” of both parliament and the population support a ceasefire with Hamas and an agreement on the release of hostages. This is reported by the Times of Israel.

“If there is a chance – take it!” Sa’ar writes on X.

Hamas representatives are expected to hear a ceasefire proposal during a meeting in Egypt later today. According to Donald Trump, Israel has approved a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire.

The Times of Israel writes that Sa’ar’s statement is a sign that pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a deal with Hamas is increasing.

Hamas: Ready for a ceasefire – if it ends the war

Hamas is ready to sign a ceasefire agreement with Israel, but only if it leads to a “complete end to the war”. This is according to the AP, according to Taher al-Nunu, the spokesman for the terrorist organization.

Donald Trump wrote overnight on Truth Social that Israel had accepted a mediation offer for a 60-day ceasefire, and urged Hamas to do the same.

Representatives for Hamas are expected to meet mediators from Egypt and Qatar in Cairo on Wednesday.

The terms of the proposal are still unclear.

The Guardian: Israel used heavy bomb on cafe – may constitute war crime

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) used a 230-kilogram bomb in Monday's attack on a beach cafe in Gaza that killed about 30 people, according to evidence seen by The Guardian.

Among the dead are women, children and a well-known local filmmaker, according to Hamas-controlled authorities. The IDF says it is investigating the incident and that it used aerial surveillance to limit the number of civilian casualties.

The Geneva Conventions prohibit military attacks that kill civilians disproportionately to the military gain. Two international law experts told the newspaper that it is difficult to see how that requirement has been met.

“When you see a situation where heavy ammunition is used, particularly in a densely populated civilian area, even with the best targeting system in the world, it will inevitably lead to an indiscriminate result that is not consistent with the Geneva Conventions,” said Andrew Forde, professor of humanitarian law at University College Dublin.