Israel and Hamas have confirmed that new Gaza truce negotiations are underway in Qatar as the Israeli military expands its ground offensive on the besieged Palestinian territory despite international calls for a ceasefire.
Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement on Saturday that the Hamas delegation in Doha returned to negotiations “with the hostage agreement”.
Katz said Israel has no conditions to attend the talks.
Hamas-led media adviser Taher al-Nono confirmed to Reuters that new indirect negotiations have begun without any conditions.
He added: "The Hamas delegation outlined the position of the group and the need to end the war, swap prisoners, Israel evacuated from Gaza and allowed humanitarian aid and all the needs of the Gaza people to re-enter the streets."
At least 54 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Saturday, and Israel launched a new attack in Gaza, medical sources told Al Jazeera.
Israel's military said on social media that it was intensifying the attack and putting "tremendous pressure" on Hamas throughout Gaza, not stopping until the prisoners return and demolish the armed groups. Kaz said the Gideon Chariot Operation was headed by “a huge force.”
After Israel escalated air strikes on Gaza, killing hundreds of Palestinians in the past three days. Many victims have been killed in northern Gaza, including Beit Lahiya and Jabalia, and Israeli troops have received orders for forced displacement in recent days.
Hamas demanded the international community to impose sanctions on Israel as leaders of the Arab League held a Gaza-focused summit in Baghdad, Iraq and called for international funding to rebuild Gaza.
In a statement on its telegram channel, armed groups described the situation in Gaza as “a mature genocide committed in the eyes of a helpless world, and more than two hundred people were slaughtered in the surrounded zone.”
The group also reported continuing to fight invading Israeli forces, claiming on Saturday that its fighters killed two Israeli soldiers using machine guns near Shujayea, Gaza city in the northern part of the enclave.
UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "shocked" by Israel's move to expand ground operations in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Tom Fletcher, head of UN relief, said the joint plan of the United States and Israel to replace Gaza's international aid mechanism is a "waste of time" because more than 160,000 pallets of aid were prepared to "move" at the border, but was blocked by Israel.
Despite this, Washington remains firmly supportive of Israel, and Trump said on Friday that Gaza must become a "free zone."
Last week, Hamas released Israel-U.S. soldier Edan Alexander, who joined the remaining captive family in Gaza to call for the release of all people still held in Palestinian territory.