By Parrot Newspaper 
Hamas and Israel Resume Negotiations Amid Escalating Gaza Offensive
Doha, Qatar – May 17, 2025
Hamas has announced the start of a new round of negotiations aimed at ending the war in Gaza, just hours after Israel launched a major military offensive in the besieged enclave.
Taher al-Nounou, an adviser to Hamas’ political leader, confirmed to the BBC that talks officially began in Doha on Saturday, with no preconditions from either side. “All issues are on the table,” he said.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz acknowledged the resumption of indirect talks in Qatar, framing Hamas’ return to negotiations as a shift from its previous hardline stance. “This is a departure from the recalcitrant position they had taken up until now,” Katz stated.
The diplomatic push comes as Israel escalates its military campaign in Gaza. The Israeli military announced the launch of “Operation Gideon’s Chariot”—a reference to the biblical warrior—with the stated goals of seizing strategic territory, rescuing hostages, and dismantling Hamas’ control.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said troops had struck over 150 targets in Gaza within 24 hours and vowed to continue operations “until Hamas is no longer a threat and all our hostages are home.”
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The offensive has intensified an already dire humanitarian situation. Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense reported around 250 Palestinian deaths since Thursday, while local health authorities cited by Reuters put the toll at 146 in the past day alone, with many more wounded.
Aid workers warn that evacuation orders for northern and central Gaza are nearly impossible to follow, as many residents have already been displaced multiple times during the seven-month conflict.
Israel imposed a near-total aid blockade in March after a two-month ceasefire collapsed. U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently concluded a Middle East tour, acknowledged the crisis on Friday, stating that “a lot of people were starving” in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s Strategy Faces Scrutiny
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had signaled plans for a large-scale ground operation, delaying it only until Trump’s regional visit concluded. Analysts suggest the offensive risks further isolating Israel globally while deepening domestic divisions over the war’s objectives.
As talks continue in Doha, the international community watches closely—hoping for a breakthrough even as violence surges on the ground.
Hamas and Israel Resume Negotiations
Reporting by Ricky Awodi; Additional sources: BBC, Reuters, The Times of Israel)