A senior Hamas official has told the BBC that mediators have stepped up efforts to broker a new ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza. However, direct negotiations with Israel remain deadlocked, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent claims of “great progress.”

Trump, speaking in Brussels, credited U.S. airstrikes on Iran for advancing diplomatic efforts. He said his envoy, Steve Witkoff, believed a deal between Israel and Hamas was “very close.” But the Hamas official noted that no new proposals had been received yet, and an Israeli source told Haaretz that no meaningful progress had been made.

Deadly Strikes Amid Talks

Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday killed at least 45 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Several of those killed were reportedly waiting for humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, the Israeli military confirmed that seven soldiers were killed in a Hamas bombing attack in southern Gaza the previous day.

The situation remains tense despite the end of the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Over 860 Palestinians were killed during that conflict, which further complicated the situation in Gaza.

Aid Crisis and Controversial Distribution

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has deepened. Since March, Israel has imposed a near-total blockade on aid, only partially easing restrictions after international pressure. A new U.S.- and Israel-backed aid mechanism, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has taken over distribution, claiming to have delivered more than 44 million meals.

However, the UN and other humanitarian organizations have refused to cooperate with GHF, accusing it of operating inside Israeli military zones and compromising humanitarian neutrality. Reports say that at least 549 people have been killed and 4,000 injured while trying to access aid since GHF began operations in May.

Eyewitnesses and local officials report regular shootings near aid distribution points. In one incident on Wednesday, six people were reportedly killed by Israeli fire near a GHF site in central Gaza, with three more killed in Rafah. Israel denies knowledge of these incidents; GHF called the reports false.

Civilian Hardships and Local Voices

In Gaza City, funerals were held for civilians killed while trying to collect food. “These aid points are not aid points, they are death points,” one mourner told Reuters.

UNICEF spokesman James Elder echoed concerns, saying the population is facing a “lethal choice” between starvation and risking death to access food.

In central Gaza, airstrikes on homes in Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah killed at least 11 more people, including a child, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence.

Uncertain Ceasefire Prospects

Past efforts to reach a truce, including a U.S. proposal in May backed by Israel, broke down when Hamas sought significant changes. Israel resumed its military campaign in mid-March to increase pressure for hostage releases. About 50 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 20 believed to be alive.

Some Gazans believe that Iran’s weakened position after the war could pressure Hamas into moderating its stance. Others worry Israel will now intensify its focus on Gaza.

“The bombing intensified, the damage increased,” said Khan Younis resident Nader Ramadan. “We only felt the destruction.”

Adel Abu Reda expressed frustration at the aid situation: “We feel the shooting and the killing all the time.”

Mounting Pressure in Israel

In Israel, the loss of seven soldiers in Gaza has heightened calls for a ceasefire. An ultra-Orthodox party leader in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition questioned the purpose of the continued war.

“I don’t understand what we’re fighting for when soldiers are being killed all the time,” said Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism.

The ongoing campaign began after Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports over 56,000 Palestinians have been killed.