In a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict, an Israeli airstrike has killed Ismail Barhoum, a senior Hamas political leader, during a strike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. The attack, which took place over the weekend, also killed several civilians, including women and children. The Israeli military says the strike was part of a targeted operation against high-ranking members of Hamas’ political and logistical network.
The Gaza Health Ministry now reports that the total death toll in the enclave has surpassed 50,000 Palestinians since the war began in October 2023. The milestone highlights the immense human cost of the war, which has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents and severe damage to civilian infrastructure.
Barhoum, who was reportedly under U.S. sanctions, was receiving medical treatment at the time of the airstrike. The blast ignited a fire in the hospital, which caused further casualties and panic among patients and staff. While Israel claims it acted on verified intelligence to minimize civilian harm, international observers and humanitarian groups have condemned the strike as a violation of international law, especially given the protected status of hospitals in conflict zones.
In response to the worsening violence, Egypt has introduced a new ceasefire proposal aimed at restarting negotiations between Israel and Hamas. The framework reportedly calls for Hamas to release five hostages weekly, in exchange for Israel agreeing to move forward with the second phase of the previous ceasefire deal, which would include partial troop withdrawals and increased humanitarian aid. While both Hamas and the U.S. have reportedly agreed to the proposal in principle, the Israeli government has yet to issue a formal response.
This follows the collapse of the fragile ceasefire reached in January 2025. That agreement, structured in three phases, aimed to secure a lasting cessation of hostilities, begin reconstruction, and facilitate prisoner and hostage exchanges. However, talks broke down earlier this month when Israel accused Hamas of violating the terms and resumed a surprise aerial campaign on March 18.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains that the military campaign will continue until Hamas is dismantled as a governing and military force in Gaza. Israeli officials say targeting senior political figures is essential to achieving that goal, even if they are not directly involved in battlefield operations. Critics argue that such strikes deepen the humanitarian crisis and risk derailing diplomatic progress.
With mounting civilian deaths and dwindling supplies of food, medicine, and fuel in Gaza, global pressure is intensifying for a sustainable truce. Egypt, Qatar, and the United States remain active in shuttle diplomacy, seeking a resolution to what has become one of the most devastating conflicts in the region’s modern history.
Sources:
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-airstrike-kills-hamas-political-leader-southern-gaza-hamas-media-report-2025-03-22
- https://www.euronews.com/2025/03/23/israeli-strikes-kill-19-in-gaza-including-senior-hamas-political-leader
- https://nypost.com/2025/03/23/world-news/israeli-airstrike-on-gaza-hospital-kills-hamas-official-under-us-sanctions
- https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/egypt-makes-new-proposal-restore-gaza-ceasefire-deal-between-israel-hamas-2025-03-24
- https://apnews.com/article/373f418f4658f943e34738fd4e9f490f
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Gaza_war_ceasefire
- https://youtu.be/WGvD8Y1JWNw
- https://youtu.be/cV7El5_WnlU
- https://youtu.be/O8O-qwn1yAI
- https://youtu.be/k9kYYQMfRWk
