Trump's envoys meet mediators, Israel strikes Gaza

On Sunday, August 16, Donald Trump's envoys convened with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators in Cairo, according to a diplomatic source. The meetings aimed to advance the US president's Gaza peace plan. Hamas officials attended some of these discussions, alongside Trump's envoy, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov.

A senior Israeli official revealed that Kushner and Mladenov were scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Netanyahu had previously dismissed Trump's latest roadmap for Gaza peace as "unacceptable" on August 9. Israel remains wary of Washington's demand to cease targeted assassinations of Hamas militants in Gaza, as the group works to rebuild its forces.

Following a brief lull in airstrikes, Israel resumed attacks in recent days, targeting Islamic Jihad and Hamas militants in Khan Younis and Nuseirat. At least five Palestinians were injured in one airstrike, with one succumbing to their wounds later at Nasser Hospital. Another airstrike in Nuseirat camp wounded several people.

Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya met with Egypt's intelligence chief in Cairo, with Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem stating Al-Hayya would inform mediators about Israel's ceasefire violations. Trump announced a breakthrough in his plan to end the war in Gaza last month, but Hamas agreed to the plan only if Israel met its commitments, including troop withdrawal and attack cessation.

Five Arab countries, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia denounced Israel's rejection of the plan, arguing it jeopardizes Trump's efforts to end the war. Netanyahu's Likud party accused Arab countries of attempting to topple him to benefit his political rivals. Hamas urged mediators and the Board of Peace to pressure Israel to comply with the first phase of the peace plan, requesting that Israel halt violations and approve the roadmap for the second phase.

Since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed over 1,250 Palestinians in Gaza, with four Israeli soldiers losing their lives in the same period.