TRANSCRIPT
Amidst the misery of war, a little renewed hope for peace.
U-S News website Axios is reporting Israel has offered Hamas a proposal through Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
It reportedly includes a pause in fighting of up to two months as part of a multi-phase deal.
Amongst what would be expected in exchange would be the release of all 130 remaining hostages in Gaza.
It's unknown what the Hamas response is yet, or even the full details of the latest Israeli plan.
But the Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Mailki, is containing calls for a ceasefire - particularly in the wake of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of a two-state solution.
And, attending a meeting of European Foreign Ministers in Brussels, he's demanding those Foreign Ministers call, and work, for one too.
“The collective responsibility of the European Union right now lies in this particular moment at a time when they have to show leadership and courage and really to take the right position. Otherwise, what we have been saying for a long time about double standards will be clearly shown in such case.”
Clearly, this latest chapter in the long-running enmity between Israel and Hamas doesn't just affect Israel and Hamas.
Israel's neighbour Lebanon has been drawn into the conflict at its southern border by Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, who are allies of Hamas.
Speaking in the United States, Lebanon's Caretaker Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, says a cessation of hostilities in Gaza would mean a cessation of any hostilities from within his country, too.
However, he cautions that Israel can't - and knows it can't - treat Hezbollah in Lebanon as ruthlessly as it has Hamas in Gaza.
“Yes, we worry that we are pushed into this war. But this war, and the Israelis know it's not going to be a picnic. I mean, you know, Hezbollah has more means than Hamas and therefore, I mean, it's going to be very difficult. It's going to be costly for everybody.”
Lebanon is hardly the only country to be drawn into the decades-old conflict.
Yemen's capital, Sana'a, has again been lit up by explosions, and the sounds of more air strikes by United States and British forces.
The strikes have been carried out at eight different locations, with support from the Netherlands, Australia, Bahrain, and Canada.
The strikes are aimed at Yemen's Houthi rebels, who control the most-populous parts of the long-war-torn country.
The Iranian-aligned Houthis have disrupted shipping in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinians, sparking fears of more global inflation.
These latest strikes were targeted at what the United States says was a Houthi underground storage site, as well as missile and surveillance capabilities.
Also coming under continued attack, hospitals in Gaza.
Israeli forces have stormed the Al-Khair hospital in southern Gaza near the Mediterranean coast.
Gazan officials claim they arrested medical staff.
Israeli officials says three of their troops were killed in the operation.
Gazan residents say it's the most intense bombardment by Israel of southern Gaza since the latest round of conflict began in October.
The Palestinian Red Crescent says Israeli tanks have surrounded another hospital in Khan Younis, the al-Amal hospital, and it has lost contact with staff there.
It says the Israeli military is stopping ambulances from moving to help people in western Khan Younis.
But Israel says it is making a special effort to ensure Gazan civilians can access medical care.
The issues of hospitals in Gaza has become one of the most emotive ones in this war.
Israel says Hamas fighters operate in and around hospitals.
Hamas and medical staff deny this.
It's a difficult issue for Israel's allies.
U-S National Security Adviser, John Kirby, has been treading a fine line on the matter.
“They have a right to take away the ability for Hamas to to store and resource themselves, even if that is in hospitals. But again, I would say the same thing that we've said before on this issue, that we expect them to do so in accordance with international law and to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients, as well as much as possible.”
Whilst there is still widespread support for the war in Israel in the wake of Hamas' deadly attack within Israel's border of October the 7th, dissension remains.
In Jerusalem, a sitting of the Israeli parliament has been stormed by relatives of Israelis still held hostage in Gaza.
They claim Israeli politicians are not doing enough to bring their loved ones back.
Itai Seigel's uncle is one of the hostages.
He says the time for civility on the matter has come and gone.
“I think time of the essence and every day that passes is horrible and we can't wait anymore and they're not listening so we're screaming a lot more, we're stopping being nice.”
Most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents are now penned into Rafah, just south of Khan Younis, living in public buildings and tents.
Gazan authorities claim there've been 120 more deaths in the last 24 hours or so, bringing their claimed total number of deaths since this conflict e-ignited in October to 25,295.
Hamas claims 70 per cent of these have been women and children.
Israel says 1,140 of its people were killed by the Hamas attacks of October the 7th, and 200 of is soldiers have been killed in fighting since.
