Sunday September 7, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Hamas said Sunday it welcomes American ideas for a ceasefire tied to the release of captives, as Israeli forces intensified air strikes in Gaza City and the United Nations warned time is running out to avert famine across the enclave.
The U.S. proposal, conveyed through mediators, calls for an immediate truce, the release of all Israeli captives in Gaza, and the freeing of thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Hamas to accept the plan, saying Israel had already signalled support. Hamas said it is prepared to discuss an agreement if it guarantees a full ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Israel carried out multiple strikes across Gaza City, destroying residential towers and targeting shelters, schools and tents where displaced families had sought refuge. Local health officials said dozens were killed in Sunday’s raids. The military has ordered civilians to evacuate, claiming Hamas uses high-rises for military purposes — a charge the group denies.
The UN humanitarian chief said there is a “narrow window — until the end of September — to prevent famine from spreading” beyond northern Gaza into Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis. Israel said more than 1,900 aid trucks entered Gaza last week, but relief agencies warn the flow is far short of what is required.
The conflict’s regional impact deepened when a drone launched from Yemen struck Israel’s Ramon Airport near Eilat, briefly halting flights and injuring at least one person. Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed responsibility and vowed further attacks in support of Palestinians.
In London, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas began a three-day state visit expected to focus on ceasefire efforts, humanitarian access, and advancing recognition of Palestinian statehood.
The war began Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in Israel and abducted 251 others. Since then, Israel’s offensive has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health authorities, and displaced most of the enclave’s 2.3 million people.
The United Nations has declared the crisis in Gaza a famine, and UN investigators and rights groups have described Israel’s campaign as a genocide. Families of captives and opposition politicians in Israel have pressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to strike a deal, warning the conflict has dragged on with no plan for Gaza’s future.