Gaza Crisis Deepens Amidst Deadly Strikes and Stalled Truce Talks
The humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is reaching critical levels, marked by devastating Israeli strikes on aid seekers and persistent deadlock in ceasefire negotiations. Developments on July 10th and 11th, 2025, paint a grim picture of escalating suffering and the complex, frustrating efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
Aid Convoy Massacre and Civilian Casualties Soar
In a horrifying incident on Thursday, July 10th, an Israeli strike reportedly killed at least 10 children and 6 adults who were waiting for aid supplies at a medical clinic in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah. The U.S.-based charity Project HOPE, which runs the clinic, stated that the missile struck "directly in front of Project HOPE's Altayara health clinic," killing 15 civilians, including 10 children and two women, who were gathered to receive treatment for malnutrition, infections, and chronic illnesses. Gaza's civil defense agency also reported eight children, queuing for nutritional supplements, were among 66 people killed in Israeli strikes across the territory that day.
This tragic event underscores the perilous conditions for civilians in Gaza. Al Jazeera reported that Israeli forces intensified air and ground attacks, killing at least 82 Palestinians in 24 hours, including nine aid seekers. Overall, the Gaza Health Ministry states that Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 57,762 people and wounded 137,656.
Beyond the immediate casualties, the humanitarian situation is dire. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that Gaza's water crisis has reached breaking point due to ongoing hostilities, mass displacement, and severe fuel shortages. Most residents are receiving far below the WHO's emergency standard for water, with less than half of drinking water facilities functional. Fuel is essential for desalination plants, water and sewage pumps, and even toilets, and its scarcity threatens a catastrophic public health crisis.
Ceasefire Talks: Hope Fades Amidst Demands
Indirect negotiations between Israeli and Hamas delegations continue in Doha, Qatar, aiming to establish a temporary pause in the war and secure a hostage deal. However, hopes for an imminent truce are fading amidst unyielding demands from both sides.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking from Washington on Thursday, stated that Israel is open to negotiating a permanent ceasefire in Gaza during a proposed 60-day truce, but only on the condition that the territory is "demilitarized." He insisted that Hamas must "lay down its weapons" and lose all "governing or military capabilities." If this cannot be achieved through negotiation within 60 days, he warned, Israel would resort to "other means, by using force." Netanyahu also informed hostage families that Hamas would decide which of the 20 remaining living hostages would be released during the 60-day truce.
Hamas, on the other hand, while agreeing to release 10 living hostages, has expressed strong opposition to any deal involving a significant Israeli military presence in Gaza. They demand "real guarantees" for lasting peace and the free flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory. Israel, however, insists on maintaining its troops in a southern corridor of the Gaza Strip, known as the "Morag corridor," complicating truce talks.
US Pressure on Netanyahu and International Reactions
US President Donald Trump has been reportedly applying "heavy pressure" on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza. Sources close to the ceasefire negotiations indicated intense US pressure during Netanyahu's recent visit to Washington, where he met with Trump. The Trump administration has assured mediators that it does not intend to allow Israel to resume fighting after a 60-day ceasefire, even if this is not explicitly stated in the deal's text.
Meanwhile, an independent U.N. investigator and outspoken critic of Israel's actions in Gaza, Francesca Albanese, stated on Thursday that she was "shocked" by the US government's decision to impose sanctions on her, but defiantly stood by her views on the war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the sanctions, stating, "Albanese's campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel will no longer be tolerated."
The European Union on Thursday stated it had struck a deal with Israel to open more crossings for aid, repair infrastructure, and protect aid workers, urging Israel to implement the agreed measures. However, the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis continue to cast a long shadow over all diplomatic efforts.
