• Hamas will not engage in ceasefire negotiations due to a catastrophic hunger crisis.
• The Israeli government supports military actions that risk further civilian displacement.
• Global leaders express alarm over the humanitarian situation, warning of impending famine.

Hamas has officially rejected any further engagement in ceasefire discussions with Israel, calling the current situation in Gaza a "hunger war" and “extermination war.” Senior official Basem Naim emphasized that as long as the humanitarian crisis continues, there is "no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals," urging the international community to apply pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to end what he termed “crimes of hunger, thirst, and killings” in the region, according to Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has further deteriorated under a total Israeli blockade imposed since March 2, which has exacerbated food shortages and restricted aid access. Reports indicate that “the population is once again at extreme risk of famine,” according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), highlighting that food supplies are now “completely run out” in local markets and humanitarian distribution centers. This dire scenario is echoed by both the ICRC and other humanitarian entities calling for urgent aid access to the region, as Gaza's residents struggle to secure basic necessities, with many resorting to consuming expired food, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

Following Israel's announcement of expanded military operations aimed at "conquest," which would further displace Gaza's population estimated at 2.3 million, concerns have escalated regarding civilian safety and wellbeing. Nearly all of Gaza’s inhabitants have faced multiple displacements since the conflict reignited after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7. Amid these military escalations, the UN has reported that the death toll has already exceeded 52,500 since the resumption of hostilities in March, with more than 2,400 casualties documented recently alone, according to South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.

Israel's military strategy has come under heavy international scrutiny, with various leaders condemning the operation's implications for civilian safety and the ongoing humanitarian disaster. Statements from humanitarian organizations reiterate that such military actions contravene international humanitarian law, further stressing the urgent need for a viable solution to ensure the safety and sustenance of Gaza's beleaguered residents. Notably, Farhan Haq, a UN deputy spokesman, reaffirmed the importance of Gaza as an integral part of a future Palestinian state, criticizing Israel's plans, according to Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.