Israelis, Palestinians need ‘forward-oriented diplomatic initiatives’ to address underlying conflict

A top Hamas official announced new conditions Wednesday for delivering medicines to hostages held by the group in Gaza, insisting trucks carrying the drugs must not be inspected by Israel. Under a deal thrashed out by mediators Qatar and France on Tuesday, medicines along with humanitarian aid are to be supplied to civilians in Gaza in exchange for delivering drugs needed by hostages held there. Forty-five hostages are expected to receive medication according to the agreement. Musa Abu Marzuk, a senior member of Hamas political bureau, said the medicines would be supplied through a country Hamas trusts and not France. Meanwhile, Palestinian militants battled Israeli forces in devastated northern Gaza and launched a barrage of rockets from farther south Tuesday in a show of force more than 100 days into Israel’s massive air and ground campaign against the tiny coastal enclave. The fighting in the north, which was the first target of Israel’s offensive and where entire neighborhoods have been pulverized, showed how far Israel is from achieving its goals of dismantling Hamas and returning scores of hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war. For more on the hostage aid deal, FRANCE 24’s Nadia Massih is joined by John Lyndon, Executive Director for the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP).