Ramadan in Gaza begins with no end to war in sight

RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinians began fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Monday with cease-fire talks at a standstill.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt had hoped to broker a cease-fire ahead of the holiday that would include the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of a large amount of humanitarian aid, but the talks have stalled.

Hamas is demanding guarantees that any such agreement will lead to an end to the 5-month-old war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected that demand, vowing to continue the offensive until “total victory” against the terrorist group and the release of all the remaining hostages held in Gaza.

Netanyahu said Monday that Israel had killed “Hamas’ number four” leader and added that more targeted killings were to come.

“Three, two, and one are on the way. They are all dead men. We will reach them all,” he said.

Netanyahu was likely referencing the assassination of Saleh Arouri, the deputy political head of Hamas and a founder of the terrorist group’s military wing, who was killed in a blast in Beirut in January. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast, although it did not take responsibility.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Hamas to honor the spirit of Ramadan by “silencing the guns” and releasing all the hostages.

“The eyes of the world are watching. The eyes of history are watching. We cannot look away,” he said.

The war began when Hamas-led terrorists stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Hamas is still believed to be holding around 100 captives and the remains of 30 others following an exchange last year.

Israel has vowed to expand its offensive to the southern city of Rafah, where half of Gaza’s population has sought refuge. President Joe Biden has said an attack on Rafah would be a “red line” for him, but that the United States would continue to provide military aid to Israel.

Biden acknowledged in his annual Ramadan message that the holy month comes “at a moment of intense pain.”

“As Muslims gather around the world over the coming days and weeks to break their fast, the suffering of the Palestinian people will be front of mind for many. It is front of mind for me,” he said.

The United States and other countries have begun airdropping aid. The U.S. military has also begun transporting equipment to build a sea bridge to deliver aid, but it will likely be several weeks before it is operational.

A ship belonging to Spanish aid group Open Arms was expected to make a pilot voyage to Gaza from nearby Cyprus, though it was not clear when it would depart.

The United States has provided crucial military support to Israel and shielded it from international calls for a cease-fire while urging it to do more to avoid harming civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said Monday that at least 31,112 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count.

Israel blames the civilian death toll on Hamas because the terrorists fight in dense, residential areas and position fighters, tunnels and rocket launchers near homes, schools and mosques. The military has said it has killed 13,000 Hamas terrorists.

Speaking on Saturday to MSNBC, Biden said Israel had the right to respond to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack but that Netanyahu “must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost.” He added that “you cannot have 30,000 more Palestinians dead.”