With 'Total Blockade' of Gaza in Progress, Hamas Official Reportedly Open to Truce

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Facts

• Senior Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera in a phone interview on Monday that the Islamist group is open to discussions over a potential ceasefire with Israel, stating that its targets have been achieved.¹
• Earlier, the spokesman for Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades threatened to kill an Israeli civilian hostage every time Israel hits civilian homes in Gaza without advanced warning, vowing to broadcast the executions.²
• This comes as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a 'total' blockade of Hamas-run Gaza — including supply of food, water, and fuel — after the group conducted the largest attack on Israel in decades.³
• As of late Monday evening (local time), about 900 people have been reportedly killed in Israel, while nearly 690 have lost their lives on the Palestinian side in the Gaza Strip, as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue to fight Palestinian militants responsible for an unprecedented attack on Oct. 7. Of those who have died in Israel, 260 were killed during an attack on the Supernova music festival in the Negev desert.⁴
• In addition to fatalities, hundreds of Israelis — including women, children, and elderly people — are being held hostage by Hamas, though the group claims that some captives and captors have been killed in airstrikes conducted by Israel. The UN has said that over 123K people have already been displaced in Gaza.⁵
• Israel on Sunday formally declared war on Hamas  Meanwhile, Pres. Joe Biden ordered a US aircraft carrier strike group to sail to the eastern Mediterranean Sea, declaring his 'full support' for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — the US is additionally providing Tel Aviv with other munitions and equipment.⁶
• Israel has reportedly called up 300K reservists as it plans for offensive operations against Hamas targets in Gaza.⁷

Sources: ¹Reuters (a), ²Wall Street Journal, ³Al Jazeera, ⁴BBC News, ⁵Sky news, ⁶Washington Post and ⁷Reuters (b).

Narratives

• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by CNN. The Israeli Defense Forces had no option but to repel a violent attack against sovereign Israeli territory. Hamas must face the consequences for its vicious and terrorizing actions — this includes massive offensive military operations in Gaza to respond to historic attacks on Israeli soil.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Vox. Extraordinary violence has been committed on both sides, and Tel Aviv bears a great deal of responsibility for creating oppressive conditions within Gaza as well as its recent attempts to divide the Al-Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews. It's vital that Israel avoids creating a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza with its military actions.

Predictions