Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, recently visited Palestinian photojournalist Ashraf Amra in Istanbul, who was severely injured by Israeli army fire while covering a protest. The visit comes amid talks of a cease-fire proposal to halt the war in Gaza.
Hamas has approved the cease-fire proposal and is in negotiations with Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Israel is currently examining the proposal but has not confirmed whether they will accept or reject it. The White House is also reviewing the proposal and plans to discuss it with key stakeholders.
The proposed cease-fire would require a swap of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages, as well as a permanent halt to Israel's military operations in Gaza. The negotiations have intensified, with involvement from U.S. CIA Director William Burns and mediators from Egypt and Qatar.
Israel has been warned against an offensive in Rafah, with the U.S. pausing a shipment of weapons to Israel in response to the potential invasion. Israel has ordered civilians in eastern Rafah to evacuate, raising fears of an imminent ground invasion.