SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Israeli tanks, ships and planes bombed parts of Gaza on Tuesday, giving Palestinians no peace on the anniversary of a Hamas attack that sparked two years of war, as talks on Donald Trump's plan to end the conflict were underway in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Residents said that, with no ceasefire in place, Israel continued its offensive, while representatives of Hamas and Israel launched indirect negotiations in Egypt the day before on key issues such as the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.
The US president's plan is widely seen as the most promising attempt to end a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza since the October 7, 2023, attack, in which 1,200 Israelis lost their lives.
Qatar: There are still many details to be clarified
Qatar, which has previously brokered ceasefire efforts alongside the US and Egypt, said many points of the plan remain unclear.
“The plan consists of 20 points and all require practical implementation on the ground,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said at a press conference.
He added that Hamas's handover of the hostages taken in the 2023 attack would bring an end to the war.
Heavy bombardment, no ceasefire after two years of war
Residents of Khan Younis in southern Gaza and Gaza City in the north reported heavy shelling by tanks and aircraft in the early hours of the morning. The Israeli military hit several areas from the air, sea and land.
Palestinian militant groups fired rockets across the border, setting off alarm sirens in the Israeli kibbutz Netiv Haasara, as Israeli troops continued to clash with fighters inside the enclave.
Anniversary of Hamas attack
Israelis commemorated the anniversary of the Hamas attack at some of the hardest-hit sites, including the Nova music festival, where 364 people were killed, and Hostage Square in Tel Aviv.
Orit Baron, the mother of Yuval — killed along with her fiancé Moshe Shuva at the festival — said they were to be married on February 14, Valentine’s Day. “They were found together and buried together, because they were never separated,” she said.
Reaction of Palestinian groups
On the other hand, an alliance of Palestinian factions that includes Hamas, Islamic Jihad and smaller militant groups declared that "resistance by all means is the only way to confront the Zionist enemy."
"No one has the right to take away the weapons of the Palestinian people. These legitimate weapons will be passed down to generations until the land and holy sites are liberated," the statement said.
Since the war began, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, nearly a third of them under the age of 18. A UN investigative commission last month found that Israel had committed serious crimes in Gaza — findings that Israel called “one-sided and scandalous.”
"It has been two years since we have lived in fear, terror, displacement and destruction," said Mohammed Dib, 49, from Gaza, expressing hope for an end to the conflict.
EU response
Despite the violence, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that "the immediate release of all hostages and a ceasefire are now within reach."
"This is an opportunity that must be seized to pave the way towards lasting peace in the region, based on the two-state solution," she stressed.
Israel's isolation and support for the plan
Israel, following the 2023 attack, launched an offensive in Gaza, killing Hamas leaders outside the enclave, as well as leaders of Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
It also killed senior Iranian military commanders and struck Tehran's nuclear facilities during a brief war in which the United States also participated.
This offensive has almost completely destroyed Gaza and left Israel increasingly isolated internationally, while several Western countries have recognized the Palestinian state and pro-Palestinian protests have spread around the world.
Support for Trump's plan
Both Israel and Hamas have approved the basic principles of Trump's plan, which calls for a cessation of fighting, the release of hostages and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The plan has support from Arab and Western countries, while Trump has called for negotiations to be concluded as soon as possible towards a final agreement.
However, even if a deal is reached in Egypt, open questions remain over who will govern Gaza and who will rebuild it. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have ruled out any role for Hamas.
A Hamas source said the group is seeking a clear deadline for the Israeli withdrawal and guarantees for an end to the war. Officials involved in the ceasefire plan said Trump's 72-hour deadline for the return of hostages may be unattainable for those killed, as their bodies may have to be found in various devastated areas.
