Three of the key mediating nations in the Gaza conflict — Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar — have jointly condemned the recent escalation of Israeli military strikes in the Palestinian territory, warning that the intensified campaign is jeopardising international efforts to broker a lasting ceasefire at what they describe as a "critical juncture" in negotiations.
The joint statement, issued amid renewed diplomatic activity to end the prolonged conflict, follows Israeli strikes that have killed at least 16 Palestinians in Gaza since Tuesday, according to medical sources on the ground. Israel maintains that its operations are targeting Hamas militants.
Mediators Sound the Alarm on Escalating Strikes
In their statement, the three nations — all of whom have played active roles in ceasefire mediation — said the surge in Israeli military activity was working directly against ongoing diplomatic progress. "The intensification of Israeli attacks undermines regional and international efforts at a critical juncture, as intensive efforts are under way to implement the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict," the statement read.
The mediators called on the international community and what they referred to as Trump's Board of Peace — the body overseeing the ceasefire framework — to take the steps necessary to ensure compliance and prevent further escalation. They also urged Israel to meet its ceasefire obligations and refrain from actions that could inflame tensions further.
The strongly worded communiqué reflects growing frustration among key regional players who have invested significant diplomatic capital in efforts to end the war. For background on how the broader international community has responded throughout this conflict, see International reactions to the Gaza war.
Peace Plan Disputes Stall Progress
The diplomatic warning comes as fundamental disagreements over the structure of any peace deal continue to block progress. A proposed road map had envisaged Hamas surrendering its weapons in stages, concurrent with a phased Israeli military withdrawal from the enclave and a halt to military operations.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rejected that sequencing, insisting that Hamas must fully disarm before any Israeli withdrawal takes place. Hamas, for its part, has demanded that Israel comply with the existing ceasefire agreement and pull its forces out of Gaza — and has similarly disputed the order in which Trump's plan should be implemented.
The standoff over sequencing has become one of the central obstacles to a durable agreement, with both sides holding entrenched positions on the terms under which military activity and disarmament should proceed. This dispute mirrors broader tensions detailed in our earlier reporting on how Israel rejected key elements of Trump's Gaza peace plan over weapons and withdrawal terms.
US Envoy Wraps Regional Visit as Death Toll Mounts
The flare-up in violence coincides with the conclusion of a regional visit by US envoy Jared Kushner, who wrapped up his tour on Monday as part of efforts to advance President Donald Trump's plan to end the war. The visit underscored the urgency Washington is placing on finding a resolution, though the renewed strikes have complicated the diplomatic atmosphere.
Since the ceasefire formally took effect last October, at least 1,283 Palestinians have been killed in the territory, according to Gazan health officials. The Israeli military, meanwhile, reports that four Israeli soldiers have been killed during the same period.
With casualties continuing to mount on both sides and the peace framework in dispute, the coming days will test whether the mediating nations and the United States can bring the parties back to the negotiating table — or whether the current escalation signals a broader breakdown in the fragile ceasefire arrangement. Regional watchers will also be monitoring whether pressure related to Trump's renewed threats over Iran further complicates the diplomatic landscape.
