Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen confirmed on Sunday that the Israeli cabinet has not reached a deal to stop military operations in the Gaza Strip. Cohen’s comments serve as a direct rebuttal to recent suggestions of a breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations. While some reports have indicated a potential path toward disarmament, Cohen emphasized that the cabinet has not discussed such a plan and argued that Israel should move to take full control of the territory, noting that Israeli forces currently maintain control over approximately 70 percent of the Strip.

Simultaneously, the conflict on the ground continues. Israeli airstrikes have persisted for a second consecutive day, resulting in the deaths of at least nine Palestinians. The Times of Israel reports that children are among the casualties, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintain that the strikes were targeted at Hamas infrastructure. The SCMP notes that these strikes occurred despite recent claims from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding progress in implementing a ceasefire agreement. The two outlets differ in their framing of the diplomatic situation; the Times of Israel focuses on the internal cabinet process regarding disarmament, whereas the SCMP highlights the tension between the ongoing military action and the U.S. administration's claims of a diplomatic breakthrough.