Israel and Hamas are once again struggling to reach a ceasefire that could wind down the 15-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of Israelis held hostage.

As mediators press Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of the remaining 96 hostages held in Gaza, the more than 1 million displaced Palestinians face a dire situation, particularly in northern Gaza.

A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the 15-month war and return Israeli hostages before Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Gaza’s health ministry said that 88 people had been killed over the past day. Israeli and Hamas officials have been holding indirect cease-fire talks via mediators in Qatar.

Hamas has named 34 hostages, some of them believed to have died in captivity, who it says it would return to Israel in the first phase of an evolving if still elusive ceasefire in Gaza.

The deal would secure release of a third of the approximately 100 hostages who remain in Gaza, including two dual U.S.-Israeli nationals. In return, Israel would release some Palestinian prisoners.

Israel said Monday that Hamas had yet to clarify whether 34 hostages it claimed it was ready to free were dead or alive, throwing doubt on the group's assertion that

Negotiators have made little progress towards an enduring ceasefire over a year into deadly conflict and humanitarian crisis, while another 102 Palestinians were reported killed in Israeli airstrikes

A Hamas official on Sunday said the Palestinian militants were ready to free 34 hostages in the "first phase" of a potential deal with Israel, after Israel said indirect talks