The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has entered its 12th month with little hope for a ceasefire or the release of Israeli hostages. Both sides are sticking to their positions, with Hamas demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting on troops remaining along the Gaza-Egypt border. The United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been mediating in an effort to bring about a ceasefire. The war has resulted in the deaths of at least 40,939 people, with most of the casualties being women and children, according to the United Nations. International pressure to end the war has increased, and there have been calls for an independent investigation into the death of a Turkish-American activist who was shot dead by Israeli forces in the West Bank.