Israel plans to proceed with ground operations in Rafah, fear of increasing casualties. U.S.
Secretary of State Blinken will visit Egypt and Qatar, where he is acting as a mediator in negotiations toward a cessation of fighting and the release of hostages. As fighting between the Israeli army and the Islamic group Hamas continues, health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced that 27,478 people had died as of the 5th. More than 1 million people had fled, leaving the area extremely densely populated.