Seven days will mark four months since the start of the fighting between Israel and the Islamic group Hamas, and the death toll in the Gaza Strip has so far exceeded 27,500.
The Israeli military is also poised to continue military operations in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, where many residents have evacuated, and as there is no progress in negotiations toward a cessation of fighting, there are concerns that further civilian casualties will occur.
*We will keep you updated on developments regarding Israel and Palestine as of February 7, Japan time.
US Secretary of State hopes for progress in Gaza Strip negotiations
On the 6th, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken visited Egypt and Qatar, where he plays a mediating role between Israel and Hamas in negotiations for a cessation of fighting in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages, and held a press conference after a series of meetings.
In response, Secretary Blinken said, ``We received a response from Hamas tonight. We are reviewing the content and will discuss it with the Israeli government tomorrow,'' stating that Hamas had responded to the Israeli proposal. revealed.
As for the specific content of the response, the company said, ``As it is a sensitive issue, I will refrain from going into details.''
However, Secretary Blinken expressed hope for progress in the negotiations, saying, ``While there are still challenges, I believe that an agreement is necessary and possible.We will continue working to reach an agreement.''
Statements from both Hamas and Israel
Regarding negotiations between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas for a cessation of hostages and the release of hostages, at the end of last month, Israel, along with mediating country Qatar and others, proposed that Hamas release hostages in stages as fighting ceased. It is believed that it was presented to the side.
In response, Hamas released a statement on the 6th saying that it had "worked positively" and reiterated its stance of calling for a complete ceasefire.
In addition, on the 6th, the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, which is in charge of negotiations, issued a statement saying, ``Hamas' response has been delivered to the Israeli side through Qatar and is currently being evaluated in detail by relevant parties.''
Regarding negotiations, Hamas is calling for a complete ceasefire, while Israel is refusing to accept a ceasefire, and it appears that there is still a gap between the two sides, and it is unclear whether negotiations will be concluded.
4 months into fighting, death toll in Gaza reaches 27,585
On October 7th of last year, the Islamic organization Hamas, which effectively controls the Gaza Strip, carried out a large-scale cross-border attack against Israel, and 7 days will mark four months since Israel began its military operation.
The Israeli military initially notified residents to evacuate to the southern part of the Gaza Strip and then attacked the northern part of the Gaza Strip, focusing on Gaza City, which Hamas claimed was home to an important stronghold.
On the 5th, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) released footage of the severe destruction of health facilities and surrounding areas in the northern Gaza Strip, saying, ``An unprecedented level of destruction and forced displacement is occurring before our eyes.'' "There is a problem with this," he says.
The Israeli army then shifted its focus to the south, and announced on the 6th that it had killed dozens of militants in fighting in the southern city of Khan Yunis.
Health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced on the 6th that 107 people had died in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll in the past four months to 27,585.