Israeli media reported that an Israeli negotiating team entered France on the 23rd to discuss a cessation of fighting with Hamas.

With Hamas reportedly softening its stance, attention will be focused on whether this will lead to progress in negotiations.



*We will keep you updated on developments regarding Israel and Palestine as of February 24, Japan time.

table of contents

  • Israeli negotiation team travels to France to halt hostilities; Hamas attitude softening?

  • Prime Minister Netanyahu presents post-combat plan for Gaza Strip management

table of contents

table of contents

  • Israeli negotiation team travels to France to halt hostilities; Hamas attitude softening?

  • Prime Minister Netanyahu presents post-combat plan for Gaza Strip management

Israeli negotiation team travels to France to halt hostilities; Hamas attitude softening?

The Israeli military continued to carry out heavy airstrikes across the Gaza Strip into the 23rd, and local health authorities said on the 23rd that 104 people had been killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 29,514.



The Israeli military remains poised to carry out ground operations in Rafah, the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip and home to nearly 1.5 million people, including refugees, as it is the last stronghold of Hamas.



Under these circumstances, multiple Israeli media outlets are reporting that an Israeli negotiation team arrived in Paris, France on the 23rd regarding negotiations for a cessation of fighting and the release of hostages, with Qatar and other countries serving as mediators.



Israeli Defense Minister Gallant has said that he has "expanded the authority given to the negotiating team," and has expressed a positive attitude toward talks with mediating countries such as Qatar and the United States.



In response, Hamas announced on the 23rd that its top official, Haniyeh, had completed talks with Egypt, the intermediary country, and is expected to wait for the outcome of the talks to be held in France.



The Wall Street Journal, a leading American newspaper, reports that Hamas is softening its stance, but it appears that there remains a wide gap between the two sides' positions regarding a complete ceasefire, so it will be interesting to see if this leads to progress in negotiations. will be done.

Prime Minister Netanyahu presents post-combat plan for Gaza Strip management

At a Cabinet meeting held on the 22nd, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented for the first time a plan for the management of the Gaza Strip after the fighting with Hamas ends.



According to the document, in terms of security, even after the fighting has ended, the Israeli military will continue to have the right to freely continue military activities in the Gaza Strip, and will control security in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian Territories are located. I am.



It also includes policies such as establishing a security buffer zone along the Gaza Strip's border with Israel.



Furthermore, regarding who will be in charge of the administration of the Gaza Strip, it is stated that ``the responsibility will be local officials who are not associated with organizations that support terrorist activities,'' but there is no mention of the involvement of the Palestinian Authority.



Prime Minister Netanyahu's proposal denies the realization of a Palestinian state that the United States and other countries are aiming for, and a spokesperson for the Interim Palestinian Authority said, ``The Gaza Strip will become part of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.We want to stabilize this area.'' In that case, it is necessary to end Israel's occupation of Palestine and recognize Palestine as a state.''