An Israeli negotiator team will arrive in Qatar on the 18th in preparation for negotiations between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas regarding a cessation of hostilities, and talks are expected to resume.
Meanwhile, it has been pointed out that famine is imminent in the Gaza Strip due to severe food shortages, and the United Nations is calling for a ceasefire as soon as possible.
Israeli media reported on the 18th that a negotiating team had arrived in Qatar and that talks would resume between Israel and Hamas regarding a cessation of fighting and the release of hostages.
It also said that although Israeli negotiators had been given greater powers to free the hostages, it would take at least two weeks to negotiate indirectly with Hamas's leadership in the Gaza Strip. The outcome of the negotiations remains uncertain as there is a large gap between the claims of both sides.
Meanwhile, on the 18th, the United Nations and other organizations released a report regarding the Gaza Strip, which is in a dire humanitarian situation as fierce fighting continues, stating that famine is imminent in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and that the southern Rafah He pointed out that if the fighting intensifies, including ground operations in the region, approximately 1.1 million people, or half of the region's population, will face famine.
Following the release of the report, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on the 18th: ``We must take immediate action to prevent something completely unthinkable, unacceptable and unjustifiable.'' He called for a humanitarian ceasefire as soon as possible.
We strongly urge the expansion of routes for bringing in EU aid.
In response to the report on the Gaza Strip, High Representative Borrell, who is the Foreign Minister of the EU, and Commissioner Lenarčić, who is in charge of crisis management, issued a statement on the 18th.
"Hunger should not be used as a weapon of war. This is a man-made crisis, not caused by nature, and we have a moral obligation to stop it. The situation is no longer catastrophic. We need to go beyond the target level and respond immediately,'' he said, expressing a strong sense of crisis.
"While we are trying all means to deliver aid, such as airdrops and sea transport, we are nowhere near as efficient as unconditional access from the ground. Everyone who needs assistance is free and safe. We call on Israel to provide humanitarian assistance to the United States," and strongly called for expansion of aid delivery routes.
London: Charity organizations providing medical supplies to residents of the Gaza Strip hold demonstrations
Charities providing medical supplies to Gaza residents held demonstrations in London, calling for food to be allowed in as residents are on the brink of famine.
On the 18th, approximately 30 people, including staff from charity organizations and international NGOs that provide medical supplies to Palestine, gathered in front of the British Foreign Office in London to appeal for food to be delivered to the Gaza Strip.
Participants were banging empty pots with spoons and chanting for an ``immediate ceasefire'' and ``let the aid come in.''
Ward, head of Medical Aid for Palestinians, which called for the demonstration, said: ``Famine is looming in Gaza. Our colleagues in the north eat fodder for horses and donkeys, and when that runs out, the birds eat it.'' "They survive by eating seeds. Every time I see them in photos, they become thinner and thinner," he said, expressing strong concern.
He appealed, saying, ``The necessary amount of food is not being brought in, and starvation is being used as a weapon.The situation will immediately improve if the Israeli army is allowed to bring food into the north by land.''
Save the Children, which also participated in the demonstration, released a statement on the 18th, saying, ``If famine is declared, it will be too late for many people. This is a man-made crisis. "On one side, trucks loaded with food, water and medicine are waiting, and on the other side, children and families are suffering from hunger," he said, calling for an immediate ceasefire and urgent humanitarian aid.
Spokesperson of Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mediator: ``The situation is very fluid and difficult.''
A spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who plays a mediating role in negotiations for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and the Islamic organization Hamas, responded to an interview with NHK.
In an interview with NHK in Doha, the capital of Qatar, Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ansari confirmed that negotiations for a cessation of fighting would resume in Doha on the 18th. We are looking forward to reopening," he said.
``I would like to urge compromise to reach an agreement that will end the danger to the hostages and the bloodshed for the Palestinians,'' he said, emphasizing the need for a cessation of fighting as soon as possible in order to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Did.
Regarding the outlook for negotiations, Spokesperson Ansari said, ``We hope that an agreement will be reached, but the situation is very fluid and difficult,'' indicating that he cannot predict whether an agreement will be reached. ``It is important for the international community to understand the difficulty of the situation and encourage both sides to reach a compromise,'' he said, calling on the countries involved to strengthen their efforts to reach a mutual agreement.