Efforts for a truce continue, as the war between Israel and Hamas enters its fifth month on Wednesday February 7. The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken must meet Israeli leaders to promote a new agreement, including the release of hostages. The American Secretary of State visited Egypt and Qatar on Tuesday, two countries at the heart of mediation efforts, before landing late in the evening in Tel Aviv. Follow our live stream.
A “positive” response from Hamas to a truce project. The Prime Minister of Qatar said Tuesday that he had received a “positive” response from Hamas on a draft agreement which provides for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a pause in the fighting between Israel and the Palestinian movement. Hamas confirmed that it had submitted its response to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators but without specifying its content.
Fighting continues in the Gaza Strip. Bombings and fighting continued in the Gazan towns of Khan Younes and Rafah. More than 1.3 million displaced people are now crowded into desperate conditions in Rafah. Now this city could be Israel’s next objective.
LTensions remain high in the region between on one side Israel and its allies and on the other Iran and its “axis of resistance”, including, in addition to Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah, militias in Iraq and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Tuesday evening, the Israeli army claimed to have got its hands on documents “proving” transfers of US$154 million from Iran to Hamas from 2014 to 2020.