what to remember from Saturday February 17

Talks between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip have “not been very promising in recent days”, according to the Qatari Prime Minister himself.

Is a truce still possible? The hope of concluding a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas faded once again on Saturday February 17, according to the Qatari Prime Minister’s own admission, whose country has been very active for months, with the United States and Egypt, to try to bring about an end to the fighting. Here’s what to remember from this day.

Negotiations which were “not very promising”, according to Qatar

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza have not “not been very promising in recent days” declared Mohammed bin Abdelrahmane al-Thani during the Security Conference organized in Munich (Germany). Despite negotiations which have not “not been very promising”the Qatari Prime Minister wants to stay “optimistic”. “We will continue to push. We will do our best to get closer” of an agreement, added Mohammed ben Abdelrahmane al-Thani

A rapprochement with Saudi Arabia would be a victory over Hamas, says Israel

The Israeli president considered it important to continue cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Objective: a normalization of their relations, which would mark “a victory over actions” of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, according to Isaac Herzog. “I sincerely believe that moving forward towards normalization and making every possible effort is a very important historic opportunity“, declared the Israeli head of state at the Munich Security Conference, calling on all parties “to seize this moment”.

Rafah remains in Benjamin Netanyahu’s sights

Shortly after the Qatari Prime Minister’s statements, his Israeli counterpart estimated that renouncing this operation would amount to “lose the war”. During a press conference in Jerusalem, he also affirmed that his army will carry out its operation in Rafah, a city where 1.4 million Palestinians are crowded in the south of Gaza. And this, even in the event of an agreement with Hamas for the release of hostages held by the Palestinian movement.

For its part, Hamas threatened to leave the talks if additional aid was not quickly delivered to the Gaza Strip. “Negotiations cannot take place as long as hunger consumes the Palestinian people”justified one of the leaders of the movement in a press release distributed by al-Aqsa.

Israeli army says it arrested 100 people in Khan Yunis hospital

One hundred people, suspected of“terrorist activities” by the Jewish state, were arrested in the Nasser hospital in Khan Younes, in the Gaza Strip, announced the Israeli army. She stormed this establishment, where fears are intensifying for the dozens of trapped patients and employees. The IDF also claims to have discovered mortar shells, grenades and other weapons belonging to Hamas. The latter claims that six patients died due to power cuts which caused the cessation of oxygen distribution.

Israel wants to “destroy UNRWA”, says its leader

The head of UNRWA believes that Israel is leading a concerted campaign aimed at destroying this UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said Philippe Lazzarini. “This is a long-term political goal, because they believe that if the agency is abolished, the question of the status of Palestinian refugees will be resolved once and for all, and with it, the right of return. this story has a much broader political aim”he told the Swiss newspaper group Tamedia, also considering that Israel’s request for his resignation fell within this framework.

UNRWA is the main humanitarian aid organization in the Gaza Strip. But several countries, including the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan, have suspended their funding of the agency after Israeli accusations that UNRWA has 12 people among its 13,000 employees in the Gaza Strip, involved in the Hamas attack on October 7.