what to remember from Wednesday, February 6

Negotiations for a truce agreement have advanced, but “there is still a lot of work to do,” according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Soon a truce agreement in the Middle East? Negotiations between Hamas and Israel advanced on Tuesday February 6, says Qatar; but “there is still a lot of work to do”, according to US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. Here’s what to remember from the day.

Antony Blinken in Israel to find an agreement

The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken arrived late Tuesday evening in Israel at a time when local authorities are examining Hamas’ response to a proposed truce, including the release of hostages, in the fifth month of a deadly war. On Tuesday, the American Secretary of State visited Egypt, then Qatar, two mediator countries with the United States, before landing in Israel where he is due to meet with senior officials on Wednesday.

“There is still a lot of work to do. But we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and even essential, and we will continue to work tirelessly to achieve it”said Antony Blinken in Doha.

Qatar says it received a “positive” response from Hamas on truce plan

The Prime Minister of Qatar affirmed, Tuesday February 6, that he had received a response “positive” of 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.

A “more than catastrophic” humanitarian situation in Gaza

“The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is more than catastrophic,” declared a spokesperson for the Red Cross and Red Crescent during a press briefing in Geneva. “Eight thousand displaced people who had found shelter in our Palestinian Red Crescent hospital in Khan Younes, Al-Amal, left the hospital yesterday,” did he declare. Around a hundred elderly people, disabled people and staff members “are still inside”.

The raids continue

Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling hit the areas of Rafah and Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Hamas-led government’s health ministry reported 107 deaths in the past 24 hours. The same source announced on Tuesday a toll of 27,585 people killed, mostly women, children and adolescents, in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war.

The head of French diplomacy transmits a warning from Israel to Lebanon

The head of French diplomacy Stéphane Séjourné warned Beirut that Israel could trigger a war against Lebanon, which wants to avoid an escalation, said the Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs. The French minister met the main Lebanese leaders in Beirut, the last stop of a tour of the Middle East, which notably took him to Israel.

“He warned us that the Israelis could start a war (…) to bring them home” the tens of thousands of residents evacuated from areas near the border with Lebanon, said Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib. “We told him we didn’t want a war,” added the minister after an interview with his French counterpart. “We want an agreement on the border through the UN, the French and the Americans,” he added.