- The United States engages in discussions promoting constructiveness with Gaza, taking place in Cairo.
In the Gaza Strip, combat between Israel's military and the extremist Islamic group Hamas persists, with mediators pushing for a truce. Last Thursday, constructive discussions took place in Cairo, Egypt, which will continue throughout the weekend, as per John Kirby, US National Security Council's communication director. He denied media claims suggesting the negotiations were near failure, asserting the process is progressing. Kirby did not disclose any details regarding the talks.
Once more, US President Joe Biden spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. They discussed the necessity of reaching a truce based on the comprehensive reconciliation proposal on the table.
An accord is anticipated to secure the liberation of hostages imprisoned by Hamas, deliver life-saving aid to the Palestinian civilian populace in the Gaza Strip, and lessen regional tensions. They addressed the upcoming talks in Cairo and plans to eliminate remaining hurdles to an agreement, the White House reported.
The US remains optimistic about an accord. The US, Egypt, and Qatar are acting as intermediaries between Israel and Hamas, as the two sides are not directly negotiating. Kirby stated they aim to preserve momentum in the upcoming days, focusing on specifics.
Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan informed the German Press Agency that they had yet to receive formal updates about the latest status of the talks from the mediators. They will respond only afterward.
"It's crucial that everyone is prepared to proceed on these details," Kirby stated. He reaffirmed US backing for Israel in the face of potential threats from Iran. The US is concentrating on safeguarding itself and Israel in the event of an attack.
Following the murder of two high-profile adversaries of Israel in Tehran and Beirut about three weeks ago, Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia threatened retaliation on a massive scale. Both Hamas and Hezbollah have ties to Iran.
Israel reports renewed shelling from Gaza. After numerous rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military is preparing for a new military operation and has urged residents of several neighborhoods in northern coastal region to evacuate. People should seek shelter west of the city of Gaza, according to an Arabic-language statement by an army spokesperson. The military intends to take action against Hamas and other terrorist groups in the area due to continued shelling.
According to the army, two projectiles were fired from northern Gaza towards the Israeli border town of Sderot in the evening. One was intercepted, and the other landed in open territory. No immediate reports of injuries were reported.
Since the commencement of the Gaza conflict, daily military clashes have occurred along the border between Israel and Lebanon between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, as well as other groups. In Aita al-Chaab in southern Lebanon, a seven-year-old child and another person were killed in renewed attacks, according to Beirut's health ministry. Israel's military claimed to have killed a "significant Hezbollah terrorist" in the area and reported numerous rockets launched from Lebanon towards Israel.
In another attack on the village of Tayr Harfa near the Israeli border in southern Lebanon, three people were killed, according to the health ministry. Lebanese security sources stated they were Hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah announced that seven of its fighters had been killed in total. Hezbollah typically does not provide additional information about when, where, and how its members are killed.
The Israeli military reported attacking and neutralizing a "terror cell" in Tayr Harfa that had fired rockets into Israeli territory. In further attacks on the Lebanese villages of Mais al-Jabal, Aitaroun, and Tyre, several Hezbollah fighters were killed, according to army statements. Hezbollah claimed it had targeted Israeli military sites along the border.
After heavy shelling from Lebanon, there were initially no reports of injuries in Israel. Some of the more than 90 projectiles were intercepted, while others fell in open areas, the Israeli army reported. Israeli media reported that fires started near the northern Israeli city of Safed due to impacts.
Meanwhile, in Syria, three members of pro-Iranian militias were killed and ten others wounded in an Israeli attack, according to human rights activists. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that seven civilians were injured in the attacks in the country's center. Videos alleged to depict the attacks showed huge explosions and smoke clouds.
Israel normally does not comment on such attacks. However, the country has repeatedly targeted positions of militias backed by Iran in Syria. Since the start of the Gaza conflict, Israel has intensified these attacks.
The ongoing negotiations in Cairo aim to secure the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip and deliver aid to the civilian population. Due to renewed shelling from Gaza, Israel is preparing for a new military operation, urging residents to evacuate.
