Over 1,000 deaths have occurred in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli army’s prolonged closure of the Rafah crossing, Hamas-run Gaza government media office revealed. Ismail Thawabteh, the office’s head, stated that restricting travel for 25,000 patients and wounded individuals seeking medical treatment abroad has led to these fatalities. The closure also hinders access to medical supplies and humanitarian aid, with potential further risk to those in need. In separate developments, Hamas announced its refusal to participate in upcoming ceasefire negotiations in Qatar. This decision came following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approval of sending a negotiating team to Qatar for discussions regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, in response to invitations from Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. to resume talks in Cairo or Doha. The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants also condemned recent Israeli provocations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, urging immediate international action to quell aggression in Gaza and prevent further escalation in the region.
Tragically, two people were killed and four others wounded in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, highlighting the continued tensions in the region.