On February 6, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken went to Israel on yet another tour of the Middle East: he also went to Qatar, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, confirmed during his meeting with Blinken that ending the aggression against Gaza is a global demand.
All this while the US House of Representatives did not support the bill to help Israel, which does not provide funds for Ukraine. 250 deputies voted in favor of the initiative, while 180 members of the lower house of Congress voted against it. The votes of two-thirds of deputies were needed to pass the bill.
Senate Democratic leader Schumer said he will force party members today to vote on aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan without taking into account funding for border security.
Qatar has received a response from the Palestinian movement Hamas to the mediators’ proposal agreed in Paris, approved by Israel, on a temporary truce in the Gaza Strip and the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the gradual release of Israeli hostages, the Prime Minister said and Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abderrahman Al Thani.
“We have received a response from Hamas regarding the framework agreement on the truce, it includes comments and is generally positive,” Al Thani said, as quoted by Al Jazeera. “Hamas’ reaction inspires optimism, but we will not go into details now due to the sensitivity of the situation,” the prime minister said.
Hamas’ response to the draft prisoner exchange agreement includes: a first phase lasting 45 days to release all Israeli prisoners, women, children (under 19, not those of conscription age), the elderly and the sick in exchange for a known number of Palestinian prisoners.
Strengthen humanitarian assistance: Allow work to begin on the reconstruction of hospitals, homes and facilities in all areas of the Gaza Strip and allow the United Nations and its agencies to provide humanitarian services and create shelters for the population. Temporary and complete cessation of hostilities, including aerial reconnaissance. Transfer of Israeli forces from populated areas along the demarcation line so that the sides can complete the exchange of detainees.
We will talk about the second phase in another article also because Israel has for now already said no to the offer from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Russia and the UN.
The IDF showed a tunnel used by senior officers to hold hostages in Khan Yunis; the 98th Brigade and special forces located and destroyed. Soldiers from the Yahalom Unit and another special forces unit carried out a targeted raid under the command of the 98th Brigade on an additional strategic underground tunnel over a kilometer long in Khan Yunis. The tunnel was used to hide high-ranking members of the terrorist organization Hamas and to hold hostages. The forces fought in the tunnel against the terrorists, broke down the metal doors and neutralized the explosives.
The Minister of Transport of the Government of Sanaa, General Abdul Wahab Al-Durra, told Al-Mayadeen: “We assure international companies of the safety of navigation in Red and Arab Bahrain. The targeted ships are Israeli ships or those headed to Israeli ports. We have delivered an official letter to the international companies that guarantee navigation in red and Arab Bahrain. We have asked international companies not to respond to warnings not to cross the Red Sea.” However, all this did not reassure Total Energies which decided to pass through the Cape of Good Hope to bring fuel to Europe. The company’s chief executive, Patrick Pouyanné, said transit costs across the Red Sea had increased and attributed this to reasons including rising insurance costs.
The British Navy officially announces the withdrawal of the Type 45 D34 Diamond destroyer for maintenance and the replacement of her with another frigate after suffering three attacks from Yemen. This was confirmed by British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps who stated that the F239 Richmond frigate will replace the D34 Diamond destroyer damaged in defensive operations against Houthi threats in the Red Sea
The US Central Command said the Houthis launched anti-ship ballistic missile attacks in the southern Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden, according to the official statement, they attempted to hit a Greek-owned tanker as it passed through the Gulf of Aden.
And now a look at the situation between Israel and Hamas updated at 4pm on February 7th.
An accident involving Israeli armored vehicles occurred in the Golan Heights.
In the north of Israel, the Ramim barracks was still targeted, which was hit by a 500 kg Burkan rocket, causing the collapse of one of its concrete bunkers and seriously damaging other surrounding buildings. The rocket fell in front of the building. Thus, it was revealed that many of the fortified structures Israel had built at its military bases were only resistant to standard artillery and rocket attacks.
The Islamic resistance claimed responsibility for an attack against Ruwaisat Al-Ilm in Shebaa farms.
In the western Gaza Strip an Israeli Army AH-64 Apache combat helicopter was hit by a Strela-2 MANPADS.
Ambushes against Israeli soldiers continue in central Gaza, with militias linked to Hamas claiming the killing of a soldier.
In southern Gaza, clashes continue in Khan Yanis area in the west, clashes also in Shawaz in Al-Bahr Street, in the Al-Hawouz area.
In the West Bank, Israeli forces storm the town of Hajjah, east of Qalqilya in the West Bank and make arrests. Clashes also occurred in Jenin and Tulkarem
Al-Mayadeen Correspondent writes: “Occupation planes have launched a series of raids on the city of Rafah, south of Gaza.” Israeli gunboats have shells and are firing towards the Rafah Sea coast.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
