On the 5th, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on a US FOX News program and stated that, “unfortunately, we are not close to reaching an agreement on ceasefire negotiations in the Palestinian-controlled area of ​​Gaza.” He claimed that the Islamic fundamentalist organization Hamas would not agree to the disputed issue of continuing the Israeli military presence on the Gaza-Egypt border. Hamas has been releasing videos of dead hostages every day, putting pressure on Israel.

In ceasefire negotiations, the gap between Netanyahu, who insists on continuing the military presence on the border, and Hamas, which demands a complete withdrawal of troops, has not been bridged. According to the New York Times, mediators are preparing a new ceasefire proposal to bridge the gap, but on the 5th, Hamas political wing leader Hayya indicated that he would not accept it. Egypt is also opposed to Israeli military presence on the border. (Kyodo News)