While fighting raged on the outskirts of Gaza City amid reports of house-to-house and tunnel-to-tunnel confrontations between Hamas fighters and Israeli soldiers, Tel Aviv rejected Washington's effort to implement a humanitarian truce in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, conditioning that in order to accept this, Hamas should release... The prisoners it holds.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday, Friday, that he informed US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Israel will not agree to any ceasefire in Gaza unless the 249 hostages are released, according to the latest official Israeli figures, noting that “Hamas” It says that some of them died in the Israeli bombing of Gaza. Netanyahu added after the meeting with Blinken: “I made it clear that we will continue (the attack) with all force. We reject any ceasefire that does not include the liberation of our hostages.”

For his part, Blinken announced that he discussed with Netanyahu the issue of a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza, and explained to reporters in Tel Aviv: “We believe that all these efforts will be facilitated through the humanitarian truce, and through arrangements on the ground that increase security for civilians and allow the delivery of aid.” humanity more effectively and sustainably. He added: “We also consider it a way to create a better environment for the release of hostages.” In other statements, Blinken stressed that the only path to Israel's security is through the two-state solution option.

In addition, the Israeli forces reached the outskirts of Gaza City, through multiple axes from the north and south: north from Beit Lahia, to Sudaniya, Al-Tawam, Al-Karama, and Al-Atatra, all the way to the outskirts of the Beach Camp, northwest of the city, and south from Juhr Al-Dik, southeast of the city, to Netzarim, then Street 10, reaching the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood and Tal Al-Hawa, south of it.

Violent battles were recorded between Hamas fighters and the advanced forces, some of which took place face to face. The battles were accompanied by Israeli aircraft continuing to bomb large areas in Gaza. It targeted a convoy of displaced people, a convoy of wounded people, ambulances, and the vicinity of hospitals, causing more casualties.