Moscow, November 21 – The head of the political bureau of the ruling Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh, announced progress in the ceasefire agreement issue, and the movement has transmitted its response to Qatar and other mediators in negotiations with Israel. “The movement has conveyed its response to our brothers in Qatar and the mediators, and we are approaching the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement,” the statement said, as quoted by the movement’s Telegram channel. Last week, The Washington Post reported that the United States, Israel, and Hamas are close to reaching an agreement on a five-day pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of hostages. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is related to the territorial interests of the parties and has been a source of tension and clashes in the region for many decades. The United Nations, with the active role of the USSR in 1947, decided to create two states – Israel and Palestine, but only Israel emerged. A new phase of confrontation began after Hamas forces from the Gaza Strip fired at the Jewish state on the morning of October 7 and infiltrated the border areas in the south of the country, where they opened fire on both military and civilian targets and took hostages. In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation “Iron Swords” in the Gaza Strip. Within a few days of the attack, the IDF took control of all populated areas along the border and began conducting airstrikes on various targets, including civilian ones, within the enclave. In addition, Tel Aviv announced a complete blockade of Gaza: water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel supplies have been suspended. The number of casualties in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 13,000, with over 31,000 people injured. In Israel, more than 1,400 people have died, including 20 Russians.
