“So, we are not really celebrating until we are free, until our hostages are free, and until us as a nation are free.”
Israel ordered Saturday’s Khan Younis evacuation after it intercepted four projectiles fired from Gaza, three from the territory’s south.
“IDF troops are operating with significant force in the area, and will strike with intensity on any location from which rockets are launched,” the military posted on X.
The United Nations warned Friday that expanding evacuation orders were resulting in the “forcible transfer” of people into ever-shrinking areas, raising “real concern as to the future viability of Palestinians as a group in Gaza”.
Ahead of a meeting between Hamas and Egyptian and Qatari mediators later Saturday, a Hamas official familiar with the ceasefire negotiations said the group hoped the meeting “will achieve real progress towards reaching an agreement to end the war”.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said Hamas has not yet received any new ceasefire proposals, despite Israeli media reports suggesting Israel and Egypt had exchanged draft documents outlining a potential ceasefire and hostage release agreement.
Hamas later confirmed its delegation had departed for Cairo.
“We in the Hamas movement affirm our positive engagement with any proposals that ensure a permanent ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of occupation forces, an end to the suffering of our Palestinian people, and the achievement of a serious prisoner exchange deal,” it said.
