Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant indicated that his country's forces "are preparing to continue their missions (...) in the area of ​​Rafah" Israeli troops had withdrawn from Khan Younes, another town in the south of the coastal territory, the epicenter of the fighting, in order to “prepare for future operations” The Israeli army's announcements came alongside a new round of indirect negotiations in Cairo between Hamas and Israel via international mediators Egypt, the United States and Qatar.