He visited Iran, backed by Hamas leader Haniyah, and met with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and exchanged views on the situation in the Gaza Strip. It is the first face-to-face meeting between Iranian and Hamas leaders since the start of the clashes, and appears to be aimed at reiterating the solidarity between the two sides. On the other hand, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is visiting the Middle East and other countries, visited Iraq on the 5th without prior notice.
* We will update you on developments related to Israel and Palestine on November 11 (Japan time) as needed.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's office issued a statement on the 5th, revealing that Haniyah had visited Iran. "Mr. Haniyah explained the situation in the Gaza Strip, and Ayatollah Khamenei praised the perseverance of the people of the Gaza Strip and strongly condemned the crimes of Israel, which received direct support from the United States and other countries." The day before, on the 4th, Iranian media reported that the meeting had taken place a few days earlier, but the timing of the meeting was not disclosed.
U.S. Secretary of State Visits Iraq Without Prior Notice to Rein in Iran
As the situation surrounding the Palestinian Gaza Strip becomes tense, in Iraq, a series of attacks by drones and other weapons have been carried out on bases where US troops are stationed, and the United States has accused Iran-backed forces of being used.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani, Blinken said, "I told Prime Minister Sudani that attacks and threats from armed groups aligned with Iran will never be tolerated.
"We will work hard to ensure that the conflict in the Gaza Strip does not escalate and does not spread to other regions," he stressed.
Regarding the situation of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, he said, "About 1 trucks a day are coming in, but there is an overwhelming shortage, and we are working to increase it significantly, but the pause in fighting will support it," and reiterated the idea that a pause in fighting for humanitarian purposes is necessary.
Massive communication disruptions across the Gaza Strip
Palestinian telecommunications companies announced on SNS on the 5th that telephone and internet outages throughout the Gaza Strip.
It is said that this is because the line that was previously restored has been cut off by Israel again.
In relation to this, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, which conducts medical activities in the Gaza Strip, has complained of its plight, saying that it has become impossible to contact the team in the Gaza Strip due to the blocking of communication.
On top of that, it says that this is the third large-scale communication interruption since the series of clashes began.