"Japan's Diplomatic Challenges in the Israel-Hamas Conflict"

Twenty Australians were among the first group of foreign citizens to leave the Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip and enter Egypt via the Rafah border crossing, while 65 Australians are still trapped in Gaza. Japan's foreign minister, Yoko Kamikawa, is set to meet Palestinian counterparts during her visit to Israel and Jordan and will communicate Japan's readiness to provide aid to the Palestinians. IDF Lt. (res.) Yuval Zilber, 25, was killed in the ongoing ground operation in the northern Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of IDF soldiers killed since Hamas launched its attack on Israel to 332. Russia's representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, stated that Israel has no right to defend itself as an occupying power, but acknowledged Israel's right to ensure its security and fight terrorism. The Hezbollah terrorist movement fired a surface-to-air missile at an IDF drone near the Lebanese-Israeli border, and the US House of Representatives approved a bill to sanction foreign supporters of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist movements. The commander of the IRGC Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, visited Lebanon to coordinate with Hezbollah concerning the conflict with Israel, and the World Jewish Congress delegation held discussions in Qatar to secure the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.