26 dead in the Gaza Strip since dawn today, and ceasefire negotiations are witnessing "remarkable progress."

Local sources reported that 26 citizens were killed in the Gaza Strip since dawn on Thursday.

On the political front, the Qatari capital, Doha, is witnessing intense diplomatic activity aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement in the besieged Gaza Strip, in addition to a prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas.

At the same time, Hamas affirmed its rejection of separating any geographical area from the Gaza Strip or accepting the occupation's presence in any part of it.

For its part, Israel's Channel 12 reported significant progress in the ceasefire negotiations, indicating that the chances of reaching a prisoner exchange and ceasefire deal are now greater than the likelihood of failure.

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said that ongoing negotiations are moving positively toward a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.