Israeli PM Netanyahu heads to Washington amid Israel-Hamas conflict | National News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington to address Congress on Wednesday. He has hinted at the possibility of a cease-fire deal materializing after nine months of conflict.

Palestinians who have been displaced due to the Israeli military’s recent evacuation order in parts of Khan Younis, a southern Gaza city, are now forced to sleep in the streets. The Health Ministry in Gaza reports that over 39,100 Palestinians have lost their lives in the war.

Officials from Egypt, Israel, the United States, and Qatar are scheduled to meet in Doha on Thursday to discuss the possibility of a three-phase cease-fire to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of remaining hostages.

Here are the latest updates:

Musk reveals Starlink operational at Gaza hospital with Israel’s approval

JERUSALEM — Billionaire Elon Musk has announced that his satellite internet service Starlink is now operational at a hospital in Gaza, which has been grappling with communication issues for months.

The Israel Communication Ministry confirmed that the service has been in use at the Emirati-run field hospital in Rafah, southern Gaza, for the past six months. However, they were surprised by Musk’s mention of it on Wednesday.

During his visit to Israel in November, Musk met with Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomi Karhi and agreed that Starlink would operate in Gaza only with Israeli government approval. In February, the ministry announced that Starlink would be accessible at select hospitals in Gaza for videoconferencing purposes.

Gaza has been facing frequent communication blackouts due to deteriorating infrastructure caused by prolonged fighting and fuel shortages.

Death toll in Gaza rises as dozens are killed, surpassing 39,100 casualties

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Gaza Health Ministry reports that local hospitals have received the bodies of 55 individuals killed in Israeli airstrikes over the past 24 hours.

Additionally, hospitals have admitted 110 wounded individuals as of Wednesday. The ministry’s tally does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

The overall Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas conflict has now reached at least 39,145, with another 90,257 individuals sustaining injuries, according to the ministry.

Israel initiated the conflict in Gaza following Hamas’ attack on October 7, during which militants entered southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties—most of whom were civilians—and the abduction of around 250 individuals.

Israeli delegation travels to Cairo ahead of planned cease-fire discussions in Doha

BEIRUT — An Israeli delegation is set to travel to Cairo on Wednesday for negotiations with Egyptian officials, as reported by Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper, which has ties to Hezbollah. The discussions will reportedly focus on the Rafah border crossing and Philadelphi corridor.

On Thursday, representatives from Egypt, Israel, the United States, and Qatar will convene in Doha to resume talks on a proposed three-phase cease-fire to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to Al-Akhbar. The mediators from Egypt and Qatar believe that the first phase of the agreement is near completion, but there are concerns that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may disrupt a potential deal at the last minute.

A spokesperson from Netanyahu’s office confirmed the delegation’s expected visit to Cairo.

Islamic Resistance in Iraq launches drone attack on ‘vital target’ in Eilat

BEIRUT — An alliance of Iran-backed factions in Iraq claims to have conducted a drone attack on a “vital target” in the Israeli city of Eilat in response to what it describes as Israel’s atrocities in Gaza.

The attack took place early Wednesday, with the Israeli military stating that they intercepted two drones approaching Israel from the east. The drones did not breach Israeli airspace.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks against Israel in recent months, although most of the drones were shot down before hitting their targets. Last week, a drone attack by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels resulted in one casualty in central Tel Aviv and left at least 10 others injured near the U.S. Embassy.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.