Israel’s prime minister left for the United States on Monday, where he is due to address the US Congress on Wednesday, at a time marked by tensions between the two countries due to the war in Gaza.
Before embarking, Benjamin Netanyahu considered the visit “very important” at a time of “great political uncertainty”, referring to the decision of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, not to run again in the elections that will take place in November. “I will try to consolidate the bipartisan support that is so important for Israel”, stated.
Netanyahu’s trip to Washington also takes place against the backdrop of pressure exerted by the US ally for a ceasefire agreement to be concluded with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, more than nine months after the start of the war triggered by the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement on Israel.
On the ground, the Israeli army called for the evacuation of part of the Al Mawasi humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip, as it plans an attack on “terrorist organizations” in that area. “(Israeli forces) are about to take strong action against terrorist organizations and therefore call on the population remaining in the eastern neighborhoods of Khan Yunis to temporarily leave the humanitarian zone adapted in Al Mawasi,” it said in a statement. At least 70 Palestinians were killed by Israeli tank fire, informed the doctors at the scene.
Destruction caused by Israeli attacks in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip
Anadolu
Other news of the day:
⇒ The Israeli Parliament approved, in the first reading, three bills that aim to prohibit the activities of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), accused of having links to Hamas. The first bill seeks to ban the organization from operating in Israeli territory, the second seeks to strip the agency’s staff of immunities and legal benefits granted to United Nations personnel in Israel, and the third seeks to classify it as a terrorist organization.
⇒ The Israeli army has attacked 35 targets in the Gaza Strip in the last few hours, with the military announcing the death of Muhamad Abu Seidu, an alleged member of Nukhba, a Hamas cell involved in the October 7, 2023 operation. An official Israeli statement indicates that the Air Force “attacked approximately 35 targets throughout the Gaza Strip”, including military structures and installations used “by terrorists”.
⇒ The United Nations (UN) has reported that a Palestinian child has been killed on average every two days in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the start of the war. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that 143 Palestinian children have died in the area since October 7, a figure that represents an increase of almost 250% compared to the previous nine months, in which 41 Palestinian minors were killed. Two Israeli children have also died since October.
⇒ The Hostage Forum, an Israeli group fighting for the release of citizens held in the Gaza Strip, announced that two Hamas prisoners were killed in the Palestinian enclave. Yagev Buchshtab, 35, and Alex Dancyg, 76, were kidnapped during the group’s attack on Israel on October 7. The two deaths are a “reminder of the urgency” of releasing the hostages so they can return home, the forum said in a statement. The Israeli army confirmed the deaths of the two citizens and said it was “investigating all possibilities” about what happened.
⇒ The G20 Development Ministerial Meeting kicked off on Monday with members of the world’s largest economies at odds over how to discuss the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine during meetings taking place this week in Rio de Janeiro. According to Brazilian authorities, “some members and other participants considered that these issues have an impact on the global economy and should be addressed at the G20.” On the other hand, “others do not believe that the G20 is a forum to discuss them.”
⇒ The Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip’s Health Ministry reported that 39,006 people have died in the conflict that has lasted almost ten months, while the number of injured stands at 89,818 people, according to the latest tally.
Source: expresso.pt
