CAIRO (AP) – More than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli-Hamas War, Gaza’s health ministry said on Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to the White House for a meeting with US President Donald Trump to stop Israel’s continued attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu is under international pressure to end the war. Major Western Allies He joined the growing list of countries recognising the Palestinian state over Israeli objections. The European Union is considering sanctions against Israel, and there is a growing movement towards sport and cultural boycotts against Israel.
The rebellious Netanyahu told fellow world leaders on Friday after dozens of delegates were poured out of the hall United Nations General Assembly As his troops continued their attacks in Gaza city, his country “have to finish their work” against Hamas in Gaza.
Trump has been standing behind Israel up until now. However, US leaders have shown signs of impatience recently, especially afterwards Israeli Qatar bombing earlier this month What appears to have failed attempts to kill Hamas’ leadership. At the White House meeting on Monday, Trump is expected to share new proposals to end the war.
The 48 hostages are still taken prisoner in Gaza, with about 20 of them believing that Israel is alive. Certain war talks have been stagnant since Israel was widely criticized in Doha, Qatar.
Trump’s 21-point ceasefire plan
Trump has raised a 21-point proposal for an immediate ceasefire.
The proposal would include the release of all hostages within 48 hours and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian enclave, according to three Arab officials who were explained about the plan. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, officials said the proposal was not final and likely to change.
Trump discussed the proposal with New York’s Arab leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Hamas officials said the group was briefed on the plan but had not yet received official offers from Egyptian and Qatari mediators. Hamas said he is “ready to study proposals proactively and responsibly.”
Officials said the group previously said it was willing to release all hostages in exchange for the end of the war and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip.
Israeli US ambassador will be in Cairo and pushing for a ceasefire
Israeli ambassador Mike Huckabee will visit Cairo to meet Egyptian officials and discuss the ceasefire and the link between Egyptian conflict with Israel.
The trip is likely to take place early next month, according to two Egyptian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the trip have not been made public yet. The US embassy in Israel said Huckabee will travel to Cairo as part of “regular diplomatic consultations” between regional partners.
Israeli relations with Egypt – the first Arab state to establish ties with Israel – has unraveled how it is targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, with Israeli attacks, and is worried that Palestinians will flood Egypt with concerns that have been squeezed out of the Gaza Strip. Israel has also expressed concern over Egypt’s military accumulation on the Sinai Peninsula, violating the 1979 peace treaty between the two countries.
Nonstop explosion reported in Gaza
A local hospital in central Gaza said at least 10 people were killed when at least two strikes were attacked by their homes in the Nusai Rat refugee camp.
In its daily report, the ministry said the death toll rose to 66,005, with another 168,162 people injured since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Among the deaths, he said there were 79 people who were taken to hospital in the past 24 hours.
The ministry, part of Hamaslan’s government, does not distinguish between civilians and extremists in its victims, but said women and children account for half of the deaths. That figure is considered a reliable estimate by the United Nations and many independent experts.
Residents reported hearing explosions overnight around town, likely due to the demolition of buildings through explosive vehicles and robotic explosions. “They were non-stop,” said Says Baker, a Palestinian who is evacuated near a hospital in Sifa, about the explosion.
Israeli forces did not immediately comment on the strike, but said they had attacked 140 Hamas troops over the past 24 hours, including extremists, observation equipment and infrastructure.
The Israeli attacks have destroyed vast areas of Gaza, expelled about 90% of the population, causing a devastating humanitarian crisis. Experts say Gaza city is experiencing hunger. ___Ridman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Sam Mednick was a contribution from Tel Aviv, Israel.
