Newest Israel-Hamas battle information: Netanyahu to deal with joint session of Congress

“The existential challenges we face, together with the rising partnership between Iran, Russia, and China, threaten the safety, peace, and prosperity of our nations,” wrote Johnson, Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Chief Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) within the invitation.

“We sit up for listening to the Israeli authorities’s imaginative and prescient for defending democracy, combating terror, and establishing a simply and lasting peace within the area,” Johnson stated in Thursday’s announcement.

The invitation comes in opposition to the backdrop of U.S. political divisions over Israel’s damaging battle in Gaza. Officers in Washington, Israel’s strongest ally, have more and more voiced frustration with Netanyahu as he faces worldwide condemnation over an Israeli assault in Rafah and warnings of famine within the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Whereas U.S. officers shuttle across the area searching for to clinch a deal for a cease-fire and the discharge of Hamas hostages, Netanyahu is below U.S. stress to again a proposal outlined by President Biden final week because the Israeli possibility.

However Netanyahu has distanced himself from the proposal, after his far-right companions threatened to carry down his coalition if he agrees to the deal.

The battle in Gaza has accelerated a dynamic that has been years within the making, as Netanyahu’s tensions with Democrats and his technique of aligning with Republicans helped fray the bipartisan American consensus behind Israel.

Alluding to among the divisions, Schumer stated in a press release that he had agreed to Netanyahu’s handle regardless of having “clear and profound disagreements” with the Israeli chief, “as a result of America’s relationship with Israel is ironclad and transcends one individual or prime minister.” Schumer, one among Israel’s staunchest supporters in Congress, criticized Netanyahu and referred to as for brand new elections in a scathing speech in March that drew backlash from Israeli officers.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has promised to boycott a Netanyahu speech to Congress, stated Thursday that Netanyahu shouldn’t have been honored with the invitation, accusing him of “going to battle in opposition to the whole Palestinian individuals.”

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, can also be below stress at residence from the households of hostages urging a deal to safe the discharge of these nonetheless held by Hamas.

One other problem is coming from Benny Gantz, a political rival of Netanyahu, who gave the embattled chief till Saturday to current a long-term plan for Gaza, or he says he’ll step down from the battle cupboard and pull his occasion from the federal government.

Residents in Gaza on Friday reported Israeli tanks advancing westward on the Philadelphi Hall, which separates Gaza and Egypt, towards the ocean. “The sounds of shells have been heard all evening lengthy” on the southern facet of Rafah, stated Fathi Muhammed, 57, who stays in a tent west of Rafah along with his household. Wissam Rajab, 50, who additionally lives in Western Rafah, stated there was an “exodus” all evening of residents who lived in an space generally known as the Swedish Village, which sits alongside the ocean, on account of bombing. “Within the morning hours, we found that the tanks had arrived within the sea space alongside the border, and they’re now lower than one kilometer away from us,” Rajab added.

Israeli jets seem to have used a U.S.-made munition in a lethal strike on a U.N. faculty in Gaza on Thursday, in accordance with weapons specialists. The assault killed 33 individuals, together with 9 kids, the Related Press reported. An Israeli navy spokesman stated 20 to 30 Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters have been working from a compound inside the college. The top of the U.N. company for Palestinian refugees stated the college in central Gaza had been sheltering 1000’s of displaced individuals when it was hit “with out prior warning.” The Israeli navy stated Friday it was persevering with operations, together with airstrikes, in opposition to militants in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and in Rafah in southern Gaza.

The momentary pier constructed by america off Gaza’s coast was “efficiently reestablished” on Friday, U.S. Central Command stated. The mission to ship support to ravenous Palestinians by way of the pier instantly confronted obstacles when it started final month and was suspended after extreme setbacks, in addition to unhealthy climate. It’ll value not less than $22 million to restore the pier, in accordance with two Pentagon officers who spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate navy plans. The challenge has drawn criticism from support staff and lawmakers, who contend that as an alternative of constructing the pier, the administration ought to do extra to stress Israel to ease restriction on support into Gaza by means of land crossings.

The Houthi militant group has detained not less than 9 United Nations staff in Yemen, human rights advocates stated Friday. The detentions come amid an escalating battle between the Houthis and america and Britain over the militant group’s concentrating on of maritime site visitors within the Purple Sea. Niku Jafarnia, Yemen researcher for Human Rights Watch, stated that the detentions of the U.N. staff occurred because the Houthis had begun stepping up arrests of civil society activists. The Houthis’ actions, she stated, “are undermining important humanitarian work in Yemen at a time when nearly all of Yemenis wouldn’t have ample entry to primary requirements like meals and water.”

A minimum of ​​36,654 individuals have been killed and 83,309 injured in Gaza for the reason that battle began, in accordance with the Gaza Well being Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants however says nearly all of the lifeless are girls and youngsters. Israel estimates that about 1,200 individuals have been killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault, together with greater than 300 troopers. It says 294 troopers have been killed for the reason that launch of its navy operations in Gaza.

Kareem Fahim, Steve Hendrix, Louisa Loveluck, Hajar Harb, Cate Brown and Niha Masih contributed to this report.