The bloody raid on al-Shifa Hospital has entered a fifth day as Israel’s military ordered hundreds of patients, war displaced and medical staff to evacuate.

    The head of the Mossad spy agency is set to meet his CIA and Egyptian counterparts in Qatar after the US said that the “gap” in Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks is “narrowing”.

    The world must not remain silent and “turn its back” on Gaza as Israel pledges to invade Rafah where 1.5 million Palestinians are struggling to survive, UNICEF has said.

    At least 31,988 Palestinians have been killed and 74,188 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attack stands at 1,139, with dozens taken captive.

    Blinken to meet with Netanyahu and Israeli war cabinet

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet today, the Times of Israel reports, citing an anonymous Israeli official.

    Blinken, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East, met with Saudi officials, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on Wednesday, before flying to Cairo to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Arab foreign ministers on Thursday.

    Blinken will fly to Israel today, where he is expected to discuss ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

    Israeli defence minister to bring wish list of US weapons to Washington: Report

    Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant will arrive for meetings in Washington, DC, next week with a wish list of US weapons that Tel Aviv wants to receive in an expedited manner, outlet Axios reports, citing two anonymous Israeli and US officials.

    Gallant, who is expected to arrive in Washington on Sunday, reportedly told US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on a phone call that the weapons will include not only short-term requests related to Israel’s war on Gaza, but long-term purchases such as F-35 and F-15 fighter jets.

    Axios reports that Israel is concerned the US could “slow-walk” the delivery of weapons in light of mounting scrutiny the Biden administration is facing for arming Israel’s war on Gaza.

    On Thursday, Israel submitted written assurances to the State Department that weapons it has received from the US are not being used to violate international law in Gaza, as part of a new national security memorandum issued by Biden in February.