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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a surprise visit to troops in Rafah, southern Gaza, on July 18, just days before his scheduled speech to the U.S. Congress. This visit came shortly after Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited the highly sensitive Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, a move seen as provocative and potentially disruptive to peace talks aimed at ending the nine-month-long Israel-Hamas war.

Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist settler leader, visited the contested site to pray for the return of Israeli hostages but emphasized his opposition to any deals perceived as reckless. His visit drew condemnation from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, which called it a "provocative intrusion" that endangered the fragile status quo of the site revered by both Muslims and Jews. The Al-Aqsa compound is the third holiest site in Islam and a significant site in Judaism. Under current rules, non-Muslims can visit but not pray there, though increasing defiance of this ban by Jewish visitors has heightened tensions.

Amid these developments, Israeli negotiators were in Cairo for peace talks, which faced setbacks following recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. Netanyahu's office stated that combined military pressure and a focus on securing the release of hostages in Gaza were advancing the peace deal. Around 250 people were taken captive during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in at least 1,139 deaths according to Al Jazeera. 

In the ongoing conflict, Israel's war on Gaza has resulted in at least 38,848 Palestinian deaths and 89,459 injuries, according to Palestinian officials. As Israeli forces continued their attacks, Netanyahu told troops in Rafah that their efforts were yielding results. However, Israelis released from Gaza captivity are planning a protest against Netanyahu's upcoming U.S. trip, calling for the release of captives and new elections.

The U.N.'s International Court of Justice is expected to issue an opinion on the legality of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, a separate issue from the current conflict. Meanwhile, recent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed at least 11 people, including children and women, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA, THE ECONOMIC TIMES, THE GUARDIAN