"Israeli Cabinet Official Defies Netanyahu, Meets with U.S. Leaders in Washington"

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to meet with a top Israeli war cabinet official to discuss securing a hostage deal and reducing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while also emphasizing the urgency of a temporary cease-fire and more aid deliveries. The meeting comes after Harris amplified the U.S.'s calls for Hamas to sign off on a deal for a cease-fire and aid flow. Only a trickle of aid has reached the northern Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians face a growing threat of famine, prompting international pressure on Israel to facilitate more aid. An unpublished U.N. report accuses Israel of abusing hundreds of Gazans captured during the war with Hamas, and aid officials warn that Gaza is close to famine.