TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military signaled an intention to expand its military campaign southward in Gaza on Thursday, and another telecommunications blackout disrupted the flow of badly needed aid, all while negotiations continued over the release of dozens of hostages.
U.S. officials have been working for weeks on a deal, with Qatar acting as an intermediary. President Biden said late Wednesday he was "mildly hopeful" about a possible deal that could involve the release of 50 to 100 hostages, likely women, children or elderly people. The precise details of any such a deal, however, remain unclear.
