By Nidal al-Mughrabi, Ali Sawafta and Haseeb Elwazeer

GAZA, April 22 (Reuters) - Palestinians in one of the only Gaza cities not overrun by Israeli ground forces during the war will vote this weekend in municipal elections that will feature some pro-Hamas candidates, offering a rare barometer of the militant group's popularity.

The vote in Deir al-Balah is part of Palestinian Authority municipal elections that Palestinians have cast as a display of national unity against a U.S. plan for Gaza that they believe intends to entrench their separation from the occupied West Bank.

By Jessica Donati

DAKAR, April 22 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is in talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo to resettle 1,100 Afghans who have been stranded in Qatar awaiting U.S. visas, according to an advocacy organisation that works on their behalf.

The discussions underscore the legal hurdles facing Afghans who fled the Taliban after U.S. immigrant visa processing for Afghan nationals was effectively halted, leaving them in limbo more than four years after the U.S. withdrawal from Kabul.

By Maya Gebeily and Pesha Magid

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, April 22 (Reuters) - Lebanese and Israeli envoys will meet for the second time in two weeks in Washington on Thursday, building on nascent contacts between the states, with Lebanon hoping for the extension of a shaky ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.

The 10-day, U.S.-mediated ceasefire is set to expire on Sunday. Underlining its fragility, Iran-backed Hezbollah said on Tuesday it had fired rockets at northern Israel in response to Israeli violations, while Israel also accused the group of breaches.

Israeli strikes killed five people, including a journalist, and wounded another in Lebanon on Wednesday, despite an ongoing ceasefire that Beirut will request an extension for in upcoming talks with Israel in Washington.

Ahead of the talks on Thursday, Israel called on the Lebanese government to "work together" with it against Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Since the outbreak of war between Iran, Israel and the United States, colourful murals have sprung up across capital Tehran and other major cities, rich in symbolism and themes of resistance and defiance.

Murals and banners have long been a defining feature of Iran's urban landscape, particularly in Tehran, where such paintings in central squares mirror the state's political messaging and foreign policy.

DUBAI/PARIS, April 22 (Reuters) - An Iranian opposition leader criticised European countries on Wednesday for doing too little to halt executions in Iran, after Tehran carried out another execution in what opponents say is a wartime crackdown on dissent.

The judiciary's news outlet Mizan reported on Wednesday that a man convicted of spying for Israel’s intelligence service and passing sensitive information had been executed.

By America Hernandez

PARIS, April 22 (Reuters) - The natural gas demand destruction currently resulting from the Iran war as governments implement measures to mitigate the crisis risks becoming structural if the conflict persists, the head of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum said on Wednesday.

Since the Middle East crisis began at the end of February, more than 500 million barrels of crude and condensate have been knocked out of the global market, according to Kpler data - the largest energy supply disruption in modern history.

By Sam Tabahriti

LONDON, April 22 (Reuters) - Britain should brace for a rise in cyberattacks linked to hostile states, the head of the country's cybersecurity agency said on Wednesday, as the government urged tech firms to help build defences powered by artificial intelligence.

By Julia Payne

BRUSSELS, April 22 (Reuters) - European Union envoys are set to adopt a 20th package of sanctions against Russia, with Slovakia and Hungary expected to drop their opposition to the move following the repair of the Druzhba oil pipeline, EU diplomats said on Wednesday.

The measures would deepen Europe’s effort to choke off Russian energy revenue and military supplies, as Kyiv seeks stronger action from allies more than four years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

By David Jeans

NEW YORK, April 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. military has introduced Ukrainian counter-drone technology in recent weeks at a key U.S. air base in Saudi Arabia, according to five people with knowledge of the matter, as it seeks to stem attacks that have destroyed aircraft and buildings, and killed at least one service member.