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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Israeli strikes killed at least 30 people in Gaza yesterday, the Hamas-run health ministry said. The strikes also hit the only operational hospital in northern Gaza, sparking a fire which destroyed essential medical supplies, according to a medic. Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas report for Reuters; Abeer Salman and Eyad Kourdi report for CNN.
Israel’s deadly Tuesday strike on a residential building in northern Gaza targeted a “spotter” observing the Israeli forces from the roof of the building, an Israeli official said, claiming troops did not know the building was used as a shelter. Sebastian Usher and David Gritten report for BBC News.
The amount of aid entering Gaza in October has hit the lowest level since the start of the war, U.N. data shows. Mostafa Salem and Nadeen Ebrahim report for CNN.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
President Biden yesterday discussed a new U.S. effort to broker ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, whose country has played a key role in efforts to get aid into Gaza since the war started. Aamer Madhani and Menelaos Hadjicostis report for AP News.
The State Department failed to comply with its own swift investigation policies in respect of hundreds of reports that Israel has used U.S.-supplied arms in attacks that caused unnecessary harm to civilians, sources say. Abigail Hauslohner and Michael Birnbaum report for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The U.N. Security Council yesterday unanimously expressed grave concern over Israeli legislation banning the UN aid agency for Palestinians (UNRWA), urging Israel to “abide by its international obligations.” Separately, UNRWA’s chief said that banning the agency will leave a vacuum in the provision of lifesaving services and lead to further instability in Gaza. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters; Baraa Anwer and Sarah El Deeb report for AP News.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned that Israel could carry out “ethnic cleansing” of Gaza by systematically displacing Palestinians if international action is not taken. Patrick Greenfield, Malak A Tantesh, and Julian Borger report for the Guardian.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH WAR
Lebanon’s prime minister yesterday expressed hope that an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal would be announced within days, after Israel’s public broadcaster published what it said was a leaked U.S.-drafted agreement providing for an initial 60-day truce. Maayan Lubell, Maya Gebeily, and Timour Azhari report for Reuters.
Israeli strikes around Lebanon’s eastern city of Baalbek killed 19 people yesterday, Lebanon’s health ministry said. The attack came hours after Israel’s military issued evacuation orders covering the entire city and two neighboring towns. David Gritten and Hugo Bachega report for BBC News.
Naim Qassem yesterday delivered his first remarks in a televised address as Hezbollah’s new leader. Qassem said the group is open to a ceasefire on “suitable terms,” and emphasized their commitment to the “path of war” and the cause of Palestinians in Gaza. Mohamad El Chamaa and Sammy Westfall report for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT
Israel’s recent strike on Iran will be met with a “definitive and painful” response that will likely come before the U.S. presidential election, a high-ranking source said yesterday. Asked about the remark, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said that “Iran should not respond to Israel’s retaliation.” Fred Pleitgen and Niamh Kennedy report for CNN.
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
A majority of swing-state voters say that they fear violence if former President Trump does not win the presidential election and do not believe he will accept defeat, a Washington Post poll shows. Colby Itkowitz, Dan Keating, Emily Guskin, and Scott Clement report.
An 18-year-old Trump supporter was arrested on Tuesday for threatening two supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris with a machete outside an early-voting site. Maggie Astor reports for the New York Times.
The man suspected of setting fire to Oregon and Washington ballot drop boxes has significant experience in metalworking and may be planning additional attacks, Portland authorities said yesterday. Claire Rush reports for AP News.
A Philadelphia judge accelerated and relocated the hearing of Elon Musk’s $1mn-a-day swing state sweepstakes lawsuit after Pennsylvania District Attorney’s complained about receiving threats and antisemitic messages from Musk’s supporters. Josh Gerstein reports for POLITICO.
The Supreme Court yesterday allowed Virginia to remove about 1,600 possible noncitizens from the state’s voter registration rolls. Ann E. Marimow, Justin Jouvenal and Gregory S. Schneider report for the Washington Post.
A judge yesterday granted the Trump campaign’s request to extend the mail-in voting deadline in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, after reports of voters being improperly turned away while waiting for ballots. Democrats in Erie County also launched a similar lawsuit yesterday. Separately, a Pennsylvania appeals court ruled yesterday that mail-in ballot envelopes need not be accurately hand-dated. Michael Corkery reports for the New York Times; Mark Scolforo reports for AP News.
Republican leaders in some states are seeking to block Justice Department monitors from polling sites, legal experts say. David Nakamura reports for the Washington Post.
Police chiefs and sheriffs across the nation are bracing themselves for Election Day turmoil at voting sites, voter intimidation, and violent threats against election workers. Betsy Woodruff Swan reports for POLITICO.
OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A retrial began yesterday in the case of a military contractor accused of contributing to the abuse of detainees at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison after an earlier civil case ended with a hung jury. Matthew Barakat reports for AP News.
A Florida bail bondsman who bailed women out of jail in return for sexual favors for himself and others was arrested Tuesday on human trafficking and racketeering charges. James Wagner reports for the New York Times.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
U.S. airstrikes killed up to 35 militants in attacks on several self-styled Islamic State group sites in Syria, U.S. Central Command said yesterday. AP News reports.
The U.N. General Assembly yesterday overwhelmingly called on the United States to end its Cuba sanctions regime. Marc Frank reports for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
North Korean troops wearing Russian uniforms are moving towards Ukraine, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said yesterday. Separately, South Korean authorities said North Korea is likely to ask Russia for nuclear technology in exchange for troops. Tara Copp and Lolita C. Baldor report for AP News; Natasha Bertrand reports for CNN.
The United States yesterday imposed sanctions on 398 firms across Russia, India, China, and a dozen other nations over providing products and services enabling Russia’s war effort and sanctions avoidance. Fatima Hussein reports for AP News.
The number of summary killings of Ukrainian soldiers by Russian forces has been steadily increasing over the past weeks, Ukrainian officials say. David L. Stern and Serhiy Morgunov report for the Washington Post.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
North Korea said it conducted a test of an intercontinental ballistic missile this morning, achieving what is believed to be the longest flight time yet for a North Korean missile. Helen Regan, Gawon Bae, and Yumi Asada report for CNN.
The majority of Mexico’s Supreme Court justices resigned over last month’s controversial constitutional overhaul requiring all judges to be elected by popular vote, the court said yesterday. Kylie Madry, Lizbeth Diaz, and Brendan O’Boyle report for Reuters.