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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
Israel gave Hamas an updated ceasefire proposal in a bid to resume negotiations, Israeli officials said. Separately, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz yesterday said that a hostage deal might be possible due to increasing military pressure on Hamas. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Reuters reports.
The six hostages found dead in Khan Younis in February were most likely shot by their captors around the time Israel struck near the tunnel, the Israeli military said yesterday. Anat Peled reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Hamas threatened to “neutralize” the remaining hostages if Israel conducts a hostage rescue operation similar to the June Nuseirat camp operation, an internal statement dated Nov. 22 shows. Samia Nakhoul reports for Reuters.
Israeli strikes on a southern Gaza humanitarian zone killed at least 21 people yesterday, according to a local hospital chief. Medics say Israeli strikes killed a total of 47 people across the enclave yesterday. Wafaa Shurafa and Mohammad Jahjouh report for AP News; Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Amnesty International concluded that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a report released yesterday. The Israeli military said the claims are “entirely baseless.” Louisa Loveluck and Missy Ryan report for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
President-elect Trump’s newly named Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatar’s Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in late November to push for a ceasefire, sources say. The meetings suggest Qatar has resumed its mediator role after last month’s suspension. Andrew Mills, Humeyra Pamuk, and Matt Spetalnick report for Reuters.
ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CEASEFIRE
Hezbollah will likely try to rebuild despite Israeli blows and will pose a long term threat to the United States and its regional allies, sources briefed on updated U.S. intelligence say. Erin Banco reports for Reuters.
SYRIA’S REBEL OFFENSIVE
Syrian rebels today ousted pro-government forces from the strategically important city of Hama, in a major new victory. The Syrian army said it was redeploying outside the city “to preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat.” Suleiman Al-Khalidi reports for Reuters.
A government strike appearing to target a group of journalists yesterday killed a veteran Syrian photographer. Ali Haj Suleiman and Kareem Fahim report for the Washington Post .
Iran has deployed members of Hezbollah and Iraq’s Shiite militias to Syria to help President Bashar al-Assad and is mobilizing additional regional fighters, Hezbollah and Iraqi commanders said. Susannah George, Suzan Haidamous, and Mustafa Salim report for the Washington Post.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Ukrainian officials are seeking to narrow differences with the Trump administration over a possible peace settlement by holding high-level talks with the President-elect’s allies, a Trump transition official said. Brett Forrest, Vivian Salama, and Lara Seligman report for the Wall Street Journal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin today threatened to strike Ukraine again with the experimental Oreshnik missile after pummelling the country’s energy infrastructure overnight. Svitlana Vlasova, Victoria Butenko, Edward Szekeres, and Lauren Kent report for CNN.
Russia appears to be using Kherson’s residents for attack drone target practice, killing at least 37 people and injuring hundreds, a Financial Times investigation shows. Christopher Miller, Sam Joiner, and Irene de la Torre Arenas report.
SOUTH KOREA MARTIAL LAW CRISIS
South Korean police announced an “insurrection” investigation into President Yoon Suk-Yeol and other top officials following a complaint from opposition lawmakers, local media reports. Rebecca Falconer reports for Axios.
Yoon’s party will block the opposition’s impeachment bid, its floor leader said today. The motion needs eight ruling party lawmakers to vote against Yoon to pass. Raphael Rashid reports for the Guardian.
South Korea’s Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who allegedly ordered army troops to enter the National Assembly on Tuesday, resigned yesterday. Choe Sang-Hun reports for the New York Times.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell yesterday said Yoon “badly misjudged” the martial law declaration. David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina report for Reuters.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
The French government collapsed yesterday after both left- and right-wing lawmakers supported a no-confidence vote ousting Prime Minister Michel Barnier. The move has thrust the country deeper into a political crisis. Ellen Francis and Anthony Faiola report for the Washington Post.
The leader of one of Georgia’s opposition parties was beaten unconscious by police and detained, his party said yesterday, amid an increasingly brutal response to protests over the ruling party’s decision to suspend EU accession talks. Jeffrey Gettleman reports for the New York Times.
Ukraine today imposed sanctions on former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and some members of the ruling party over “handing Georgia over to Putin.” Anastasiia Malenkom reports for Reuters.
Romania’s ultranationalist presidential candidate was supported by a TikTok campaign similar to the Kremlin’s influence operations in Ukraine and Moldova, declassified Romanian intelligence suggests. Carmen Paun reports for POLITICO.
The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against China over yesterday’s South China Sea maritime incident, the country’s foreign ministry said today. Neil Jerome Morales reports for Reuters.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
In a “highly unusual” call last Wednesday, Russian Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov and U.S. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. discussed escalation concerns, defense and military officials said. During the call, Gerasimov allegedly said that the experimental Ukraine missile launch had been planned before Biden permitted ATACMS strikes inside Russia. Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.
U.K. and U.S. authorities yesterday announced a major crackdown on two money laundering rings allegedly used by Russia’s elite, cybercriminals, and drug-runners globally. Sean Lygaas reports for CNN.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Police are searching for a gunman who killed the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a “premeditated” attack outside a New York City hotel yesterday. Karina Tsui, John Miller, and Brynn Gingras report for CNN.
Chinese government hackers compromised at least 8 U.S. telecommunications firms in a campaign that affected dozens of countries, Biden’s deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger said yesterday. Dustin Volz reports for the Wall Street Journal.
The Memphis Police Department engages in “systemic use of excessive force” and discriminates against Black and disabled people, the Justice Department said in a report released yesterday. David Nakamura reports for the Washington Post.
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) yesterday urged Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to accept the plea deal of the man accused of planning the 9/11 attacks, citing the impact of the delay on the victims’ families. Carol Rosenberg reports for the New York Times.
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION AND NEW CONGRESS
Trump yesterday replaced William McGinley with David Warrington, the Trump campaign’s top lawyer, as his White House counsel pick. Maggie Haberman reports for the New York Times.
In other appointment news, Trump yesterday announced Peter Navarro will be the new trade and manufacturing senior counselor, while Adam Boehler will be special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. Navarro previously served prison time over obstructing Jan. 6 investigations. Chris Megerian reports for AP News; Ismail Shakil and David Ljunggren report for Reuters.
President Biden’s senior aides are debating whether to issue preemptive pardons to public officials who could be targeted once Trump returns to the White House, senior Democrat sources say. Jonathan Martin reports for POLITICO.
TRUMP LEGAL MATTERS
Trump’s lawyers yesterday asked a Georgia appellate court to dismiss the ongoing 2020 election interference case against him, arguing it is “unconstitutional” to prosecute a sitting president. Holly Bailey reports for the Washington Post.