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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
A senior Hamas official told AFP news that the group’s response to the proposed truce deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar was “negative,” but that discussions were continuing. The group’s aim remains an “end to this war”, Suhail al-Hindi told AFP. Hamas is understood to be seeking a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, with the proposal that there would then be a lengthy rebuilding program for the enclave during which Israel would not rebuild any military facilities. The Guardian reports.
Israel’s state auditor yesterday called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the armed forces to cooperate with a probe into how Hamas was able to stage the Oct. 7 attacks. In December, State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman said his office would “leave no stone unturned” as it investigates the “multisystem failures” around the attacks. Netanyahu’s office rejected Englman’s accusations it was not fully cooperating. Reuters reports.
The Israeli military has been accused of a possible “war crime” over the death of a Palestinian boy in the West Bank last November. The boy, 8, was shot in the head as he ran away from Israeli armored vehicles. A BBC investigation into the conduct of Israel’s security found evidence suggesting serious human rights violations, prompting the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism to say the death appears to be a “war crime.” The military said the circumstances of the death were “under review.” Isobel Yeung, Josh Baker, and Sara Obeidat report for BBC News.
An Israeli airstrike on Al-Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah city late Tuesday killed two young children and injured several others, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense in Gaza and the Kuwait Hospital in Rafah. Tareq Elhelou, Zeena Saifi, and Kareem Khadder report for CNN.
Israel reopened the Erez crossing in Gaza yesterday, allowing aid trucks to pass through following U.S. demands to do more to address the growing humanitarian crisis. Reopening the crossing has been a main plea of international aid agencies for months. Reuters reports.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
Before leaving Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he left Israeli officials with a list of measures the Biden administration believes should be taken to protect civilians in Gaza. Blinken reiterated U.S. opposition to a Rafah offensive without seeing an effective plan to evacuate and protect civilians, and said there are “other ways, and in our judgment, better ways” of dealing with Hamas that would not require a military operation in Rafah. Meanwhile, Netanyahu secretly warned Blinken yesterday that Israel will press ahead with Rafah plans if Hamas continues to condition a hostage deal on ending the war, two Israeli and U.S. officials said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Missy Ryan reports for the Washington Post.
The Israeli government warned the Biden administration it will take retaliatory steps against the Palestinian Authority if the International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, according to two Israeli and U.S. officials. Israel has told Washington it has information suggesting Palestinian Authority officials are pressing the ICC prosecutor to issue arrest warrants. “We are quietly encouraging the ICC not to do it,” a U.S. official said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
Protests are continuing to sweep U.S. colleges and universities, bringing the total number of arrests to over 1,000. Hundreds of police officers have amassed on UCLA’s campus, telling pro-Palestinian protesters to disperse or face arrest. BBC News reports.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — REGIONAL RESPONSE
Israeli settlers yesterday attacked several aid trucks on the way from Jordan to Gaza, Jordan’s foreign ministry said. The ministry said the settlers dumped some of the aid onto the street. It condemned Israel’s failure to protect the aid as a violation of its legal duty to safeguard the flow of humanitarian aid, and said the attack undermined Israel’s claim it was working to allow more aid into Gaza. The Israeli military said in a statement that Israeli civilians had “caused damage” to aid on several trucks from Jordan “secured” by Israeli forces. Anushka Patil and Johnatan Reiss report for the New York Times.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Colombia will sever diplomatic ties with Israel over its conduct in the Gaza war, President Gustavo Petro announced yesterday, describing the Israeli government as “genocidal.” Colombia is the second South American nation to break relations with Israel, after Bolivia cut ties in November. The Israeli government yesterday condemned the move. Genevieve Glatsky reports for the New York Times.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE DEVELOPMENTS
The United States yesterday imposed sanctions on Chinese companies for aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Biden administration announced nearly 300 new sanctions on international suppliers of military equipment technology that Washington said have been helping Russia restock its arsenal. The State Department also formally accused Russia of using chemical weapons “as a method of warfare” against Ukraine, in “violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.” The Kremlin has called the accusation “baseless.” Alan Rappeport reports for the New York Times; Jessie Yeung and Brad Lendon report for CNN.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
President Biden said yesterday that U.S. ally Japan was struggling economically because of “xenophobia,” along with China and Russia. Speaking at a campaign fundraiser marking the start of Asian American month, Biden said the U.S. economy was growing “because we welcome immigrants” and that other countries were held back economically by anti-immigration policies. “Why is China stalling so bad economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia? Because they’re xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants,” Biden said. There was no immediate reaction from Japan at the time of writing. Jennifer Jett reports for NBC News.
The European Union has offered Lebanon a financial package of €1bn ($1.07bn) to support its economy and security forces. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement today during a visit to Beirut. Leyen said the package would help bolster basic services, and would support the Lebanese army and other security agencies with equipment and training. Reuters reports.
Pro-China candidate Jeramiah Manele won the Solomon Islands election today. Manele will take office as prime minister, in an indication the Pacific nation will remain a close Beijing ally. Frances Mao reports for BBC News.
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The House yesterday passed a bipartisan bill 320-91 to combat antisemitism as pro-Palestinian protests spread across U.S. universities. Twenty-one Republicans and 70 Democrats voted against it. The bill, titled the Antisemitism Awareness Act, would mandate the Education Department to adopt the broad definition of antisemitism used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance to enforce anti-discrimination laws. The bill’s prospects in the Senate are unclear. Summer Concepcion, Megan Lebowitz, and Rebecca Kaplan report for NBC News.
Former President Trump acknowledged he told the Secret Service on Jan. 6 that he would “like to go down” to the Capitol. The remark depicted a different tone of an event that became a contentious detail of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony before the House committee that investigated the attack. Hutchinson testified that staff members told her Trump tried to grab the steering wheel in an armored SUV and lunged toward his security detail when he learned he would not be taken to the Capitol. In contrast, Trump said, “I sat in the back, and you know what I did say? I said, ‘I’d like to go down there because I see a lot of people walking down.’ They said, ‘Sir, it’s better if you don’t.’ I said, ‘Well, I’d like to. … Whatever you guys think.’” Zoë Richards reports for NBC News.
TRUMP-LEGAL MATTERS
Trump’s hush money criminal trial resumes today, with testimony from key prosecution witness and attorney, Keith Davidson. Another contempt hearing will also take place, with prosecutors seeking $1,000 fines for each of four comments by Trump that they say violated a judge’s gag order. Such a penalty would be in addition to the $9,000 fine that Judge Merchan imposed on Tuesday related to nine separate gag order violations. Meanwhile, Trump kept up his condemnation of the case yesterday, telling supporters in Wisconsin, “There is no crime. I have a crooked judge, is a [sic] totally conflicted judge.” Michael R. Sisak, Jennifer Peltz, Eric Tucker, and Jake Offenhartz report for AP News.