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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
The Israeli military said this morning it has “operational control” of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. An Israeli Defense Force official said the overnight operation resulted in the killing of 20 Gazan combatants, as well as the discovery of Hamas infrastructure including three operational tunnels. The operation is ongoing, the official said, with Israeli soldiers continuing to search for more such infrastructure. The military has stressed the operation was limited, saying its forces have been targeting “specific” areas based on “precise intelligence.” Shira Rubin and Heba Farouk Mahfouz report for the Washington Post; Chantal Da Silva reports for NBC News.
The “vast majority” of people ordered to evacuate parts of Rafah have left the area, the Israeli military said today. Meanwhile, a Gaza border official said the travel and the flow of aid into Gaza has “stopped completely” as a result of Israel’s ground operation. This includes the passage of injured and sick people approved for evacuation, he said. The IDF this morning said the crossing would reopen once security conditions allow. Chantal Da Silva reports for NBC News.
Hopes for a pause in the fighting have been renewed after Hamas said yesterday it has agreed to a Qatari-Egyptian ceasefire proposal. In response, Israel said it would send mediators to negotiate. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office late yesterday said, “Even though Hamas’ proposal is far from Israel’s requirements, Israel will send a delegation of mediators to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement under conditions that would be acceptable to Israel.” Karen DeYoung, Susannah George, Hajar Harb, Heba Farouk Mahfouz, Hazem Balousha, and Kareem Fahim report for the Washington Post.
Indirect ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas will continue today, with a Qatari delegation heading to Cairo, according to Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A Qatari spokesperson said in a post on X that the continued negotiations come after Hamas sent a response about a possible proposal, which “can be described as positive.” Mitchell McCluskey reports for CNN.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
President Biden and Netanyahu spoke yesterday to discuss hostage deal negotiations and Israel’s preparations for an offensive in Rafah. Biden reiterated “his clear position on Rafah,” the White House said. According to the White House, Netanyahu told Biden he would “ensure the Kerem Shalom crossing is open for humanitarian assistance,” after it was closed Sunday in response to a rocket attack claimed by Hamas. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; The Washington Post reports.
Israel is reportedly frustrated with the United States’ handling of hostage talks. Israeli officials claim the Biden administration was familiar with the latest hostage and ceasefire deal proposal Egypt and Qatar negotiated with Hamas, but didn’t brief Israel before Hamas announced it accepted it yesterday. A senior U.S. official pushed back, saying, “American diplomats have been engaged with Israeli counterparts. There have been no surprises.” Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — REGIONAL RESPONSE
Regional calls are mounting for Israel to call off a Rafah offensive. Egypt issued a statement warning against a military operation in Rafah, calling it an “escalatory action” that would create “grave humanitarian risks.” Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry also issued a warning about “the dangers” of Israeli forces targeting Rafah, and Jordan’s Minister of Foreign yesterday said on X that “Netanyahu is jeopardizing” the ceasefire deal “by bombing Rafah.” Adela Suliman and Karen DeYoung report for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
International aid agencies as well as U.N. and E.U. officials are warning against an Israeli incursion into Rafah. E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell yesterday urged Israel to “renounce” a ground offensive, adding, “the EU, with the International Community, can and must act to prevent such scenario.” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said a ground invasion into Rafah “would be intolerable,” and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned, “This is inhumane. It runs contrary to the basic principles of international humanitarian and human rights laws.” The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), U.N. Children’s Fund, Norwegian Refugee Council, and International Rescue Committee have also expressed serious concern over such an offensive. Reuters reports; Richard Roth reports for CNN.
Human Rights Watch said today an Israeli strike on a paramedic center in southern Lebanon that killed seven aid workers in March “was an unlawful attack on civilians.” It found that U.S.-supplied arms were used in the strike, and called for Washington to stop providing arms to Israel “given evidence that the Israeli military is using US weapons unlawfully.” Israel said at the time the strike had hit a “military compound” and killed a “significant terrorist operative” from the Jamaa Islamiya, a Sunni political group with an armed wing that has sometimes joined forces with Hezbollah in border clashes with Israel. AP News reports.
Police arrested some 125 activists as they broke up a pro-Palestinian demonstration camp at the University of Amsterdam early today. Police in the Dutch capital said their actions were “necessary to restore order” after protests turned violent. There were no immediate reports of injuries at the time of writing. Mike Corder and Barbara Surk report for AP News.
IRAN-BACKED MILITANTS
Two Israeli soldiers were killed yesterday in what Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah described as a drone attack on a military base in the Israeli town of Metula. On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike killed four members of a Lebanese family in the village of Meiss al-Jabal, according to local officials. Hugo Bachega reports for BBC News.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE DEVELOPMENTS
Russia has begun preparations for missile drills near Ukraine simulating the use of tactical nuclear weapons in response to “threats” by Western officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said recent statements by French president Emmanuel Macron and British foreign secretary David Cameron have caused a “completely new round of escalation of tension.” Laura Gozzi reports for BBC News.
Russia said yesterday it could strike British military installations and equipment both “inside and beyond” Ukraine if British weapons were used by Ukraine to attack its territory. The Kremlin also summoned the British Ambassador to Moscow “to express a strong protest” over the recent “belligerent provocative statements” by Cameron. Cameron told reporters last week that Kyiv has the “right” to use British-supplied weapons to strike Russia inside its own territory. Pierre Emmanuel Ngendakumana reports for POLITICO.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Russian President Vladimir Putin was sworn in today for a new six-year term at a Kremlin ceremony. Putin, 71, has been in power as president or prime minister since 1999. Guy Faulconbridge and Mark Trevelyan report for Reuters.
President Xi Jinping of China, on a two-day visit to France, spoke out against criticism of his country for its close relationship with Russia during the war in Ukraine. “We oppose the crisis being used to cast responsibility on a third country, sully its image and incite a new cold war,” Xi said. Macron and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen reportedly pressured Xi to use his influence on Moscow to stop the war, but there was no suggestion Beijing would do so. Roger Cohen reports for the New York Times.
The British government suspects China was behind the attack on an armed forces payroll system which details the name and bank details of British military personnel. China described the suggestion as a “fabricated and malicious slander.” Henry Zeffman and Gordon Corera report for BBC News.
Polish security agents discovered bugging devices in a room where ministers were due to meet today, authorities said. They did not say who might have placed them there. Reuters reports.
DOMESTIC U.S. DEVELOPMENTS
The White House today announced a handful of additional actions intended to quell antisemitism on college campuses and elsewhere. The Biden administration announced the new measures, including new guidance for schools and examples of antisemitic discrimination, to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day. Brett Samuels reports for The Hill.
A U.S. soldier was detained in Russia last week, a U.S. army spokesperson confirmed yesterday. The soldier had been stationed in South Korea and traveled to Russia on his own to visit a woman he was romantically involved with, according to four U.S. officials. The soldier is accused of stealing from a woman, and was apprehended on Thursday in Vladivostok “on charges of criminal misconduct.” Courtney Kube and Mosheh Gains reports for NBC News.
TRUMP-LEGAL MATTERS
A New York judge yesterday threatened to jail former President Trump after his latest violation of the gag order in his hush money criminal case. Judge Juan Merchan fined Trump $1,000 for his 10th violation of the order, per the court order. “Going forward, this court will have to consider a jail sanction,” Merchan said, warning that Trump’s “continued willful violation of this court’s orders threaten the administration of justice and constitute a direct attack on the rule of law.” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said that Merchan’s jail warning was “authoritarian.” Erin Doherty reports for Axios.