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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 U.N. staff member was killed in Rafah yesterday, the first time an international U.N. employee has been killed in Gaza since the war began last October. The U.N. said an employee was killed when one of its convoys came under fire yesterday as it was traveling to the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis. The nationality of the killed worker was not immediately announced. The Israeli military has said an “initial inquiry” indicates the vehicle was “in an active combat zone,” adding it was reviewing the incident. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times; Eugenia Yosef reports for CNN.
Israeli tanks moved deeper into eastern Rafah overnight, reaching some residential districts. Separately, an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza killed at least 13 Palestinians and left families buried in the rubble, according to a spokesperson for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The building was struck around 2am local time today, and the death toll is expected to rise. Abeer Salman and Mohammad Sawalhi report for CNN; Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
A right-wing Israeli group blocked and vandalized a convoy of aid trucks bound for Gaza yesterday. The group, Tzav 9, said it planned the blockage, which occurred at the Tarqumiya checkpoint between the West Bank and Israel. Tzav 9 has led previous attempts to obstruct humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza. The Israeli police said multiple suspects were arrested and that it was investigating the incident, and the White House has condemned the attack. Johnatan Reiss reports for the New York Times; Malu Cursino reports for BBC News.
Israel proposed the Palestinian Authority (PA) send representatives to the Rafah crossing last week to unofficially take part in operating it, four senior American, Israeli and Palestinian officials told Axios. It marks the first time Israel has agreed to discuss any PA involvement in the governance of Gaza since the Oct. 7 attacks. Barak Ravid reports.
The Rafah border closure has left international medical workers stranded, including at least 10 U.S. doctors. Medical personnel say they were due to leave Gaza yesterday after a two-week rotation in Khan Younis, but the doctors say it is now uncertain if and how they can leave Gaza safely, or how they can help provide medical care without further supplies coming in. Daniel Wu reports for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
Israel still has not provided the White House a plan to protect civilians in Rafah, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said yesterday. Speaking at a news briefing, Sullivan also said Israel had yet to “connect their military operations” to a political plan for the future governance of Gaza. He reiterated U.S. opposition to a major assault in Rafah, but said Israel has not yet crossed a red line in its military operation there, adding that determining a red line will be based on a “totality of factors.” David E. Sanger and Zach Montague report for the New York Times; Sammy Westfall reports for the Washington Post.
The United States has assessed that Israel has amassed enough troops in Rafah to launch a full-scale offensive in the coming days, according to two senior Biden administration officials. One of the officials warned Israel has not made adequate preparations in relation to infrastructure, food, hygiene, or shelter ahead of evacuating more than one million civilians sheltering there. Senior U.S. officials say they are unsure if a decision has been made over whether to carry out an offensive. MJ Lee and Kylie Atwood reports for CNN.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — REGIONAL RESPONSE
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that “more than 1,000 Hamas members are currently under treatment” in Turkish hospitals. He also said he does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization, saying the group is a “resistance organization struggling to protect” their occupied land. Hande Atay Alam reports for CNN.
IRAN-BACKED MILITANTS
Lebanon fears Israel may intensify its offensive against Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah. In an interview with BBC, Lebanon’s foreign minister said it was unlikely Israeli forces would cross into Lebanon, but said there could be more fierce air strikes as violence escalates along the border. Hugo Bachega reports for BBC News.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE DEVELOPMENTS
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv today, the first visit by a Biden administration official to Ukraine after the passage of U.S. supplemental funding. During his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Blinken said U.S. military aid is “now on its way.” Blinken will also deliver a speech later today to highlight Washington’s continued support for Ukraine, according to a senior U.S. official. Kylie Atwood and Jack Forrest report for CNN; BBC News reports.
A new Russian offensive into Kharkiv region has forced more than 6,000 people to evacuate the small city of Vovchansk near the Russian border since Friday. Evacuees say this wave of Russian attacks is worse than the first invasion in February 2022. Isabelle Khurshudyan and Serhii Korolchuk report for the Washington Post.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
The United States has warned of potential sanctions for any country considering business deals with Iran, hours after India signed a 10-year contract to operate a port with Tehran. In a press briefing today, State Department Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said, “Any entity, anyone considering business deals with Iran – they need to be aware of the potential risks that they are opening themselves up to and the potential risk of sanctions.” India has not commented at the time of writing. Meryl Sebastian reports for BBC News.
U.S. threats caused the rupture of military ties with Niger, Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine has said. Blaming Washington for the deterioration of bilateral ties, Zeine said U.S. officials tried to dictate which countries Niger could partner with, and failed to justify their troop presence in the West African country. Rachel Chason reports for the Washington Post.
The head of personnel at Russia’s defense ministry has been arrested on suspicion of bribery, investigators said today. The arrest of Yuri Kuznetsov signals an expansion of the biggest government corruption scandal in years, and follows Russian President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly removing Sergei Shoigu as defense minister on Sunday. Reuters reports.
Hong Kong’s leader responded today after three people were charged by British police for allegedly spying for the city’s intelligence services. “The Chinese side firmly rejects and strongly condemns the UK’s fabrication in the so-called case and its unwarranted accusation against the Hong Kong government,” Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said, referring to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in London also issued in response to the charges. Lucas Liliholm, Chris Lau, and Jerome Taylor report for CNN.
An Australian court has sentenced a former military lawyer to nearly six years in jail for sharing with journalists classified military documents about the special forces actions in Afghanistan. Reuters reports; Rod McGuirk reports for AP News.
DOMESTIC U.S. DEVELOPMENTS
Jury selection began yesterday in the corruption trial of U.S. senator Robert Menendez. Menendez faces 16 criminal charges including bribery, fraud, obstruction, and acting as a foreign agent. The trial is expected to last through June. Jonathan Stempel reports for Reuters; Larry Neumeister reports for AP News.
Department of Justice officials said today that unprecedented threats against election workers are being “supercharged by advanced technologies,” including artificial intelligence. Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a briefing ahead of a DOJ Election Threats Task Force meeting that there has been “a dangerous increase in violent threats against public servants” ahead of November’s election. Rebecca Falconer reports for Axios.
Part of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was demolished yesterday, clearing the way for the eventual full return of shipping through one of the busiest sea routes in the United States. The bridge collapsed after it was struck by a cargo ship in March. Rachel Looker and Mike Wendling report for BBC News.
TRUMP-LEGAL MATTERS
Michael Cohen testified yesterday in former President Trump’s hush money criminal trial. Speaking about the payments to adult actress Stormy Daniels, Cohen testified that Trump told him, “There’s no reason to keep this thing out there so do it. He expressed to me, just do it.” Cohen also detailed his collaboration with former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker to quash negative press stories about Trump, saying he would “immediately show” Trump covers of issues he was sent before reaching publication. Cohen is expected to resume testifying today. Erin Doherty reports for Axios; Victoria Bekiempis reports for The Guardian.