Israel says that Rafah, which borders Egypt, is the last remaining stronghold for the Hamas militant group in Gaza after more than four months of war.
Israel
Israel is holding up food for 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza, the main UN aid agency there says
The director of the main U.N. aid agency for Palestinians says Israeli restrictions are preventing food for 1.1 million people from reaching war-battered Gaza.
Israel plans to evacuate Palestinians crammed into southern Gaza city ahead of expected invasion
President Biden said Thursday that Israel’s conduct is ‘over the top,’ the harshest U.S. criticism yet of its close ally.
U.S. drone strike in Baghdad kills high-ranking militia leader, officials say
U.S. officials say one was killed in the strike, but officials with Iran-backed militias in Iraq say 3 died including the commander in charge of Kataib Hezbollah’s operations in Syria.
Senate Republicans block bipartisan border package, then scramble to find support for Ukraine aid
A deeply divided Republican conference was scrambling to find support for the wartime funding, even though it has been a top priority for Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
Blinken says a Hamas-Israel deal is still possible even though the sides remain far apart
Blinken was in the region trying to broker an arrangement that could bring some respite in Israel’s war against Hamas, which is entering its fifth month.
Qatar gets ‘positive’ response from Hamas on cease-fire-for-hostages plan
However, the militant group reiterated its demand for an end to the war, something Israel has thus far ruled out.
Blinken pushes for Gaza cease-fire-for-hostages deal in meetings with mediators
Israel has said its offensive will eventually reach Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have sought refuge and are now living.
Blinken returns to Mideast in push for hostage deal and postwar plan for Gaza
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken faces challenges, as Israel has dismissed U.S. calls for a path to a Palestinian state, and Iran’s militant allies in the region have shown little sign of being deterred by U.S. strikes.
Senators release $118 billion package that pairs border policies with aid for Ukraine and Israel
With Congress stalled on approving tens of billions of dollars in Ukraine aid, the U.S. has halted shipments of ammunition and missiles to Kyiv, leaving Ukrainian soldiers outgunned as they try to beat back Russia’s invasion.