
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>A year after Hamas attacked Israel, prompting a counterattack on Gaza and a regional conflict that recently bled into Lebanon, the death toll continues to grow, but remains uncertain amid discrepancies in figures reported by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry and logistical challenges in tracking the dead.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>Nearly 42,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Health Ministry—the most commonly cited figure for the Gaza death toll.</p>



<p>The World Health Organization, United Nations and Israeli government accept the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry as the official authority for the death toll, though the figures have been heavily criticized by Israeli officials and researchers.</p>



<p>The Ministry calculates the death toll based on reporting from hospitals and morgues, media sources, first responders and reports from families whose loved ones have been killed, according to a study by the peer-reviewed medical journal,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01169-3/fulltext" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Lancet</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-the-death-toll-so-difficult-to-track">Why Is The Death Toll So Difficult To Track?</h2>



<p>The Gaza Health Ministry has struggled to maintain accurate tallies due to the destruction of data-keeping technology and infrastructure in the war, according to analysis published by The Lancet, which noted an estimated 10,000 victims are likely still buried in the rubble of destroyed buildings. Some of the dead also go uncounted because “what we’ve seen in Gaza is entire families just being wiped out,” so there is no one to report them dead, Emily Tripp, the director of Airwars, a watchdog group that tracks war casualties, told Nature.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-the-death-toll-over-or-under-estimated">Is The Death Toll Over- Or Under-Estimated?</h2>



<p>The non-governmental organization, Airwars, has also determined the death toll is likely underestimated after finding some victims’ names are missing from the list released by the Ministry. Some experts, including Israel-based independent researcher Mark Zlochin, believe the death toll is overcounted because it likely includes people who are missing, but not dead, he told the scientific journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-02508-0#:~:text=Since%20war%20broke%20out%20in,count%20dead%20people%20during%20conflicts" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Nature</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-have-israelis-questioned-the-death-toll">Why Have Israelis Questioned The Death Toll?</h2>



<p>The Ministry updated its breakdown of the fatalities in May to clarify that approximately 25,000 of the 35,000 reported dead at the time were “people who have been fully identified.” The Ministry revised its count of women and children estimated to be dead to about 60% of all reported fatalities, down from a previous estimate of about 70%, sparking allegations of inaccuracies from Israeli officials. The World Health Organization, however, expressed confidence in the new tally amid the dispute, noting that it’s a “step forward” that 25,000 bodies have been identified, World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/nothing-wrong-with-gaza-death-toll-figures-who-says-2024-05-14/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;during a press briefing at the time that it’s “normal” for death tolls to shift in conflict.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-often-is-the-death-toll-updated">How Often Is The Death Toll Updated?</h2>



<p>Nearly every day. The death toll doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. The death toll includes nearly 16,756 children and more than 10,000 people who are missing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-many-people-have-been-injured-in-gaza-since-the-start-of-the-war">How Many People Have Been Injured In Gaza Since The Start Of The War?</h2>



<p>More than 97,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-many-people-have-been-killed-and-injured-in-israel">How Many People Have Been Killed And Injured In Israel?</h2>



<p>1,139 have been killed and at least 8,730 have been injured, as of Sunday, according to Israeli officials.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-many-have-been-killed-in-the-occupied-west-bank">How Many Have Been Killed In The Occupied West Bank?</h2>



<p>At least 742 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and more than 6,250 have been injured.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Hamas invaded Israel in a surprise land, sea and air attack launched from the Gaza Strip in what was the deadliest day in Israeli history, and for Jews since the Holocaust, following decades of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Hamas militants took more than 240 people hostage; 154 of whom have been freed or rescued, with 97 remaining in Gaza, including 33 believed to be dead. Israel declared a state of war the day after the attack and launched air strikes, followed by a ground invasion, on Gaza. The Israeli invasion has spawned a humanitarian crisis as the dismantling of critical infrastructure and the Israeli occupation has blocked routes into Gaza, restricting the flow of aid. The outpouring of international support for Israel has dwindled since the start of the war as a broad coalition of its allies, including the U.S., have called for a cease-fire. The war has since expanded to Lebanon as tensions between Hezbollah and Israel reached a tipping point in July when a rocket attack Israel says Hezbollah carried out killed 12 children playing soccer in the Golan Heights region. Israel has retaliated with air strikes followed by a ground invasion, killing Hezbollah’s’ longtime leader and other top officials, and Hezbollah has vowed its strikes will continue unless there’s a cease-fire in Gaza.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>56%. That’s the share of Israelis who want to see an end to the war if all hostages are returned, according to a July&nbsp;<a href="https://en.idi.org.il/articles/55018" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">poll</a>&nbsp;by the Israel Democracy Institute.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/10/01/iran-launches-missile-strike-on-israel-israeli-military-says/">Iran Launches Missile Strike On Israel, Israeli Military Says</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/10/05/how-americans-feel-about-the-growing-middle-east-conflict-one-year-after-israel-was-attacked/">How Americans Feel About The Growing Middle East Conflict One Year After Israel Was Attacked</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/09/30/israel-begins-ground-raids-in-southern-lebanon/">Israel Begins Ground Raids In Southern Lebanon</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Visits Berlin

Why The Israel-Hamas War Death Toll Is Uncertain—1 Year After Start Of War


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The Israeli Defense Forces&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841155252428390707" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;Iran fired rockets at Israel just before 1 p.m. EDT—news that comes after the U.S. said it believed Iran was preparing to “imminently” launch missile strikes against Israel, potentially escalating the war in the Middle East.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The IDF said Iran fired rockets in a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841155252428390707" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post</a>&nbsp;on X, formerly known as Twitter, at 12:35 p.m. EDT.</p>



<p>In a follow up&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841155252428390707" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post</a>, Israel’s military said Israeli civilians are in bomb shelters.</p>



<p>Iran took responsibility for the attack—and warned it is only a “first wave”—saying it was retaliation for the killings of multiple Hezbollah leaders in a statement read on state television, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Associated Press</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<p>Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said around 1:30 p.m. EDT that Israeli authorities believed there were no additional aerial threats from Iran, there were no reports of casualties and that Israel would respond to the attack.</p>



<p>Airspaces in Jordan and Iraq were closed following the attack, and the Israeli airports authority said its airspace was closed and flights were being redirected, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/10/01/world/israel-lebanon-hezbollah" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times</a>&nbsp;reported—though the Israeli airspace&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/10/01/world/israel-lebanon-hezbollah/5a2849f6-7571-5a04-b434-e663b4a830b4?smid=url-share" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reopened</a>&nbsp;around 1:45 p.m. EDT.</p>



<p>A senior White House official said earlier on Tuesday the U.S. had “indications” Iran would launch a “ballistic missile strike against Israel” imminently, though the scale of the attack wasn’t clear,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-lebanon-war-hezbollah-10-1-24-intl-hnk/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CNN</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<p>The unnamed official told CNN the U.S. was “actively supporting” preparations to defend Israel against the expected attack, which would carry “severe consequences” for Iran.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Iranian officials warned they would retaliate against Israel for a strike last week that killed the longtime leader of Hezbollah,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/28/hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah-target-of-israels-beirut-strike-confirmed-killed/">Hassan Nasrallah</a>. Nasrallah was one of at least seven Hezbollah leaders killed in recent weeks as Israel has increased its attacks in Lebanon against Hezbollah. The attacks increased after Israel’s Security Cabinet&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1835890307763757535" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">updated</a>&nbsp;its objectives of war in mid-September to include “returning [Israeli]</p>



<p>residents of the north securely to their homes” amid intermittent Hezbollah strikes from across the border. As Israel’s attacks have ramped up against Hezbollah—which is largely funded by Iran and has been labeled a terrorist group by the U.S.—so have concerns about the conflict expanding to the wider Middle East. President Joe Biden called for a cease-fire Monday ahead of Israel launching “targeted ground raids” in southern Lebanon, and the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres&nbsp;<a href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-10-01/statement-attributable-the-spokesperson-for-the-secretary-general-%E2%80%93-lebanon" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;Tuesday “an all-out war must be avoided in Lebanon at all costs, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon must be respected.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



<p>Hours after the attack ended, President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MSNBC/status/1841212755790991498" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;it appeared to be “defeated and ineffective,” which he said was a testament to both the Israeli and U.S. militaries. He went on to say: “Make no mistake, the United States is fully fully fully supportive of Israel.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">Chief Critic</h2>



<p>Guterres said in a statement&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/antonioguterres/status/1841167889191112704" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">posted to X</a>&nbsp;shortly after Iran’s attack that he condemns “the broadening of the Middle East conflict with escalation after escalation. This must stop. We absolutely need a ceasefire.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



<p>10 million. That’s roughly how many civilians were targeted by the Iranian missile strike, the IDF&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841159354914898024" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;on X. The IDF later&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1841205620709503051" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;it believed Iran launched more than 180 ballistic missiles.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>On Monday, Israel began <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/09/30/israel-begins-ground-raids-in-southern-lebanon/">“targeted ground raids”</a> in a notable escalation of the fighting. The IDF said the raids were “limited, localized, and targeted … in southern Lebanon” against Hezbollah targets and infrastructure, and that the Israeli Air Force and Artillery will also conduct “precise strikes on military targets” in support of the raids.</p>


Iran fires around 180 ballistic missiles at Israel amid rising tensions

Iran Launches Missile Strike On Israel, Israeli Military Says


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



<p>The Israeli Defense Forces began “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids … in southern Lebanon” against Hezbollah targets and infrastructure Monday—escalating the conflict in the Middle East after Israel killed a number of Hezbollah leaders.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



<p>The IDF announced the raids “a few hours” after they began, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1840890054819864776?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">post on X</a>&nbsp;just after 7 p.m. EDT, and the military clarified the operations were “approved and carried out in accordance with the decision of the political echelon.”</p>



<p>The Israeli Air Force and Artillery will also conduct “precise strikes on military targets,” the post said.</p>



<p>The ground action will be smaller than Israel’s last against Hezbollah in 2006, a U.S. official&nbsp;<a href="https://wapo.st/3XO98KS" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told The Washington Post</a>, and will reportedly focus on clearing out militant infrastructure on Lebanon’s southern border to protect communities in northern Israel.</p>



<p>At around 1:30 p.m. EDT on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-lebanon-war-hezbollah-09-30-24-intl-hnk#cm1p92r23000m3b6kugujpjjy" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CNN</a>&nbsp;reported there were about 100 Israeli military vehicles around five miles from the Lebanon border.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-is-israel-attacking-lebanon">Why Is Israel Attacking Lebanon?</h2>



<p>On Sept. 16, Israel’s Security Cabinet&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1835890307763757535" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">updated</a>&nbsp;its objectives of war to include “returning the residents of the north securely to their homes,” and warned it would continue to act to achieve the goal. Around 60,000 residents of northern Israel communities have been displaced following Lebanon-based Hezbollah attacks that began on Oct. 8, 2023, one day after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, and have continued since, The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/26/world/middleeast/israel-hezbollah-displaced.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times</a>&nbsp;reported. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the only way to achieve the goal was “via military action,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-new-war-goal-hezbollah-military-action-lebanon-gaza-rcna171417" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NBC News</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">Chief Critic</h2>



<p>President Joe Biden said earlier Monday he was “more aware than you might know” of Israel’s plans to launch a ground operation, and said he’s “comfortable with them stopping,” calling for a cease-fire. The Biden administration had been discouraging Israel from invading Lebanon,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/30/israel-ground-invasion-lebanon?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=editorial" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Axios</a>&nbsp;reported, and has privately expressed concern that doing so could increase support for Hezbollah among Lebanese people.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



<p>Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has escalated recently, leading to heightened concerns about the war expanding into a broader Middle East conflict. Israel has spent recent weeks targeting southern Lebanon and Beirut, attempting to “strike and eliminate” Hezbollah leadership. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/09/25/israel-says-it-intercepted-missile-fired-at-tel-aviv-hezbollah-says-mossad-headquarters-was-target/">launched</a>&nbsp;strikes into Israel. Israel recently blew up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/09/18/walkie-talkies-reportedly-explode-across-lebanon-one-day-after-hezbollah-pager-explosions/">pagers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2024/09/18/walkie-talkies-reportedly-explode-across-lebanon-one-day-after-hezbollah-pager-explosions/">walkie-talkies</a>&nbsp;used by Hezbollah, injuring thousands of people and killing at least&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz04m913m49o" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">32</a>, and increased its bombings and strikes in Lebanon. The U.S. has warned Israel against escalating its fighting in Lebanon, though State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/IYG5j-A7yiY" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;Monday the U.S. was aware of Israel’s “limited operations” and he said “military pressure can at times enable diplomacy.” Miller said the U.S. still supports a cease-fire, and a 21-day cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah that was presented last week is still on the table.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">Tangent</h2>



<p>On Saturday, the IDF <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2024/09/28/hezbollah-leader-hassan-nasrallah-target-of-israels-beirut-strike-confirmed-killed/">announced</a> it killed Hezbollah’s longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, who Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was “not just another terrorist, he was the terrorist.” On Sunday, the IDF announced the death of Nabil Kaouk, commander of Hezbollah’s preventative security unit, whose death marked the seventh death of a Hezbollah leader in a little more than a week, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-09-29-2024-4696e581e28d8c747f017221f2cf420f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Associated Press</a> reported.</p>



<p>.</p>


Israel Launches Fresh Strikes In Lebanon As Ground Operation Appears Imminent

Israel Begins Ground Raids In Southern Lebanon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Israeli officials said they rescued four hostages eight months after they were captured in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, a rescue mission that has resulted in the deaths of at least 125 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The four hostages—Almog Meir Jan, 21, Noa Argamani, 26, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40—were rescued from two locations in central Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces&nbsp;<a href="https://t.me/idfofficial/8338" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;in a statement on Saturday.</p>



<p>All four of those hostages had been captured during the Nova music festival in the southern Israeli kibbutz of Re’im, near the border of the Gaza Strip.</p>



<p><strong>Noa Argamani</strong>: An engineering student, had become one of the first faces seen in the immediate coverage of Hamas’ Oct. 7, with a video showing her kidnapping near the festival site along with her boyfriend Avinatan Or (also captured on Oct. 7 and remains in Hamas’ control).</p>



<p>Or’s mother told Israeli outlet&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/rjmngeebr" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Ynet</a>&nbsp;in April the pair were separated after their capture, citing other returned hostages.</p>



<p>Argamani had been on the fence about attending the festival, according to four of Argamani’s friends who spoke to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/idf-rescues-four-hostages-gaza-rcna156160" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NBC News</a>.</p>



<p>Argamani has spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/EylonALevy/status/1799396770914668978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1799396770914668978%7Ctwgr%5E74159cc40c0b5841ea8945129b1d286aea8012f9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fworld%2F2024%2F06%2F08%2Fisrael-hamas-war-news-gaza-hostages%2F" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;shared on X by the prime minister’s former spokesperson Eylon Levy, while another&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HeidiBachram/status/1799394055731966016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1799394055731966016%7Ctwgr%5E1ea341df90e42d4fcf47dd2b97a6fb749b628b5d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2Fjgkm3vt%3F_showcaption%3Dtrueapp%3D1" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;showed Argamani reuniting with her parents—her mother was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-805425" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Jerusalem Post</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<p><strong>Almog Meir Jan</strong>: He had been released from army service last July, The <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/taken-captive-almog-meir-jan-21-cared-for-his-grandfather-before-the-rave/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Times of Israel</a> reported, and had been set to start a job at a tech company after attending the Nova music festival, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd11z2j34k4o" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multiple</a> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/06/08/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-hostages/#author-box" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outlets</a> reported.</p>



<div class="wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:60% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-1793397021.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-62115 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-1793397021.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-1793397021-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/GettyImages-1793397021-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<p><strong>Orit Meir, holds up a photograph of her son Almog Meir Jan, 21, who is currently being held in Gaza with other Israeli hostages, during a press conference at the Israel Embassy in London. Picture date: Monday November 20, 2023. (Photo by Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty Images)</strong></p>
</div></div>



<p>His mother, Orit Meir, described her son as a “kid with so much love for life,” in a January interview with The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-783725" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Jerusalem Post</a>, calling him a “doting son, brother, uncle, and grandson” with an “infectious” love of music.</p>



<p><strong>Andrey Kozlov</strong>: A resident of the kibbutz of Rishon LeZion who had only recently moved to Israel, had been working as a security guard at the festival when he was taken by Hamas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-805426" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">multiple</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/06/08/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-hostages/#author-box" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">outlets</a>&nbsp;reported.</p>



<p>He is originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, and was one of three Russian nationals captured in the Oct. 7 attack, along with Alexander Lobanov and Alexander Trufanov,&nbsp;<a href="https://mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/1926666/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;the Russian Foreign Ministry.</p>



<p>Kozlov immigrated to Israel alone, lived with friends and “wanted to learn more about [Israel],”&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/bringhomenow/status/1721813761168638294" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">according to</a>&nbsp;hostage release organization Bring Them Home Now—his mother followed him from Russia after his capture in a bid for his release.</p>



<p><strong>Shlomi Ziv</strong>: An interior designer and wholesale distributor from northern Israel, Ziv had also been working as a security guard at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7.</p>



<p>According to his sister, Adi Kikozashvili, he was a fan of racing cars and historical films, and had only recently graduated to “fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming an interior designer,” she&nbsp;<a href="https://bringourpeoplehome.org/person/shlomi-ziv/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;Bring Our People Home.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Casualty counts continue to grow, but by Saturday morning The Washington Post reported at least&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/06/08/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-hostages/#link-NXM4N2ZAQVFG7MYCYQ6NSNPUFE" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">125 Palestinian deaths</a>, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, as a result of the rescue mission.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The four hostages returned on Saturday add to over 100 Israelis who have already returned from Gaza, though the vast majority of those were returned through hostage agreements in return for Palestinian prisoners. Most of them were brought back in a short-lived November cease-fire agreement. More than 250 people had been captured in that attack, while Israeli officials estimate roughly 1,200 people were killed.</p>


Israeli Authorities Announce Rescue Of Four Hostages From Gaza

What To Know About The 4 Hostages Israel Rescued From Hamas


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>As Israeli troops continue their progress in a ground offensive on the heavily populated city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, a months-old campaign with the slogan &#8220;All Eyes on Rafah&#8221; has picked up steam, particularly in western Europe, Australia and India as a call for awareness of the ongoing war from activists and humanitarian groups.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The slogan seems to have stemmed from a comment by Rick Peeperkorn, director of the World Health Organization’s Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who&nbsp;<a href="https://healthpolicy-watch.news/all-eyes-on-rafah-says-head-of-who-office-for-occupied-palestine-territories/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">in February said</a>&nbsp;&#8220;All eyes are on Rafah&#8221; days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/09/israeli-prime-minister-orders-plan-to-evacuate-13-million-people-in-rafah/?sh=33e4bfa92e08">ordered an evacuation plan</a>&nbsp;be created for the city ahead of planned attacks to eliminate what Netanyahu claims are the last remaining strongholds of the militant group Hamas.</p>



<p>The phrase is meant as a request for bystanders to not look away from what’s happening in the city of Rafah—where as many as&nbsp;<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/02/1146347" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">1.4 million people</a>&nbsp;are sheltering after fleeing from violent fighting elsewhere in Gaza—as Israel continues its offensive despite the large civilian population.</p>



<p>Organizations and lobbying groups like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.savethechildren.net/blog/all-eyes-rafah-what-s-next-children-gaza" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Save the Children</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/oxfamgb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1757455403967787475%7Ctwgr%5E1353c685dd6cfc87eb1e11b266bf73d848b4d32a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indy100.com%2Fnews%2Fall-eyes-on-rafah-meaning" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Oxfam</a>, Americans for&nbsp;<a href="https://ajpaction.org/urgent-action-all-eyes-on-rafah/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Justice in Palestine</a>&nbsp;Action,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jewishvoiceforpeace/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Jewish Voice for Peace</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://palestinecampaign.org/events/all-eyes-on-rafah-ceasefire-now/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Palestine Solidarity Campaign</a>&nbsp;then repeated the slogan, and it has been used as a rallying cry at protests in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/hands-off-rafah-protest" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Paris</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/sahouraxo/status/1795524576849596668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1795524576849596668%7Ctwgr%5E0ff027adb6c95532ddb4744823ef850327a486f3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsx.com%2Fworld%2Fall-eyes-on-rafah-trends-on-social-media-all-you-need-to-know%2F" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">London</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maastrichtdiplomat.org/post/all-eyes-on-rafah-protest-march-23-05-um-statement-24-05" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Netherlands</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/10/nyregion/new-school-faculty-protest-encampment.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York City</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jpost.com/international/article-799547" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;and beyond.</p>



<p>A number of celebrities in India, including actors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/varundvn/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Varun Dhawan</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/alygoni/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Aly Goni</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/samantharuthprabhuoffl/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Samantha Ruth Prabhu</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/tripti_dimri/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Tripti Dimri</a>, posted identical “All Eyes on Rafah” graphics to their Instagram stories Tuesday, and other celebrities who have spoken out include Australian cricket player&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ImTravisHead/status/1795468435310162009" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Travis Head,</a>&nbsp;British singer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/leighannepinnock/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Leigh-Anne Pinnock</a>, model&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/bellahadid/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bella Hadid</a>&nbsp;and actresses&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/saoirsemonicajackson/?hl=en" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Saoirse-Monica Jackson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SusanSarandon" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Susan Sarandon</a>.</p>



<p>There are more than 195,000 posts with millions of views for the hashtag #AllEyesOnRafah on TikTok and the topic was trending on Instagram on Tuesday, on which another almost 100,000 posts have been made.</p>



<p>The most popular videos on TikTok have come from Palestinian American pop singer Zach Matari, whose posts with the slogan have racked up millions of views this month, and a number of other pro-Palestinian creators including Lubna Alhilo, Liz Kuhn and Reema Bassoumi also account for some of the most popular videos.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



<p>Israel has faced international outrage since a strike Sunday that was targeting a Hamas compound ended up killing dozens of people in Rafah, including civilians. Netanyahu on Monday said the civilian deaths were a &#8220;tragic accident,&#8221; but assaults continued Tuesday, The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/05/28/world/israel-gaza-war-hamas-rafah" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">New York Times&nbsp;</a>reported. Another 21 people were reportedly killed after an airstrike on a &#8220;humanitarian area&#8221; in west Rafah,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barrons.com/news/israel-army-denies-tuesday-strike-on-humanitarian-area-in-west-rafah-f344fb88" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">AFP reported</a>, though the Israeli army has denied involvement.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The possibility of mass casualties in Rafah has been floated for months as Israel pushes to eliminate remaining outposts of Hamas, the militant group that attacked the country last October and sparked a bloody war in the Middle East. In February,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/09/israeli-prime-minister-orders-plan-to-evacuate-13-million-people-in-rafah/?sh=33e4bfa92e08">Israeli officials said</a>&nbsp;Rafah was the last place in Gaza with a powerful Hamas presence and announced its plans to move forward with attacks. Months of stop-and-start negotiations between the two sides followed, and delegates to Hamas and Israel met in Egypt for cease-fire talks that mediators hoped would end the war. After the attack in Rafah on Sunday, a Hamas official&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/25/hamas-official-rejects-talk-of-new-negotiations-with-israel" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told Al Jazeera</a>&nbsp;the group would not be participating in further Gaza truce talks. The Israeli military ordered evacuations of areas east of the city center, near Gaza’s border with Israel, ahead of the Rafah offensive. The Tal al Sultan neighborhood that was later bombed was believed to be in a safe zone.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC</h2>



<p>Leaders around the world, including President Joe Biden, have criticized Israel for pursuing attacks in Rafah due to the more than 1 million civilians currently living there. Biden last month <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4#:~:text=Biden%2C%20in%20an%20interview%20with,weapons%20and%20artillery%20shells%20used.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told CNN</a> that while the United States would supply defensive arms to Israel, “we&#8217;re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells used” for an attack in Rafah. The International Criminal Court <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/05/20/what-does-icc-arrest-warrant-mean-israel-benjamin-netanyahu-hamas-putin-yoav-gallant-omar-al-bashir-kony/?sh=3f84d431125c">confirmed last week</a> that it is seeking arrest warrants for both Hamas and Israeli officials—including Netanyahu—for alleged war crimes, but the court has no way to enforce its own warrants even after they are issued.</p>


Global Action For Rafah In Mexico

‘All Eyes On Rafah’ Slogan Spreads On Social Media: What To Know About Its Origins


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p><strong>Chef&nbsp;</strong>José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen announced it would restart aid operations in Gaza on Monday—four weeks after seven of its employees were killed by an Israeli airstrike condemned globally and described by Israel as “unintentional.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>In a news release on Sunday afternoon, WCK said the organization was ready with 276 trucks filled with 8 million meals for Gaza, where the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wfp.org/stories/hunger-gaza-famine-findings-dark-mark-world-says-wfp-palestine-country-director" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">U.N. estimates</a>&nbsp;about 1.1 million people are experiencing “catastrophic hunger.”</p>



<p>The nonprofit said it was also “exploring” other options for expanding operations and delivering more food to Gaza—including using the Israeli port of Ashdod and by sending more trucks from neighboring Jordan.</p>



<p>The organization also said it was building a new “high production kitchen” in the town of Mawasi, which will be named “Damian’s Kitchen” after victim Damian Sobol, and celebrity chef founder Andrés&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgOwYvIvJ_g" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reposted a video</a>&nbsp;of WCK workers building the facility in southern Gaza.</p>



<p>WCK operates two other “high production” facilities in Rafah and Deir al-Balah, as well as 68 more community kitchens across the besieged territory.</p>



<p>The restart comes only three days after Andrés&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKzVWyLpv-8" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">delivered a eulogy</a>&nbsp;at Washington D.C.’s National Cathedral for the aid workers, who he called “the best of humanity.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Seven WCK employees were killed on April 1 while traveling in a convoy near Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. According to Andrés, the aid workers were targeted “systematically,” by the Israeli Defense Force, who struck three separate cars transporting the workers. Israel later apologized for the strike, which it called a “grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack contrary to the Standard Operating Procedures.” Two senior military officers were fired after the incident. However, WCK called for an independent investigation, stating the Israeli military “cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza.” On Sunday, the nonprofit’s CEO Erin Gore renewed the organization’s call for an independent investigation, saying, “While we have no concrete assurances, we continue to seek answers and advocate for change with the goal of better protecting WCK and all NGO workers serving selflessly in the worst humanitarian conditions.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“We have been forced to make a decision: stop feeding altogether during one of the worst hunger crises ever, ending our operation that accounted for 62% of all International NGO aid, or keep feeding knowing that aid, aid workers, and civilians are being intimidated and killed,” Gore said in a <a href="https://wck.org/en-us/news/chefs-for-gaza" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a> on Sunday. “Ultimately, we decided that we must keep feeding, continuing our mission of showing up to provide food to people during the toughest of times.”</p>


Spain Eases Lockdown As Death Rate Slows

José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen Resumes Gaza Aid—4 Weeks After Deadly Strike Killed Staffers


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Oil prices briefly surged Friday morning in the wake of Israel’s reported airstrike on Iran, and then quickly dropped following Iran state media’s apparent downplaying of those strikes, as conflict in the Middle East continues to leave behind lingering effects on already climbing oil and gasoline prices.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Brent Crude, an international benchmark, shot up nearly 2% Friday morning to a peak just under $88 per barrel, though the benchmark has since dropped to roughly $87.50, representing a marginal 0.5% uptick on the day.</p>



<p>National benchmark West Texas Intermediate also increased by roughly 2% Friday morning, following reports of an Israeli airstrike, though like the Brent, the WTI has also tapered off, dropping just above $83.50 per barrel.</p>



<p>AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross speculated international conflict could lead to instability in the oil market, saying in a&nbsp;<a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/is-the-recent-climb-in-the-price-of-gas-about-to-stall/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;on Thursday the “situation overseas with the war in the Middle East and Ukraine has the oil market on edge.”</p>



<p>While increases in the price of oil typically come with price hikes at the pump, analysts expect those effects on gasoline prices to be delayed, and multiple other factors could help swing the price of gas down from its $3.69 national average this week—its highest point since October, according to GasBuddy.</p>



<p>Patrick De Haan, head petroleum analyst for GasBuddy,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/GasBuddyGuy/status/1781303050570781081" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;he expects gas prices to hit $3.70 per gallon in the near future, though the return of U.S. oil refineries from scheduled maintenance and Iran’s state media’s apparent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesfarrell/2024/04/19/iran-downplays-israeli-strikes-and-may-not-launch-large-scale-retaliation/?sh=47337ea3f5d9">downplaying</a>&nbsp;of Israel’s attack, he said there’s “potential we’re nearing an end to the rise” in prices at the pump.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">CONTRA</h2>



<p>Another positive sign for gas prices has been an increase in crude oil inventories, which shot up this week by 2.7 million barrels, to approximately 460 million barrels, though it remains 6 million barrels below its level this time last year, according to the Energy Information Administration. Andrew Gross also estimated gas prices could plateau as U.S. demand hits a typical low ahead of Memorial Day. Gasoline demand in the U.S. declined narrowly from 8.84 million barrels in the week ending April 5 to 8.81 million barrels last week, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/weekly/gasoline.php" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">EIA data</a>, and is slightly below where it had been last April. Gross expects the national average gas price “may waffle a bit with small increases, some flat days, and even some price dips” as a result.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Israel&#8217;s military early on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/04/19/israeli-missiles-reportedly-strike-airbase-in-central-iran/?sh=43f5240f120f">reportedly</a>&nbsp;launched limited airstrikes in Iran, unnamed officials told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/04/18/world/israel-iran-gaza-war-news/blasts-are-reported-near-the-iranian-city-of-isfahan?smid=url-share" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">multiple</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-hamas-war/?id=108860743" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">outlets</a>. The reported strikes came several days after Iran’s unprecedented drone and ballistic missile strike on Israel days earlier, which Israeli officials said caused only minor damage. Iran’s attack itself was in retaliation for Israel’s airstrike earlier this month on an Iranian embassy in Syria, which killed at least 16 people, including two senior military leaders. Iranian state TV dismissed Friday’s strike, blasting it as “Israeli and American media propaganda.” Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for any strikes on Iran. Tensions between Iran and Israel have boiled over in recent months in the wake of Israel’s invasion of Gaza, which has left over 33,000 Palestinians dead, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel estimates another 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. Earlier this week, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/04/17/iran-threatens-fierce-and-severe-response-if-israel-launches-tinest-invasion-in-response-to-weekend-attack/?sh=7eace4a1083b">threatened</a>&nbsp;“fierce and severe” retaliation for the “tiniest invasion” by Israel, though world leaders have urged both sides to de-escalate the situation.</p>


Oil pump with candle stick graph chart in the background. World Oil Industry

Oil Prices Spike—And Fall—As Iran Downplays Israel’s Reported Airstrikes: Here’s How That Could Affect Gas Prices


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>The Israeli military reportedly launched airstrikes targeting Iran early on Friday, in response to Tehran’s drone attack on its territory over the weekend, amid concerns about escalation between the two Middle Eastern nations.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Citing unnamed Iranian officials, the New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/04/18/world/israel-iran-gaza-war-news/blasts-are-reported-near-the-iranian-city-of-isfahan?smid=url-share" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;the strikes hit an airbase near the city of Isfahan in central Iran, while an unnamed “senior U.S. official” told&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-hamas-war/?id=108860743" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">ABC News</a>&nbsp;that Israel had launched a missile strike against Iran.</p>



<p>The Iranian state controlled Fars News Agency also reported explosions being heard near the Isfahan airport, but an official later told the state media that explosions were caused by air defense batteries firing at a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irna.ir/news/85449584/%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%BE-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%87%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B4%D9%84%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%BE%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">suspicious object</a>.</p>



<p>On Iranian state TV, however, the country’s officials publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-04-18/ty-article-live/five-idf-reservists-in-serious-condition-following-rocket-drone-strike-on-northern-israel/0000018e-eecd-daad-a3de-eeff299e0000?liveBlogItemId=11850594&amp;utm_source=site&amp;utm_medium=button&amp;utm_campaign=live_blog_item#11850594" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">dismissed</a>&nbsp;reports of the strike, calling it “Israeli and American media propaganda” and denied that an emergency meeting of the Supreme National Security Council had been convened.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2024-04-19/middle-east-latest?cursorId=6621F343688C0000" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">According to</a>&nbsp;Bloomberg, Israel had informed the U.S. officials on Thursday about its plan to carry out a strike on Israel in the following 24-48 hours.</p>



<p>Sources cited by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/iran-israel-attack-live-updates-rcna148496/rcrd39372?canonicalCard=true" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">several</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-strikes-site-iran-retaliation-weekend-assault" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">outlets</a>&nbsp;referred to the retaliatory attacks as “limited” while a retired military general appearing on Israel’s Channel 12 said he believed it was a “symbolic attack” that may not force a response by the Iranians.</p>



<p>The Israeli military has refused to comment on reports of the attack so far.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Real time air traffic data on FlightRadar24 showed&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/OrenCNN/status/1781132736423403933" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">several airplanes diverting</a>&nbsp;away from Iran just after the strikes were reported. FlightRadar24 then&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/flightradar24/status/1781150391280750655" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that Iranian authorities had issue a notification informing pilots that the airports in Isfahan, Shiraz and the national capital Tehran were closed. Budget Emirati carrier Fly Dubai&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/mena/flydubai-airline-cancels-flights-to-iran-statement" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;receiving the notification and announced the cancellation of its flights to Iran. The notices of closure at all three airports were&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/flightradar24/status/1781194845991633032" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">lifted</a>&nbsp;a few hours later.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>An unnamed Israeli official cited by the Washington Post said the attack “was intended to signal to Iran that Israel had the ability to strike inside the country.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>The extent of the damage from the attack remains unclear. Iranian authorities said nuclear facilities located near Isfahan <a href="https://www.irna.ir/news/85449584/%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%BE-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%85%DB%8C%D9%87%D9%86-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%B4%D9%84%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D9%BE%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">were safe</a>. The International Atomic Energy Agency also <a href="https://twitter.com/iaeaorg/status/1781196309329793463" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">confirmed</a> this while calling for restraint and saying “nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>On Wednesday, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/04/17/iran-threatens-fierce-and-severe-response-if-israel-launches-tinest-invasion-in-response-to-weekend-attack/?sh=447e1fd11083">warned</a>&nbsp;that any military incursion by Israel would be met with a severe response. Over the weekend, Iran launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles targeting Israeli territory in an unprecedented attack. Israel claimed the strikes resulted in only minor damages as its military—along with U.S. and other allied forces in the region—were able to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/04/13/world/israel-iran-gaza-war-news/611216e4-0347-518a-bd58-51184c463120?smid=url-share" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">shoot down 99%</a>&nbsp;of the missiles and drones. Iran said its attack was in response to an Israeli airstrike on its diplomatic compound in Damascus that resulted in the deaths of 16 people—including two senior military leaders.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-mideast-tensions-4-19-2024-a7ccbae2e2844bab089e8e4377a24ddb" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Iran fires air defense batteries at Isfahan air base and nuclear site after drones spotted</a>&nbsp;(Associated Press)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2024/04/17/iran-threatens-fierce-and-severe-response-if-israel-launches-tinest-invasion-in-response-to-weekend-attack/?sh=447e1fd11083">Iran Threatens ‘Fierce And Severe’ Response If Israel Launches ‘Tinest Invasion’ In Response To Weekend Attack</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Iranian official TV confirms ‘massive explosions’ in central Isfahan province

Israeli Missiles Reportedly Strike Airbase In Central Iran


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>The price of bitcoin dropped by 7% on Saturday over the course of less than an hour, as prices for other cryptocurrencies also sharply declined after Iran launched an attack on Israel.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The price of bitcoin was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/bitcoin-btc/?sh=57fc0c8a4357">down</a>&nbsp;7% to $62,570 as of 4:40 p.m. Saturday afternoon, after the cryptocurrency briefly fell to a low on the day of $60,908 minutes earlier.</p>



<p>The price of ethereum fell over 9% to $2,923, while prices for Binance coin and solana dropped 9% and nearly 18%, respectively.</p>



<p>Prices for several less-traded cryptocurrencies dropped by at least 15%, including avalanche (20%), XRP (20%) and the meme token dogecoin (18%).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>$73,750. That’s what the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/in/investing/cryptocurrency/bitcoin-down-to-64000-after-record-high/">price</a>&nbsp;for bitcoin was on March 24, the all-time high price for the cryptocurrency.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Concerns over increased geopolitical conflict in the Middle East have impacted U.S. markets in recent days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/12/investing/stocks-oil-banks-geopolitics/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">dropped</a>&nbsp;by 475 points Friday, after the White House said the U.S. and Israel were preparing for a potential attack by Iran. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told investors geopolitical conflict was cause for concern, noting it could “be determinative on what happens to the global economy if oil and gas prices go too high,” CNN&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/12/investing/jpmorgan-chase-bank-earnings-q1/index.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesfarrell/2024/04/13/iran-launches-drone-attack-on-israel/?sh=343044cb2130">Iran Launches Drone Attack On Israel</a> (<em>Forbes</em>)<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/"></a></p>


Iran-Reaction, IRGC Missile And UAV Attack On Israel

Bitcoin Plummets After Iran Launches Attack On Israel


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said Israel will be moving forward with a planned attack on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip despite pleas from the United States and other countries concerned for the 1 million civilians sheltering there.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>Netanyahu&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/1777380259131789536" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">on Monday said</a>&nbsp;a victory against the militant group Hamas, which attacked Israel in October, &#8220;requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there. It will happen &#8211; there is a date.”</p>



<p>The prime minister has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2024/02/09/israeli-prime-minister-orders-plan-to-evacuate-13-million-people-in-rafah/?sh=69e1c8e22e08">for months insisted</a>&nbsp;attacks in Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza strip, are necessary to eliminate Hamas and win the six-month war, but Western allies have warned against attacking the city that holds more than 1 million civilian refugees who have been driven from their homes.</p>



<p>Netanyahu’s announcement follows backlash from his far-right supporters after <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharyfolk/2024/04/07/rafah-invasion-on-pause-israel-withdraws-most-troops-from-southern-gaza-heres-what-that-could-mean/?sh=5046a14124b2">Israel withdrew</a> most of its troops from southern Gaza on Sunday, a decision met with scrutiny and a threat from security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/5b4fed42-cbb6-472d-8e3a-6249c6d9c6cb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warning</a> that if he didn’t launch a &#8220;large-scale offensive&#8221; in Rafah, Netanyahu &#8220;will not have a mandate to continue&#8221; as prime minister.</p>



<p>The United States has put increasing pressure on Netanyahu to not authorize a major military strike in Rafah—President Joe Biden weeks ago said to do so would be a “<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/18/biden-warns-netanyahu-against-mistake-of-invading-rafah-white-house" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">mistake</a>” and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/biden-warns-israel-to-protect-civilians-aid-workers-in-gaza-or-risk-losing-u-s-support#:~:text=Today%2C%20for%20the%20first%20time,the%20civilian%20suffering%20in%20Gaza." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Thursday said</a>&nbsp;continued U.S. support for the war in Gaza would depend on how well Israel worked to protect civilians and aid workers.</p>



<p>Biden told Netanyahu that he needed to take “measurable” steps to ease &#8220;civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers” or risk losing the support of the United States, Israel&#8217;s closest ally.</p>



<p>About two-thirds of the entire population of the Gaza Strip (some 1.5 million people) was sheltering in Gaza as of two weeks ago with no safe way to evacuate, Deepmala Mahl of the humanitarian organization CARE International&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/israeli-invasion-rafah-palestinian-civilians/story?id=108395828#:~:text=With%20about%20two-thirds%20of,evacuate%20them%2C%22%20she%20said." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">told ABC News</a>&nbsp;while warning of a &#8220;terrible loss of life&#8221; if Israel&#8217;s military invades.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Netanyahu&#8217;s announcement comes one day after the six-month anniversary of an attack on Israel by Hamas that saw the group kill about 1,200 Israelis and take 253 hostages on Oct. 7. Twenty days later, Israel responded by carrying out attacks in Gaza that the territory’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barrons.com/news/health-ministry-in-hamas-run-gaza-says-war-death-toll-at-33-207-1c950825" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">health ministry says</a>&nbsp;have killed more than 33,000 people. In that time, more than 2.3 million residents of Gaza have been displaced, more than half of whom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-09-2024-d3229eec6a85c071248d3ddc2de2a73e" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">sought shelter</a>&nbsp;in Rafah. Military operations in Rafah have been increasingly criticized by foreign governments and international organizations. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nrc.no/news/2024/february/gaza-israels-military-operation-in-rafah-would-be-fatal-for-displaced-civilians-and-humanitarian-aid/#:~:text=Any%20further%20deterioration%20in%20humanitarian,showers%2C%20or%20personal%20hygiene%20items." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Norwegian Refugee Council</a>&nbsp;said an attack would &#8220;turn Rafah into a zone of bloodshed and destruction&#8221; and&nbsp;<a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/care-statement-grave-humanitarian-consequences-military-operation-rafah" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">CARE International&nbsp;</a>warned against &#8220;devastating consequences for civilians.&#8221; In addition to Biden&#8217;s concerns on behalf of the United States, more than two dozen countries in the&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/israeli-invasion-rafah-palestinian-civilians/story?id=108395828#:~:text=With%20about%20two-thirds%20of,evacuate%20them%2C%22%20she%20said." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">European Union</a>&nbsp;(all but Hungry) last month warned against what they called a &#8220;catastrophic&#8221; offensive plan in Rafah.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>Continued negotiations in Cairo. Israel’s foreign minister Israel Katz on Monday told Israel’s Army Radio that the country has reached a &#8220;critical point&#8221; in its negotiations with Hamas over the safe return of 133 hostages still held in Gaza by the militant group. “I am more optimistic than I was,&#8221;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/5b4fed42-cbb6-472d-8e3a-6249c6d9c6cb" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">he reportedly said</a>, &#8220;but we can’t promise things when dealing with Hamas.” Netanyahu&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/1777380259131789536" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;Monday also referenced the talks in Cairo, saying &#8220;we are working all the time to achieve our goals, primarily the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas.&#8221;</p>


Destruction in Khan Yunis after Israel’s withdrawal

Israel Moving Ahead With Plan To Attack Rafah: ’There Is A Date,’ Netanyahu Says


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>A total of 322 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza on Sunday—the most in a single day since the war began—the Israeli Ministry of Defense confirmed on Sunday, as Israel faces increased scrutiny over its treatment of aid workers that has resulted in over 200 deaths so far.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>A total of 228 of the trucks that crossed into Gaza on Sunday were carrying food, said the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories in a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/cogatonline/status/1777030931280167407?s=46&amp;t=XMT4bHReB9TWcV5q_r0pFw" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;on social media, the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s department that handles humanitarian aid shipments.</p>



<p>The rapid increase in aid deliveries follows increased scrutiny on the process after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/04/02/netanyahu-says-israel-deeply-regrets-strike-that-killed-7-aid-workers-what-we-know-about-victims/?sh=3d7d6d9275fb">seven aid workers</a>&nbsp;with World Conflict Kitchen were killed in Israeli air strikes on Monday.</p>



<p>One of the seven international aid workers was an American citizen, prompting the White House to call for “specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers.”</p>



<p>Following a tense conversation with President Biden on Thursday, Israel reopened the Erez Crossing, the large border entry between northern Gaza and Israel, and announced it would allow aid shipments to flow through the port of Ashdod.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>The increased pressure to protect international aid workers comes after the Israeli government apologized for the deaths of the seven World Conflict Kitchen workers on Monday. After an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2024/04/05/idf-fires-senior-officers-after-deadly-strike-on-aid-workers-as-it-blames-mistaken-identification/?sh=7cb8b7f7ae7f">IDF investigation</a>, the Israeli military called the attack a “grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification,” and dismissed two senior officers over the strike. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/1775214347519660112" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">apologized</a>, adding that “we will do everything in our power to ensure that such tragedies do not occur in the future.” José Andrés, the celebrity chef and founder of World Conflict Kitchen, told&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-4-7-24-chef-jos-andrs/story?id=108949216" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">ABC News’s</a>&nbsp;Martha Raddatz the attack was “unforgivable” and called for Israel to face “a real reckoning on how they conduct war.” Andres thanked Israeli military for releasing the results of the investigation so quickly, but also called for an independent investigation into the attack. “The perpetrator cannot be investigating himself,” Andrés said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>More than 220. That’s how many international aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began on Oct. 7, according to the most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/04/1148276" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">U.N. estimates</a>. Speaking on Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation into the other deaths. “We want to know why each one of them was killed,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2024/apr/05/we-want-to-know-why-un-chief-questions-israel-on-196-aid-workers-killed-in-gaza-video" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Guterres demanded</a>&nbsp;after a meeting of the U.N. Security Council.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



<p>Although a record number of aid trucks entered Gaza on Sunday, aid shipments have faced other issues making it into the besieged territory during the war. In February, a group of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/10/gaza-aid-blockade-protest-kerem-shalom/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">far-right Israeli activists</a>&nbsp;camped out in front of aid convoys attempting to enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing. Aid shipments have also been threatened by members of Netanyahu’s government. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right member of Netanyahu’s coalition,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/13/israel-gaza-flour-shipment" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">intervened to block</a>&nbsp;a shipment of flour bound for Gaza from the U.S.</p>


Humanitarian aid trucks at Rafah Border Crossing

Largest Aid Convoy Enters Gaza Since War Began Amid Mounting Pressure On Israel


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Mediators attempting to broker a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas to pause the fighting during Ramadan and release some of the hostages taken by Hamas have made progress on an agreement, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-25-2024-f3e4ea708548689cf8d9d404c3ee94ee" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multiple</a> <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-paris-israel-and-mediators-agree-on-outline-for-hostage-deal-pending-hamas-okay/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outlets</a> <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-hamas-skirmish-throughout-gaza-talk-truce-resurfaces-2024-02-25/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> Sunday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The agreement would mean a pause in fighting for six weeks during the holy month Ramadan, which begins March 10, and would mean the exchange of about 40 of the 130 Israeli hostages held by Hamas, a senior Egyptian official&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-25-2024-f3e4ea708548689cf8d9d404c3ee94ee" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;the Associated Press, for up to 300 Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel.</p>



<p>It also would mean hundreds of trucks filled with aid could reach Gaza, the official&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-25-2024-f3e4ea708548689cf8d9d404c3ee94ee" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;The AP.</p>



<p>Intelligence chiefs briefed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet Saturday night after they returned from a meeting with U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Paris over the weekend.</p>



<p>During the meeting, the war cabinet voted to send a delegation to Qatar to continue discussing the potential agreement, the Times of Israel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-paris-israel-and-mediators-agree-on-outline-for-hostage-deal-pending-hamas-okay/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</p>



<p>Hamas has yet to publicly comment on the reports of an updated agreement but senior Hamas leaders met with mediators in Egypt this week, NPR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/23/1233356379/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-negotiations-paris-netanyahu-day-after" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>At some point this week Qatar is expected to host continued discussions between Israel and Hamas in the hopes of finalizing a truce, Egyptian security sources&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-hamas-skirmish-throughout-gaza-talk-truce-resurfaces-2024-02-25/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;Reuters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>More than 29,000. That’s the death toll in Gaza since the fighting began more than five months ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-19-2024-81c2d362340b611a98e4b929b4b5d0a4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the Gaza Health Ministry. More than 1,200 people have died in Israel since the fighting, mostly from the Oct. 7 attack, Israeli officials say.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>If the negotiators come to an agreement, this would be the second pause in fighting since the start of the war on Oct. 7. The last pause in fighting ended December 1 after Hamas and Israel agreed to a multi-day cease-fire in exchange for the release of more than 100 hostages by Hamas. Since then, the fighting has continued, more people have died and the international calls for a cease-fire, both temporary and permanent, have grown. Recently, the Biden administration has publicly <a href="https://usun.usmission.gov/statement-by-ambassador-linda-thomas-greenfield-on-algerian-proposed-draft-resolution-on-the-situation-in-the-middle-east/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advocated</a> for a temporary cease-fire and the release of all hostages being held by Hamas. That came after the U.S. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2024/02/20/us-vetoes-un-resolution-calling-for-israel-hamas-cease-fire-and-offers-its-own-plan/?sh=58a029884b7f">vetoed</a> a United Nations resolution that called for an immediate cease-fire and hostage release deal between Hamas and Israel.</p>


TOPSHOT-PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-GAZA

Ramadan Truce Between Israel And Hamas Gets Closer, Reports Say


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>The head of the United Nations agency providing humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees on Saturday denounced a move by a growing number of countries to pull funding for the agency following allegations by Israel that some of its staffers participated in Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p><a href="https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/finland-to-suspend-its-funding-to-unrwa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Finland</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/2024/01/the-netherlands-halts-financial-support-for-unrwa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netherlands,</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barrons.com/news/swiss-aid-payment-to-un-agency-for-palestinian-refugees-in-doubt-08d15150" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Switzerland</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/italy-suspends-financing-unrwa-foreign-minister-tajani-2024-01-27/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Italy</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/statement-on-allegations-about-unrwa-staff-and-7-october-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the U.K.</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barrons.com/news/germany-says-suspending-funding-to-un-agency-in-gaza-df4ea2be" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Germany</a>&nbsp;all announced suspensions of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) on Saturday.</p>



<p>Those announcements followed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/statement-on-unrwa-allegations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S.</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorWong/status/1751103658509644035" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australia&nbsp;</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-suspends-cash-for-un-agency-serving-palestinians-amid-probe-into-hamas-attack-1.6744404" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canada</a>, who suspended funding on Friday.</p>



<p>Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the agency,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/unrwa%E2%80%99s-lifesaving-aid-may-end-due-funding-suspension" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it was “shocking” to see the suspension, especially since the agency took “immediate action” to terminate the contracts of the accused staffers and investigate the allegations.</p>



<p>Citing Friday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-genocide-court-south-africa-27cf84e16082cde798395a95e9143c06" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ruling</a>&nbsp;from the International Court of Justice that ordered Israel to take measures to enable humanitarian assistance for people in Gaza, Lazzarini said it would be “immensely irresponsible” to sanction the agency and those it serves “because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>“I urge countries who have suspended their funding to re-consider their decisions before UNRWA is forced to suspend its humanitarian response,” Lazzarini said in his statement. “The lives of people in Gaza depend on this support and so does regional stability.&#8221;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Israel alleged on Friday that 12 UNRWA staffers were involved in Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack against Israel, where militants killed roughly 1,200 people and took more than 200 captive. UNRWA terminated the contracts of those employees and launched an investigation the same day, and the New York Times reported Friday that the employees are also<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/26/world/middleeast/un-aid-israel-oct-7-attacks.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;subject</a>&nbsp;to a criminal investigation. In a statement Friday, Lazzarini reiterated UNRWA’s condemnation of Oct. 7 “in the strongest possible terms” and called for the “unconditional release” of all Israeli hostages. But the U.S. led the charge in pulling back funding, with State Department spokesman Matthew Miller saying in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/statement-on-unrwa-allegations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement&nbsp;</a>that the U.S. was “extremely troubled” by the allegations. On Friday, the International Court of Justice at the UN<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/key-takeaways-world-court-decision-israei-genocide-case-2024-01-26/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;ordered</a>&nbsp;Israel to take steps to avoid continued casualties that would constitute a genocide in Gaza. UNRWA is the largest humanitarian actor in Gaza with 3,000 core staff on the ground, per Lazzarini’s statement. Israel has in the past&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/26/world/middleeast/unrwa-aid-israel-hamas-attack.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accused</a>&nbsp;UNRWA of spreading pro-Hamas propaganda.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



<p>26,083. That’s the number of Palestinians that have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, <a href="https://www.barrons.com/news/health-ministry-in-hamas-run-gaza-says-war-death-toll-at-26-083-86a72a11" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according </a>to the health ministry in Gaza.</p>


UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini in Gaza

Head Of UN Agency Denounces ‘Shocking’ Funding Cuts Amid Allegations Staffers Were Involved In Hamas’ Attack On Israel


<p><strong>Topline</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p>Thursday, January 11, marked the start of an unprecedented legal confrontation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague in the Netherlands, as South Africa argued that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to “genocide”. The country has also condemned all violations of international law by all parties, including the actions of Hamas. The case, which has drawn worldwide attention, emphasizes the complexities of the ongoing conflict and the diverse global reactions it has ignited.</p>



<p><strong>Key Facts</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>South Africa presents its case first at the ICJ. The claim by its legal team, led by Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, is supported by an 84-page application citing Israeli military and political statements.</li>



<li>The South African application states, “No armed attack on a State’s territory, no matter how serious&#8230;can provide any possible justification for or defense to breaches of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.”</li>



<li>Israel&#8217;s President Isaac Herzog firmly rejects these accusations, asserting the country’s stance of self-defense and adherence to humanitarian law.</li>



<li>Ngcukaitobi stated, “The intent to destroy Gaza has been nurtured at the highest level of state,” emphasizing the severity of the situation. His colleague, Adila Hassim, reinforced this sentiment by highlighting the daily suffering of Palestinians: “Every day, there is mounting, irreparable loss of life, property, dignity, and humanity for the Palestinian people.”</li>



<li>The case has sparked significant public interest and polarized views, with demonstrations outside the ICJ and an international outcry from countries like Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Turkey and Iran supporting South Africa&#8217;s allegations.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Its outcome could have potential ramifications for South Africa&#8217;s diplomatic relations with the United States (US), an ally of Israel.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Contra</strong></p>



<p>Israel has firmly rejected the accusations. Israeli President Isaac Herzog denounced the claims as &#8220;atrocious and preposterous&#8221;, asserting Israel&#8217;s stance of self-defense. &#8220;We will present proudly our case of using self-defense… under humanitarian law,&#8221; Herzog declared during a meeting with visiting US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, emphasizing Israel&#8217;s commitment to avoiding civilian casualties.</p>



<p>Amidst the legal battle, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has criticized the South African government&#8217;s approach. In a statement issued by Prof Karen Milner, National Chair of the SAJBD, the organization accused South Africa of an &#8220;inversion of justice&#8221;. Milner pointed to South Africa&#8217;s alignment with Hamas and the inclusion of controversial figures in its delegation as evidence of a flawed and biased perspective. &#8220;This says volumes about South Africa’s intention,&#8221; Milner remarked, questioning the motives behind the legal action.</p>



<p><strong>Key Background</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p>This legal confrontation at the ICJ comes against a backdrop of escalating violence and political strife in Gaza. The 84-page application was lodged with the ICJ on December 29 2023. The ICJ&#8217;s role in this matter is limited to issuing opinions on allegations, which, while not enforceable, carry significant moral and political weight. The conflict has claimed over 23,000 lives according to Gaza’s health ministry.</p>



<p>The US, historically an ally of Israel, may find its diplomatic stance with South Africa challenged, depending on the outcome and reactions to the ICJ&#8217;s ruling. Zane Dangor, Director-General of South Africa&#8217;s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, commented on the potential impact of the case during a media conference last week. “We will be able to see how we regain this after the hearings are done but clearly, under the current circumstances, the relationship is not going to be normal and we will have to look at how do we engage after this, particularly working towards a permanent solution for the relationship,” adding, “We feel that our position is the principled one and that is something that they understand.”</p>



<p><strong>Further Reading</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2024/01/01/south-africa-accuses-israel-of-genocide-in-un-filing/">South Africa Accuses Israel Of Genocide In UN Filing (F</a><a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2024/01/01/south-africa-accuses-israel-of-genocide-in-un-filing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ORBES AFRICA)</a></p>


South Africa’s genocide case against Israel begins at International Court of Justice

South Africa Presents Its Case At The ICJ Over “Genocide” In Gaza


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>South Africa <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-israel-un-court-palestinians-genocide-ffe672c4eb3e14a30128542eaa537b21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">launched</a> a case Friday in the UN’s International Court of Justice alleging “acts and omissions by Israel” in Gaza “are genocidal in character,” and asking the court to order Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza as the death toll reportedly exceeds 20,000.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>South Africa’s submission said Israel’s actions in Gaza are “genocidal” because they are intended “to destroy Palestinians in Gaza as a part of the broader Palestinian national, racial and ethnic group,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-israel-un-court-palestinians-genocide-ffe672c4eb3e14a30128542eaa537b21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Associated Press reported.</a></p>



<p>Israel rejected the allegations “with disgust,” according to the report.</p>



<p>South Africa can bring its case against Israel under the Genocide Convention, which both are&nbsp;<a href="https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&amp;mtdsg_no=IV-1&amp;chapter=4&amp;clang=_en&amp;_gl=1*1hi9d9x*_ga*MTk5NDkwNTg0Mi4xNzAzMjY0MzU2*_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z*MTcwMzg3NDg1OS42LjAuMTcwMzg3NDg2NS4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">signatories</a>&nbsp;to,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-israel-un-court-palestinians-genocide-ffe672c4eb3e14a30128542eaa537b21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the Associated Press.</p>



<p>As of December 22,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/12/22/more-than-20000-dead-in-gaza-amid-israel-hamas-war-hamas-run-health-ministry-says/?sh=c6ed0892c385">over 20,000</a>&nbsp;Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.</p>



<p>A hearing for South Africa’s request for Israel to suspend its military operations is likely in the next days or weeks, but if the case goes ahead it will take years,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-israel-un-court-palestinians-genocide-ffe672c4eb3e14a30128542eaa537b21" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the Associated Press, and the court’s orders are not always followed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CONTRA</h2>



<p>Lior Haiat, the spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs <a href="https://x.com/LiorHaiat/status/1740803554166636751?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> the claim “lacks both a factual and a legal basis, and constitutes a despicable and contemptuous exploitation of the Court.” Haiat <a href="https://x.com/LiorHaiat/status/1740803554166636751?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accused</a> South Africa of “cooperating with a terrorist organization that is calling for the destruction of the State of Israel,” and called on the ICJ and international community to reject the case.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>South Africa also filed a referral to the International Criminal Court in November for an investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel in Gaza. “We have put through a referral because we believe that war crimes are being committed there,” South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-israel-palestinians-icc-referral-6f1dd2b3af534d4d42d56a156968eae4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a> the Associated Press. “And of course we do not condone the actions that were taken by Hamas earlier, but similarly we condemn the actions that are currently underway and believe that they warrant an investigation by the ICC.” During a virtual meeting in November that included Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Ramaphosa <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestine-putin-xi-brics-0c070286b154198a36f0cf7440f973b5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">called</a> Israel’s “deliberate denial of medicine, fuel, food and water,” in Gaza “tantamount to genocide.” Later that month, a majority of South African lawmakers voted to close the Israeli embassy and cut diplomatic ties with Israel until it agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-israel-ambassador-recall-gaza-bb30d780d0d33f2220dc08bf032a5738" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/12/22/more-than-20000-dead-in-gaza-amid-israel-hamas-war-hamas-run-health-ministry-says/?sh=c6ed0892c385">More Than 20,000 Dead In Gaza Amid Israel-Hamas War, Hamas-Run Health Ministry Says</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>


Tag: Israel

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA