All Middle East
As toll rises in Gaza, diplomatic and political costs mount for BidenAs the toll mounts in the Israel-Hamas war, crucial Biden allies at home and abroad are alleging hypocrisy. Does the U.S. prioritize humanitarian aims only when convenient? It is scrambling to prove otherwise.
First LookBlinken, in West Bank, says US trying to ease Gaza civilians’ plightShuttling from Israel to Jordan to the West Bank to Iraq, President Biden’s top diplomat sought to contain the fallout from the Israel-Hamas war. Israel’s Netanyahu said there would be no pauses in Israel’s attacks in Gaza without the release of Hamas’ hostages.
The risks of wider war over Gaza, as Iran’s ‘axis’ activatesAround the Middle East, militias backed by Iran seem eager to join the fight against Israel in support of Hamas. To what degree will that happen? Will the war expand? That could depend largely on how Iran manages its allies.
Netanyahu navigates anger and distrust as he leads an Israel at warNations at war normally rally around their leader. But in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu’s numbers are at a low ebb, and polls show rising distrust. Israelis are rallying around one another, instead.
US bid to cement global leadership stumbles in GazaGlobal support for the idea of American leadership is shaky. The U.S. could strengthen its position by showing more sympathy toward Palestinians in Gaza.
On war in Gaza, an appeal: ‘Let’s preserve a space for humanity’War is dehumanizing. That’s where Andrea De Domenico comes in. As a key U.N. official coordinating relief for Gaza, he sees destruction and need all around, and says there’s an imperative to recognize a common humanity.
Faces of heroism in Gaza: Doctors, taxi drivers, journalistsAmid a war confronting Palestinian residents of Gaza with so much loss, the conflict’s heroes are those serving the community at great risk to themselves.
First LookDeath toll in Gaza rising as Israel launches ‘next stage’ in warIsrael’s defense minister says an expanded ground operation is underway against Hamas. With communications knocked out in Gaza, risks to civilians rise.
Israeli, Palestinian pro-peace groups cautious, but not cowedPeace activists in Israel and the occupied territories are largely staying out of the limelight with the outbreak of war, but they are not giving up.
As perilous ground war looms in Gaza, Israelis brace for sacrificeIsraeli military officials, soldiers, and the public all know that a ground war against Hamas in Gaza will entail a heavy loss of Israeli life. But after the trauma of the Oct. 7 “earthquake,” they are resolved to bear it.
‘Pushed to the brink,’ Gaza evacuees face bombs, blackoutsWithout fuel, residents of Gaza are about to lose their water and electricity supply. Israel is blocking fuel imports for fear Hamas will steal them.
Gaza crisis: After strategic gains, Iran pivots to prevent lossesSince the Hamas-Israel war erupted, Iran and its other regional allies have been arrayed against Israel and the United States, which has deployed forces. Iran’s balancing act now is to preserve what it has gained, without the costs of a wider war.
Besieged on all sides, Israeli Arabs preach message of coexistenceMembers of Israel’s Arab community, perched precariously amid this latest round of violence in Gaza, say they grieve for both sides and have much to offer: a message of peace and coexistence. If only everyone would listen.
Israel aims to defeat Hamas, then leave Gaza. Who would fill vacuum?As Israel prepares to launch a ground invasion of Gaza, its challenge is more than military. A long, costly battle could both remove Hamas, and pave an ideological path for its return.
First LookUS teenage hostage freed by Hamas ‘doing very good,’ says her fatherUri Raanan of Illinois says he spoke briefly to his daughter, Natalie Raanan, who along with her mother, Judith, was released by Hamas on Friday after being abducted in Israel and held in Gaza.
With food and shelter scarce in Gaza, Palestinians turn to each otherRoom on the floor to sleep. A catering business-turned-community kitchen. Palestinians under siege in Gaza are relying on each other and sharing what little they have.
In Israel, army of ‘can do’ volunteers fills void left by governmentFrom supplying soldiers to housing and feeding those displaced by the Hamas attack, Israeli civilians have mobilized at a moment of profound loss.
From Israeli and Palestinian anger, could hope emerge?Israel is preparing an unprecedentedly forceful invasion of Gaza. Could the war lay foundations for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Hamas-Israel war: Why Arab frustrations with US are spikingThe horror of an explosion at a Gaza hospital canceled a summit between President Joe Biden and Arab allies. But anger was already simmering over a perceived lack of appreciation for their red lines on Palestinian refugees.
As Biden arrives, Israel’s war aims are ambitious, and incompleteAs Israel girds for war against Hamas, something has changed. The worst attack in the country’s history has raised the price that Israelis say they are willing to pay for security. How and whether it can be achieved is unclear.
