Israel’s Offensives in Gaza and Yemen
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Top of the Agenda
A senior Hamas official said today there was “no sense” in continuing Gaza truce talks after Israel announced its intent to establish an indefinite military presence in Gaza. Unnamed Israeli officials told reporters that the plan would be put in motion after U.S. President Donald Trump’s trip to the Middle East next week if Hamas does not agree to a hostage and ceasefire deal. Israel also bombed Yemen yesterday in response to a Houthi missile landing near an Israeli airport.
Israel’s strategy shift in Gaza. The plan for a new ground operation passed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet unanimously on Sunday. It would call up tens of thousands of Israeli reservists to “control” large parts of the Gaza Strip.
- Palestinian civilians would be moved into Israeli-administered zones. Israel would distribute aid to vetted Palestinians through hubs protected by U.S. security contractors, unnamed Israeli officials said. The United Nations has said parts of Gaza are near starvation after two months of Israel’s aid blockade, and its humanitarian office said Israel’s plan “does not live up to the core fundamental humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality, and independent delivery of aid.”
- Israel’s military reportedly plans to clear tunnels and level buildings elsewhere in Gaza in the meantime.
- Trump did not respond directly when asked yesterday if he supported Israel’s new war plan. Unnamed Israeli officials told Axios that Trump is not playing an active role in efforts to reach a truce, while a U.S. National Security Council spokesperson said Hamas would face “consequences” if it continues to hold hostages.
- Hamas has rejected recent truce proposals, calling for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. Qatar, which mediated the last truce alongside the United States, said today that its “efforts remain ongoing” for a ceasefire.
Escalating conflict with the Houthis.
- Israeli fighter jets dropped fifty munitions on Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah yesterday, Israel’s military said. A Houthi-run television channel said the port and a cement factory were hit, and Houthi officials said at least one person was killed and dozens were wounded.
- It was Israel’s first direct strike on Yemen in months and came after the Houthis said they would continuously target Israeli airports in rejection of Israel’s expanding campaign in Gaza.
“Netanyahu has pursued two goals with his military operations in the strip—free all the hostages and destroy Hamas. But these goals cannot be achieved at the same time: Hamas refuses to subscribe to a peace process that involves its own annihilation, and as long as Israel is committed to that outcome, Hamas’s surviving leaders have a powerful incentive to hold on to hostages to deter Israeli attacks that might kill them.”
—Haaretz’s Amos Harel, Foreign Affairs
Across the Globe
German leadership vote surprise. Christian Democratic Union leader Friedrich Merz fell short in a vote today to become Germany’s chancellor, a surprise result after his conservative alliance came first in recent parliamentary elections. A handful of his prospective coalition members switched sides. He could still secure support in a second vote. Merz had moved to broker deals on lifting the country’s borrowing limit before even assuming national leadership.
Asian economic safety net. China, Japan, South Korea, and the ten members of the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to create a new joint crisis-response financial mechanism. It will be designed to respond to pandemics and natural disasters and draw on the framework of an already existing currency swap arrangement. At a meeting over the weekend, the countries called for“enhanced regional unity and cooperation” in response to escalating protectionism.
India-Japan security cooperation. The two countries decided to set up a new body for military consultations after both of their defense ministers met in New Delhi. They also agreed to expand the scale of joint military exercises and discusspotential exports of a Japanese stealth antenna system to India and joint development of fighter jets and tanks.
ICJ dismisses Sudan case. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) dismissed a case in which Sudan’s government accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of fueling genocide in Darfur by arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The court did not rule on the merits of the allegations but rather said it did not have jurisdiction to evaluate the case. When the UAE joined the ICJ in 2005 it lodged a “reservation” to a clause allowing countries to sue each other.
Sanctions for Myanmar scams. The United States announced sanctions against members of an ethnic militia in Myanmar, the Karen National Army, saying they facilitated cyber scams and human trafficking. Hundreds of people have been forcedto take part in scam operations in Southeast Asia in recent years, the UN human rights office has said. A spokesperson for the militia denied involvement in scams; its leader has already been sanctioned by the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK).
U.S.-Rwanda talks on migration. Rwanda’s foreign minister said the country is in the “early stages” of talks with the United States on accepting deported migrants from third countries. Asked about the negotiations, the U.S. State Department said “engagement with foreign governments is vital” to carrying out U.S. migration policy. The UK planned to send deportees to Rwanda before the scheme was scrapped in 2024 following legal challenges.
Europe’s pitch for scientists. The EU announced an over $560 million program to attract international science students. Speakers at the launch event criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to cut federal research funding for universities, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying “the world’s biggest democracy” was making a “mistake.” The White House said yesterday that the Trump administration’s review of research spending “is not going to upend America’s innovative dominance.”
Reported DRC, Rwanda peace proposals. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda each submitted outlines of a peace deal to the United States, Trump’s Africa advisor Massad Boulos wrote on social media. Boulos has said Washington is negotiating mineral deals with both countries and aims to broker the signing of a peace agreement this month at the White House.
What’s Next
Today, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with Trump in Washington.
Tomorrow, the conclave to choose a new pope begins at the Vatican.
Tomorrow, France’s Macron will meet Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Paris.
Tomorrow, a two-day ministerial meeting to discuss goals for the next UN climate conference begins in Denmark.