US News
- The House Intelligence Committee says the FBI should be required under the law to obtain a “probable cause warrant” before searching the foreign intelligence surveillance program database for information related to domestic crimes. Wire
- The Senate on Thursday passed a bill by voice vote that would suspend military aid to Azerbaijan for two years following Baku’s takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh, which pushed over 100,000 ethnic Armenians out of the territory. AWC
- Department of Veterans Affairs Reports Veterans Suicides Increased in 2021. X
Russia
- The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs commission has delayed a vote on Sweden’s NATO membership bid. X
- On Thursday, the US Treasury Department imposed a set of new sanctions on ships and companies accused of using American service providers to ship Russian crude oil above the $60 price cap. The cap, imposed by the US and the Group of Seven (G7) nations in late 2022, was meant to deprive the Kremlin of funds for its war effort, but that strategy has failed. AWC
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that deliveries of artillery shells from the US have “decreased” since Israel unleashed its relentless bombing campaign in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack. AWC
China
- Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for talks in San Francisco. Beijing and Washington described the conversation between the leaders as “productive” and important. After the summit, Biden called his Chinese counterpart a “dictator.” AWC
Israel
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Israel was “trying to [minimize] civilian casualties. But unfortunately, we’re not successful.” The prime minister’s statement comes as the UN warns that the Israeli fuel embargo of Gaza could cause widespread starvation in the besieged enclave. AWC
- On Friday the UN said that it was no longer able to continue aid deliveries into Gaza as an Israeli fuel blockade of the enclave has led to a widespread communications blackout. The World Health Organization warned that the ending of aid deliveries means the “immediate possibility of starvation” for the 2.3 million people in Gaza. AWC
- Haaretz reports, according to a police source, an investigation shows that an IDF combat helicopter at the Nova music festival fired on Hamas and hit some of the people attending the music festival. Haaretz AWC
- President Joe Biden said the Palestinian Authority should ultimately govern the Gaza Strip. Tel Aviv has said that its forces will control Gaza. MEE
- Death Toll in Gaza At Least 13,000, Including 5,500 Children. MEE
- A World Health Organization group inspected the al-Shifa Hospital and called the situation “unbearable and unjustifiable.” X
- Biden adviser Brett McGurk said, “Simply calling for cease-fire is not a path to peace.” He argued Hamas must release hostages before a significant pause in fighting could occur. The Hill
- Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir says he will introduce a bill in the Knesset mandating the death penalty for terrorists. X
- Sen. Bernie Sanders Says Military Aid to Israel Should Be Conditioned on Ending Occupation. Press Release
- Some members of Israel’s War Cabinet Reject Hostage Deal that Includes Pause in Fighting. Haaretz
- The Israeli military forced the evacuation of the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. WashPo
- Deputy Speaker of Israeli Knesset Says “We Are Too Humane. Burn Gaza Now No Less!” Times of Israel
- Biden’s Approval Rating Slips to 40% as 70% of Young Voters Disapprove of Israel Policy. NBC News The Institute
- White House Believes Israeli PM Netanyahu Will Relent and Allow Palestinian Authority to Govern Gaza. Haaretz
- US Approves of Israeli Military Operation in South Gaza, But Asks Tel Aviv for a Delay. Haaretz AWC
- Thirty-one premature babies have been evacuated from northern Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital to southern Gaza, where they are being prepared to enter Egypt for medical care. AWC
Middle East
- The Treasury Department on Friday sanctioned individuals it said are tied to Kata’ib Hezbollah and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada in Iraq. X
- Israel Says Yemen’s Houthis Seized Ship in Red Sea. Al Arabiya AWC
