Israel orders partial evacuation of Rafah
Israeli warplanes yesterday attacked targets in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, as the army ordered some 110,000 people to evacuate. Hours later, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh said the group had accepted a ceasefire proposal from Qatar and Egypt.
The full details of the proposal were unclear, but the conflict remains unresolved. Comments from Hamas and Israeli officials made clear that Haniyeh was not referring to the plan that Israel had recently presented.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the proposal did not meet Israel’s demands. Israel’s war cabinet also unanimously decided to “continue its action in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Thousands of people were leaving Rafah yesterday, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent, which said there had been “an escalation of Israeli airstrikes” in areas east of the city. A sense of panic swept through the city, as food and fuel prices soared.
Context: Israel appears set to invade Rafah, despite pressure from the country’s closest allies, including the United States, arguing that doing so would come at a high cost to civilians. An Israeli military spokesman did not say when troops might enter the city, but described the evacuation as part of Israel’s plans to dismantle Hamas and free hostages taken on October 7.
Protests on American campuses: Columbia University canceled its main graduation ceremony after weeks of student protests over the war.
Russia said it would conduct tactical exercises with nuclear weapons
Russia said it would hold military exercises with troops near Ukraine to practice the possible use of nuclear weapons on the battlefield. The move raises tensions with the West and was Russia’s most explicit warning that it could use such weapons in Ukraine. NATO called the announcement “irresponsible.”
Russian officials claimed the exercises were in response to comments from the West. The Kremlin spokesman made direct reference to a recent interview with French President Emmanuel Macron, in which he reiterated his refusal to rule out the possibility of sending French troops to Ukraine, and alluded to comments made by the British Foreign Secretary .
Details: These nuclear weapons, often called “tactical,” are designed for use on the battlefield and have smaller warheads than those intended for attacking cities.
EU leader’s hard line on Ukraine with Xi Jinping
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, yesterday pressed China to help resolve the war in Ukraine during President Xi Jinping’s visit to France. She said Beijing should “use all its influence over Russia to end its war of aggression” and said Xi had played “an important role in reducing Russia’s irresponsible nuclear threats.”
Trade: China’s manufacturing boom and weakening domestic demand also emerged. Tensions are rising in Europe over China’s huge export push, and von der Leyen took a firm line, saying: “The world cannot absorb China’s surplus production.”
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