- Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Wednesday that Israel will open a new crossing into the Gaza Strip for humanitarian aid, saying that Israel plans "to flood Gaza with aid." The new crossing will open between the Israeli community of Zikim and the Gaza town of al-Siafa. USA Today (LR: 3 CP: 5)
- Israeli military leaders met with members of UN bodies, the Red Cross, US Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Medical Corps, and the American humanitarian coordinator on Wednesday to discuss "increasing coordination and cooperation" between Israel and the aid organizations operating in Gaza. The Times of Israel
- On Thursday, aid agency UNICEF reported that its staff came under fire near the Israeli checkpoint in Wadi Gaza on Thursday, with one worker saying that the gunfire came from the checkpoint. Al Jazeera (LR: 2 CP: 1)
- Israel's moves to expand aid access to Gaza comes as it has faced growing international pressure to address the strip's humanitarian crisis. USAID Administrator Samantha Power said on Thursday that it is "credible" to ascertain that famine is already occurring in parts of Gaza. CNN (LR: 2 CP: 5)
- Meanwhile, negotiations over a cease-fire and hostage deal have continued to stall. Israel reportedly killed three of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh's sons in Gaza on Wednesday, saying that they were targeted as fighters and not because of their relation to Haniyeh. Israel did not comment on reports that it had also killed four of Haniyeh's grandchildren. Reuters
- Haniyeh, in response, said that Israel was deeply mistaken if it believed that Hamas would change its position because of the killing of his sons. Hamas has said it will only agree to a cease-fire if it includes an end to the war, a withdrawal of Israeli forces, and freedom of movement for the displaced. Reuters
Pro-establishment narrative:
- Israel's war against Hamas is undoubtedly just, given the atrocities the group committed during its Oct. 7 attack. However, the Biden administration is losing its patience with Netanyahu's intransigence. Israel must take into account the innocent civilians in Gaza who are trapped between the country's military machine and Hamas' terrorist fighters. Indeed, the humanitarian situation has reached the point where the US is willing to take more decisive action to ensure that Netanyahu follows his commitments.
CNN (LR: 2 CP: 5)
Pro-Israel narrative:
- Though this has been a tragic war, Israel and its allies must not succumb to pro-Hamas fanatics. Unfortunately, it seems that Biden has calculated that, to try and salvage his political career, he must throw Israelis under the bus. Regardless of how much Biden may say he supports Israel, the reality is that the president wants to force Israel to concede to terrorists. The world has forgotten the atrocities Hamas committed on Oct. 7 and Israel's moral duty to protect its citizens.
TABLET MAGAZINE
Pro-Palestine narrative:
- The Biden administration, increasingly anxious over the upcoming election, has resorted to cheap tactics to deny its support for Israel's brutal war on Gaza. Regardless of the spin, Biden has armed Israel, given it diplomatic cover, and refused to call for a permanent cease-fire — all of which incentivizes continued bloodshed. Of course, pressuring Israel to open more crossing into Gaza is an improvement, but it's far too little and far too late. Biden must do more to end the man-made famine that Israel has created.
MIDDLE EAST EYE
Nerd narrative:
- There's a 1% chance that Hamas will have de facto power in the Gaza Strip on Jan. 1, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
METACULUS (LR: 3 CP: 3)