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** Oct. 24, 2023
Sparing Civilian Lives in Gaza

The Israeli response to Hamas's deadly October 7 attacks is still in its early stages. As Israel's military operation continues, the moral obligation to reduce civilian harm cannot be ignored, says RAND's Karen Sudkamp. This is especially important considering that Hamas is deeply integrated into the civilian population in Gaza--and entrenched in the territory's urban infrastructure.

Previous RAND research on the U.S.-led battle to expel ISIS from the town of Raqqa, Syria, highlights key lessons that can help protect civilians.

For example, ISIS used civilian infrastructure in Raqqa as a defense against U.S. forces; Hamas has a history of such tactics, too. This means that Israel must carefully consider its decisions about individual strikes, with a focus on minimizing civilian harm.

Also in Syria, humanitarian corridors were critical to helping civilians escape the war zone and gain access to basic resources. Establishing similar escape routes could save civilian lives in Gaza as well.

Unfortunately, civilian deaths and infrastructure damage can never be completely prevented during a war. But one of the distinctions between the international community and groups like Hamas and ISIS is a commitment to protecting civilians during conflict. "While extracting vengeance through an eye-for-eye approach may seem legitimate," Sudkamp writes, "listening to better angels could help reduce civilian harm in the long run."

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What Happens When AI and Gene Editing Meet?

Genetic enhancements that prevent disease. Synthetic embryos. Scalable biological weapons. The convergence of two revolutionary technologies--machine learning and gene editing--makes these hypothetical scenarios possible. What can be done to minimize the potential risks and maximize the potential benefits? Researchers from RAND Europe and RAND explore this question in a new report. They emphasize the need to implement nimble policy, focus on data, and incentivize international collaboration.

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How to Dismantle the Disinformation Business

China's growing use of social media to manipulate and disrupt democratic societies is well documented. Despite this, there is currently a lack of U.S. policies targeting companies that benefit from their involvement in Chinese influence operations. According to experts, there are three keys to dismantling the "disinformation-for-hire" industry: sanctions, legislation that promotes transparency on social media platforms, and a Federal Trade Commission crackdown on deceptive business practices.

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** RAND Recommends
- Are gun buyback programs effective? RAND's Amanda Charbonneau told Honolulu Civil Beat that, while any gun taken off the streets is a win, evidence from limited research on these programs is not promising.
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- RAND's Joslyn Fleming spoke with Military.com about a new report that highlights ways women's involvement could benefit peacekeeping and security operations--including violence prevention.
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- RAND's Bruce Bennett discussed the possibility that Hamas used North Korean weapons in Air & Space Magazine: "North Korea can send weapons on ships or aircraft going to Iran. And then Iran can send them forward into Egypt and then into Gaza."
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** Events
Policy Lab: What Determines National Competitive Advantage?
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 (Online)
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A New Approach to Power Projection: Reversing the Erosion of U.S. and Allied Military Power and Influence
Friday, November 3, 2023 (Washington, D.C., and Online)
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** About RAND
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.

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