Israel Conducts ‘Wide-Scale’ Strikes in Gaza as U.S. Rushes Defense Systems to Mideast |
Israel said today that it carried out “wide-scale” strikes (NYT) against positions held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the United States is expediting defense systems to the region (FT) amid fears that Iran and its proxies will escalate attacks on U.S. positions. Attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria over the past week injured at least twenty-four U.S. troops (NBC), U.S. Central Command said.
Appeals for a cease-fire dominated a UN Security Council meeting (FT) yesterday. Israeli officials called on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to resign after he said that Israel is responsible for “clear violations of international law” in Gaza and that the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7 “did not happen in a vacuum.” Washington pushed back against the prospect of a cease-fire, but put forth a proposal for a humanitarian pause. To date, four convoys of aid have crossed into Gaza from Egypt since the conflict broke out, falling short of what UN officials say is needed to alleviate Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
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“The thing about this surge in aggression from Iraqi and Syrian militias [on U.S. positions]: it's more reversion than escalation. An understanding between the U.S. and Iran achieved this year brought attacks to a halt. Now, with the understanding weakening, they're back at their old game,” Eurasia Group’s Gregory Brew posts.
“Israel has fundamental legal obligations to abide by during its campaign against Hamas,” CFR expert David J. Scheffer writes. “It must not use starvation (including deprivation of food, water, and other essentials for survival) of Gaza’s civilian population as a weapon of war against Hamas or for any reason.”
Read the full suite of Foreign Affairs and CFR.org resources on Israel and the current conflict. |
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Hong Kong Announces Economic Stimulus Measures |
Hong Kong’s chief executive announced plans to lower taxes (Nikkei) in the property sector in an effort to boost the slowing market and restore investor confidence. As part of the same legislative package, foreign political organizations will be restricted from conducting political activities in Hong Kong.
U.S./China: California Governor Gavin Newsom met with Chinese President Xi Jinping (Bloomberg) in Beijing today where the two discussed issues including climate change, fentanyl, and trade. Newsom said he went to China “with an open hand, not a closed fist.”
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VOA: Pakistan Greenlights Creation of Deportation Centers for Afghan Migrants |
The centers are part of a plan to arrest and repatriate hundreds of thousands of unauthorized Afghan migrants beginning next month, Voice of America reported. The announcement comes ahead of Pakistan’s November 1 deadline for all “unregistered foreigners” to return to their countries of origin or face deportation. The United Nations has urged Pakistan to suspend its plan, and Afghanistan’s Taliban government called it “unacceptable.”
India: A government committee on controlling air pollution in Delhi stopped a critical study (Economic Times) on determining its causes without government approval, an official said. Earlier this week, Delhi’s air condition deteriorated (BBC) from “poor” to “very poor.”
For Think Global Health, Mary Brophy Marcus unpacks India’s pollution problem with India’s former union secretary for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
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Middle East and North Africa |
Turkey’s Erdoğan Cancels Visit to Israel |
While senior Turkish officials are visiting (Al-Monitor) the United Arab Emirates and Qatar this week as part of efforts to establish Ankara as a mediator in the Israel-Hamas war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said today that he was canceling (AFP) a planned trip to Israel, calling Israeli actions in Gaza “inhumane.”
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Sudan’s Army Accepts Invitation to Attend Talks on Pausing War |
The talks are due to occur (Reuters) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the site of previous U.S.- and Saudi-mediated talks that failed to stem fighting at the outset of the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces. On this episode of The President’s Inbox, CFR expert Michelle Gavin discusses Sudan’s civil war.
China/Namibia: Namibian authorities ordered police to stop a Chinese firm (Reuters) from transporting lithium ore inside and outside the country, saying the firm was violating a lithium export ban imposed in June.
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EU Holds Investment Forum to Invest in Global Infrastructure, Signs Deal With Philippines |
Kicking off a two-day forum for the European Union (EU) Global Gateway initiative, the bloc announced more than $63 million in financing (European Commission) for the Philippines to grow its economy and strengthen its climate efforts through measures such as carrying out wastewater treatment and investing in renewable energy projects.
Poland: Donald Tusk, Poland’s likely next prime minister, traveled to Brussels (FT) today to call for the release of EU funds for Poland that have been frozen due to concerns over the country’s rule of law standards. Tusk has not yet taken office and is waiting for Poland’s president to nominate him as premier.
In this In Brief, CFR expert Matthias Matthijs looks at how Poland’s election results could reshape Europe.
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Canada, Taiwan Conclude Talks on Bolstered Bilateral Investment Deal |
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Thirty-Three State Governments Sue Meta in California Court Over Mental Health Claims |
The state attorneys general said Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, deliberately included features (AP) that target young people to become addicted to the media platforms and collects the data of children under the age of thirteen without their parents’ consent. Nine attorneys general also filed lawsuits in their respective states.
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