Israeli Forces Push Into Heart of Southern Gaza’s Khan Younis |
Israeli tanks had reached the main road of the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday after intense combat with Palestinian militant group Hamas, Reuters reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said dozens of Hamas fighters had surrendered, calling it the beginning of the end (The Guardian) for the group, while Hamas denied this. Israel’s military is searching for Hamas’s leader, Yahya Sinwar, in the territory. Hamas also threatened that if Israel did not meet its demands regarding prisoner releases, none of the hostages it was holding would leave Gaza alive. Tens of thousands of Gazans have fled south (NYT) as fighting intensifies, but most have not been allowed to cross into Egypt.
In the broader region, a French warship shot down two drones (Reuters) yesterday that were launched at it from Yemen, France’s defense minister said. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen had previously said they would target all ships heading to Israel. |
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“Along with making [Gaza] more autonomous from Hamas’s external leaders, Sinwar has presided over a strategic renewal of Hamas as a fighting force in Gaza,” the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies’ Leila Seurat writes for Foreign Affairs.
“The [Israeli military] has raised the Israeli flag in Palestine Square in Gaza city and lit Hanukkah candles at several battlefield locations. But this is not yet the ‘victory picture’—the image that confirms a final triumph—that Israeli citizens are demanding from their leaders,” the Economist writes.
Read the full suite of Foreign Affairs and CFR.org resources on Israel and the current conflict.
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Saudi Arabia Emerges as Main Block to Fossil Fuel Language in COP28 Deal |
Delegates from Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading oil producer, have opposed any language in the summit’s final text that would directly mention fossil fuels, the New York Times reported. COP28 host United Arab Emirates (UAE) had aimed to include language on transitioning away from fossil fuels. The UAE hopes to bring the summit to a close tomorrow, though the convenings historically run days over. Any agreement drawn up at the summit must be unanimous.
In this article, CFR expert A. Michael Spence discusses whether COP28 will deliver on climate change progress.
Azerbaijan is expected to be the host (NYT) of next year’s UN climate summit, a government spokesperson said. A European country was due to host the summit, but Russia blocked all those that opposed its invasion in Ukraine, leaving Armenia and Azerbaijan. Despite their political tensions, Yerevan dropped its opposition to Baku’s bid on Friday. Azerbaijan would be the third major oil and gas producer in a row to host the climate conference.
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Most Hong Kong Residents Shun Tightly Controlled District Council Election |
Candidates in yesterday’s vote had to be approved (Nikkei) as “patriots” based on a national security law imposed three years ago. Only 27.5 percent of registered voters participated.
China/Philippines: A Philippine national security spokesperson said today that China used water cannons on civilian vessels in the South China Sea over the weekend, condemning the actions (Nikkei) as a “serious escalation.”
The Center for Preventive Action tracks conflict in the South China Sea.
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India’s Top Court Backs Stripping of Special Status From Muslim Majority Kashmir |
India’s Supreme Court ruled that (The Guardian) the government’s decision to remove a special administrative status from the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 was lawful. The move sparked criticism that it could inflame religious tensions in the region; Indian security services increased their policing of the area shortly thereafter.
U.S./Pakistan: Pakistan’s army chief left yesterday (Dawn) for a trip to the United States to meet with senior U.S. officials. His first U.S. visit of his tenure is expected to focus on threats by militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban, and comes as Pakistan prepares to hold elections (PTI) in February.
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Middle East and North Africa |
Iran, Saudi Arabia to Begin Talks on Resuming Direct Flights |
The talks are due to restore (Reuters) direct flights between Tehran, Riyadh, and other cities, an Iranian official told state-affiliated media. They come in the wake of a China-mediated deal in March to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries after years of rivalry. |
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West African Bloc Names Three Leaders to Negotiate Democratic Transition in Niger |
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) chose the leaders (Reuters) of Benin, Sierra Leone, and Togo to reach a roadmap toward a democratic transition in Niger, which underwent a coup in July. ECOWAS said that it would ease economic sanctions on Niger if the countries could make progress in the roadmap.
Sudan: At talks in Djibouti on Saturday, leaders of both sides in Sudan’s civil war agreed in principle (Reuters) to hold a meeting in the next fifteen days to lay out steps toward reaching a cease-fire, an advisor to Djibouti’s president said.
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EU Reaches Agreement on World’s First Sweeping AI Regulations |
The rules, negotiated among European Union (EU) members on Friday, focus on how companies can deploy artificial intelligence (AI), including restrictions (AP) on some uses of biometric identification technology and heavy financial penalties of up to 7 percent of a company’s global turnover for violations. The rules are expected to be formally approved in a vote early next year and take effect in 2025.
This episode of the Why It Matters podcast unpacks the global debate around AI regulation.
Ukraine: The country moved the first group of trucks (Reuters) to Poland by rail in response to Polish drivers’ blockade of the main road corridors into Ukraine, leading to higher prices for food and fuel and delays to military deliveries. The Polish drivers were protesting Ukrainian trucks’ permit-free access to the EU.
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New Argentine President Promises Economic Shock in Inaugural Address |
Libertarian Javier Milei said in a speech at his inauguration yesterday that he plans to cut government spending (El País) by some 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) to help combat high inflation. Guests at the event included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AP), who is hoping to build support for Ukraine’s war effort among developing countries.
Guyana/Venezuela: The leaders of the two countries set a meeting (Reuters) for this Thursday amid a dispute over the oil-rich territory of Essequibo in Guyana, the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines said. A longstanding disagreement escalated in recent weeks after Venezuela threatened to annex the territory.
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Drug Authorities Approve Gene-Editing Therapy for First Time |
The two newly approved therapies are for the most severe form (NPR) of the blood disorder sickle cell disease. Such therapies are also being studied for ailments including genetic disorders and cancer. |
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