Israel and the U.S. are discussing a possible visit by President Biden to Israel later this week, three Israeli and U.S. officials confirmed on Sunday.
Why it matters: A Biden visit would be both a show of support for Israel amid the war with Hamas and a message to Iran and Hezbollah not to join the fighting.
With Congress paralyzed, the Biden administration is exploring — and implementing — creative ways to achieve its goals in Ukraine without signoff from Capitol Hill.
Why it matters: U.S. allies are depending on military aid to fight wars in both Europe and the Middle East. The U.S. government itself faces a shutdown in a month.
Eight days before Hamas launched the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel's history, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan proclaimed that "the Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades."
Why it matters: Sullivan cautioned in the next sentence that "challenges remain," including tensions between Israelis and Palestinians and the threat from Iran. But the fact that the Hamas attack took the U.S. and Israel by such surprise points to a massive intelligence failure by both countries.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi told Secretary of State Tony Blinken on Sunday that Israel's response to the Hamas attack has gone from self-defense to collective punishment, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
Why it matters: They're the strongest comments by Egypt against Israel's response since the war began. It also comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands have been displaced and food and other supplies are quickly running out.
Israel resumed on Sunday the water supply to the southern Gaza Strip after strong pressure from the Biden administration, two Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: Israel's decision to completely stop the water supply to Gaza exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, with aid groups warning water supplies were quickly running out.
Beijing is trying to use the outbreak of violence between Israel and Hamas to curry favor among Arab states and gain their support for China's global agenda.
Why it matters: The Chinese government is seeking to legitimize authoritarian practices and erode human rights protections on the international stage.
Iran sent a message to Israel on Saturday stressing that it does not want further escalation in the Hamas-Israel war, but that it will have to intervene if the Israeli operation in Gaza continues, two diplomatic sources with knowledge of the situation told Axios.
Why it matters: The fighting between Hamas and Israel will turn into a regional war if Iran gets involved either directly or indirectly, such as through a militant group in Syria or by backing any Hezbollah decision to fully join the fighting.
The State Department told American citizens in Gaza on Saturday to move south towards the Rafah Crossing with Egypt ahead of a possible reopening of the crossing to allow foreign nationals to leave the enclave, a State Department spokesperson told Axios.
Why it matters: There are more than 500 Americans and hundredsof other foreign nationals in Gaza, including UN workers, members of non-governmental organizations and journalists, according to U.S. and Israeli officials.
The speed of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in densely-populated Gaza is "bone-chilling" and the enclave is "fast becoming a hell hole," the UN Palestinian agency said on Friday.
The big picture: The dire warning underscores the scale of the immense suffering of Palestinians in Gaza — home to more than 2 million people — as the Israeli military continues its heavy bombardment of the enclave in response to last Saturday's Hamas attack on Israel.
