Axios

The watermelon — a long-time symbol of Palestinian solidarity and resistance — has reemerged online, at protests and as part of artwork worldwide to support Palestinians as the war in Gaza intensifies.

Why it matters: The red, green, black and white fruit — which matches the colors on the Palestinian flag — has symbolized unity for over half a century. It's now accompanying calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and for greater Palestinian rights.

Climate change is set to cause a 4.7-fold surge in heat-related deaths by mid-century if government inaction on global warming continues, a report published Tuesday found.

The big picture: The world is on track for 2.7°C (4.86°F) of heating by 2100 unless swift action is taken to lower emissions, according to the annual Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report.

The U.S. has unspecified intelligence that Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups are using the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip and other medical facilities for military activities and holding hostages, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The Al-Shifa Hospital has become a focal point in the Israel-Hamas war. Its grounds have become a refuge for thousands of displaced people, while Israeli officials have claimed it houses Hamas' headquarters and parts of the group's extensive tunnel system around Gaza. Hamas has denied those claims.

Israel plans to allow trucks used by the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) in Gaza to refuel at the Rafah crossing on Wednesday, according to four U.S. and Israeli sources.

Why it matters: The UN, other aid groups and hospitals have said they desperately need fuel to deliver aid to those in need in Gaza or to run generators that have been powering hospitals.

Tens of thousands marched in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to support Israel's military campaign against Hamas.

Why it matters: The "March for Israel" comes nearly six weeks after Hamas attacked Israel, as the death toll in Gaza continues to climb and the dire humanitarian crisis there deepens.

Single Latinas who live alone have among the lowest rates of ownership of any group in the U.S. due to low-wage jobs and a housing market that needs more regulation, experts tell Axios Latino.

The big picture: Home ownership is seen by many as a pathway to wealth building — and rent in many cities has skyrocketed.

Community organizations that serve and are led by people of color are banding together to secure some of the billions of federal dollars earmarked for environmental and climate causes.

Why it matters: People of color are disproportionately affected by climate change and pollution, yet funding for programs that would help them has largely gone to large, national groups instead of community-led ones, sources say.

President Biden said on Tuesday he thinks that a deal to free dozens of hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian groups in Gaza "is going to happen."

Driving the news: The U.S. and Israel are negotiating through Qatar with Hamas a deal that could see the release of about 80 women and children who were kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attack.

The White House sent an urgent message last week to trade negotiators in San Francisco who were racing to reach an agreement on part of President Biden's trade plan with 13 Pacific Rim nations: Slow down.

Why it matters: The new order has thrown into question the president's commitment to a key section of his signature trade effort, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), according to three people familiar with the issue.

The UN's humanitarian operations in Gaza will "grind to a halt" in 48 hours without fuel supplies, as lives in the enclave "hang by a thread," UN officials warned on Monday.

The big picture: The warnings come as health officials at several Gaza hospitals reported in recent days that they have been forced to shut down their operations due to nearby fighting and a lack of fuel and other supplies.

Private equity and venture capital funds could be facing more regulations on their investments into China, due to a new bill introduced by Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

Why it matters: This could escalate tensions between the world's two largest economies, just as there are new signs of cooperation ahead of this week's APEC summit in San Francisco.

An internal State Department dissent memo accuses President Biden of "spreading misinformation" on the Israel-Hamas war and alleges that Israel is committing "war crimes" in Gaza, according to a copy of the memo obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: The scathing five-page memo — organized by a junior diplomat who has suggested on social media that Biden's support of Israel has made him "complicit in genocide" in Gaza — offers a rare look at the raw divisions within the Biden administration over the Israel-Hamas war.

U.S. military forces conducted "precision" airstrikes on facilities in Syria used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iranian-affiliated groups on Sunday, the Pentagon said.

The big picture: It's the third time since Oct. 26 that American forces have conducted such strikes in what Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says is "in response to continued attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria."

Ukrainian officials accused the Kremlin in a "60 Minutes" report broadcast Sunday of orchestrating the deliberate destruction and looting of the country's museums, churches and monuments during the ongoing Russian military invasion.

The big picture: Their comments that the attacks amount to war crimes come days after the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said it had verified damage to 327 cultural sites in Ukraine since Russian leader Vladimir Putin's forces launched a full-scale military invasion of the country on Feb. 24, 2022.

Five American service members were killed in a military helicopter crash during a training exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, U.S. defense officials said Sunday.

The big picture: The helicopter "suffered a mishap and crashed" during a "routine air refueling mission" late Friday, per a U.S. European Command statement Sunday that confirmed an investigation into the crash was underway.