Pope Francis' comments that Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" and negotiate to end the war with Russia was denounced by Ukrainian and other European officials on Sunday.
Context: The pope was asked during a TV interview with Swiss broadcaster RSI for his thoughts on whether Ukraine should have the "courage of surrender, of the white flag" and negotiate for a ceasefire with Russia or whether this would legitimize Putin's forces, per a transcript released by the Vatican over the weekend.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back against President Biden's criticism of Israel's war strategy in Gaza, saying his policies are supported by a majority of Israelis.
Why it matters: The comments help illustrate the widening rift between the two leaders as the Israel-Hamas war grinds on.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called on the Biden administration to suspend or condition aid to Israel during an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday.
Why it matters: Sanders' remarks come amid a growing rift between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel's strategy in Gaza.
President Biden has begun a tricky maneuver: breaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Gaza war strategy — while sticking with Israel and its fight against Hamas, which is still holding hostages.
Why it matters: No one incident led Biden to start changing his course with Netanyahu, whom he has known for 40 years. It's an accumulation of events and decisions by the prime minister over the last few weeks, U.S. officials tell Axios.
President Biden said in an interview on MSNBC on Saturday that he has a "red line" when it comes to the war in Gaza. "You can't have another 30,000 Palestinians dead as a consequence of going after (Hamas). There are other ways to deal with Hamas," he said.
Why it matters: This was the first time since the Hamas attack on October 7 that Biden said he has a "red line" for the Israeli military operation in Gaza.
U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators are intensifying their efforts to reach a hostage deal and temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amid growing concerns of a violent escalation in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan, three U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios.
Why it matters: The raging war and dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza add to a backdrop of violent confrontations between Israeli police and Palestinians in recent years during Ramadan, which is expected to begin Monday.
