President Biden on Friday sent letters to the President of Egypt and the Emir of Qatar asking them to press Hamas to agree to a hostage deal that will lead to a six-week ceasefire in Gaza, a senior U.S. official said.
Why it matters: CIA director Bill Burns is expected to travel to Cairo this weekend for talks with the head of Israel's Mossad and top Qatari and Egyptian officials in an effort to break the deadlock in negotiations to secure the release of hostages being held in Gaza.
President Biden laid out an ultimatum to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their call on Thursday: If Israel doesn't change course in Gaza, "we won't be able to support you," he said, according to three sources with knowledge of the call.
Why it matters: Biden didn't specify what a loss of U.S. support would entail and he didn't mention the possibility of stopping weapons shipments to Israel, the sources said. But it was the president's toughest call with Netanyahu since the Oct. 7 attacks — both in tone and in substance.
An internal investigation by the Israeli militaryconcluded that the strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza earlier this week that killed seven aid workers was "a serious violation" of the Israeli Defense Forces' rules and operating procedures, the IDF said Friday.
Why it matters: The swift investigation and the subsequent decision to take disciplinary steps against top officers shows that the IDF is taking the incident more seriously than previous cases, as Israel faces intensifying global scrutiny of its actions in Gaza.
McDonald's has agreed to buy all of its Israel franchises from local operator Alonyal Ltd., which includes 225 stores with more than 5,000 employees.
Why it matters: Alonyal last October sparked global boycotts against McDonald's, particularly in some Muslim-majority countries, after saying it would donate free meals to the Israeli military.
The UN Human Rights Council on Friday approved a resolution calling on countries to halt the transfer and sale of weapons to Israel.
Why it matters: The resolution, while non-binding, ratchets up international pressure on Israel amid rising concerns over the humanitarian toll of its war against Hamas in Gaza.
GUANGZHOU, China— Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told U.S. executives in southern China on Friday that it's neither "practical nor desirable" to cut off economic relations with the country — even as the Biden administration is moving to contain huge business threats from China.
Why it matters: Yellen is aiming to strike a balance between calling out China for "unfair practices" she said were hurting American firms — while highlighting the importance of maintaining U.S.-China economic ties.
CIA director Bill Burns is expected to travel to Cairo this weekend for talks with Mossad's chief and top Qatari and Egyptian officials in an effort to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, two sources with direct knowledge told Axios.
Why it matters: The meeting will take place after President Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a call on Thursday "to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home."
Three hours after a tough call on Thursday between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli cabinet approved new steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Why it matters: The U.S. had asked Israel to implement those steps months ago but Netanyahu, who is in a tenuous political position in Israel, has been under pressure from his political base and ultranationalist members of his coalition to limit aid into Gaza.
Israel told the U.S. if Iran launches an attack from its soil against Israel in retaliation for its deadly strike in Syria earlier this week, it would draw a strong response from Israel and take the current conflict to another level, Israeli officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: Iranian officials have publicly threatened to retaliate against Israel for the attack that killed a top Iranian official. The Biden administration and the Israeli government are highly concerned Iran is preparing for an imminent attack, U.S. and Israeli officials said.
Israel's killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers has the makings of a watershed moment in Washington, rapidly accelerating a months-long decline in U.S. support for the war in Gaza.
Why it matters: President Biden called for an "immediate ceasefire" Thursday and told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future U.S. policy "will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate action" on addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and protecting aid workers.
President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when they spoke on Thursday that "an immediate ceasefire" is needed to "protect innocent civilians" in Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation, the White House said.
Why it matters: Biden is making his strongest push for an end to the fighting in Gaza in six months of war, and warning for the first time that U.S. policy on the war will depend on Israel's adherence to his demands.
Why it matters: President Nicolás Maduro is running for re-election after nearly a decade in power. But after years of a catastrophic economic crisis, severe food and medicine shortages and political repression, Venezuelans want to see change in July's election, polls show.
A group that helps Jews negotiate compensation and restitution for victims and heirs of Nazi persecution is starting a "Survivor Speakers Bureau" to connect schools with the last generation of Holocaust survivors.
Why it matters: The number of Holocaust survivors globally has dwindled to less than a quarter of a million as antisemitism and Holocaust deniers plague social media, threatening how we remember the genocide of 6 million Jews.
Top diplomats from NATO's member states, gathering Thursday on the alliance's 75th birthday, will be talking about the threat posed by Moscow — and from the potential next occupant of the White House.
Why it matters: NATO has two new members and a resurgent sense of mission after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But with Donald Trump waiting in the wings, the alliance could be on course for another existential crisis at a much more dangerous time for Europe.
World Central Kitchen (WCK), a disaster relief nonprofit founded by the Michelin-starred chef José Andrés, has suspended its operations in Gaza after seven of its workers were killed by an Israeli Defense Force attack.
The big picture: The nonprofit has been one of the few aid organizations able to deliver food to Gaza, where the Israel-Hamas war has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation.
U.S.-based international aid group World Central Kitchen (WCK) called for an independent international investigation into the deadly Israeli airstrikes that killed seven of its employees.
Why it matters: The attack on the humanitarian workers has already stymied the delivery of critical aid to people in Gaza, who are on the brink of famine due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
President Biden's phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu planned for Thursday morning is expected to be tense as Biden is "outraged" about the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in an Israeli air strike in Gaza earlier this week, four U.S. officials said.
Why it matters: Chef José Andrés, who established the organization, is not only a highly respected Washington personality, but also a long-time Biden supporter who the president knows personally.
