Axios

President Biden said after his call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that it's time to "move on" and end the war in Gaza after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Why it matters: Biden has been personally pushing for months for a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza, and he hopes to reach a breakthrough in the stalled negotiations before he leaves office on Jan. 20.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's death creates an opportunity to resume negotiations for a deal to release the 101 hostages still held by Hamas and establish a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli and U.S. officials say.

Why it matters: Negotiations for a deal have been frozen for two months, in part because of Sinwar's hardline position and because he was incommunicado, Israeli and U.S. officials said.

1. Environmental crimes, such as illegal mining and logging, would carry harsher penalties in Brazil under a new bill proposed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

• The bill would also increase jail time from three years to six for people accused of purposefully starting wildfires.
• Wildfires, stoked by drought, have been raging in several different regions this year. Authorities say some were started by ranchers or miners looking to make space for cattle or by miners looking to take over land.

2. Genaro García Luna, a former minister of security in Mexico and the country's highest ranking official to be on trial in the U.S., yesterday was sentenced in New York to 38 years in prison.

Less than a month before the presidential election, campaigns are finally reaching out to the Latino voters who will play a key role in determining the outcome of the tight contest, a new poll indicates.

Why it matters: A record number of Latinos are eligible to vote this year and could especially have an impact in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Nevada and other swing states where their numbers have been increasing.

Israeli officials announced Thursday that Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar, the mastermind behind the group's Oct. 7 attack on Israel, had been killed by the Israeli Defense Forces.

Why it matters: Sinwar's death could make Israel more willing to scale back its operations in Gaza, Axios' Barak Ravid reports.

Israeli officials said Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israel Defense Forces in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. Hamas confirmed his death in a statement on Friday.

Why it matters: Sinwar was the mastermind of the Oct. 7 terror attacks, which killed 1,200 people and set off Israel's year-long war against Hamas in Gaza. Israel has made killing him a key objective, and may now be more willing to scale back its military operations in Gaza.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Thursday that 10,000 North Korean troops are being readied to join Russian forces in their fight against Ukraine, multiple outlets reported.

Why it matters: Zelensky warned that North Korea's involvement risks turning the conflict into a "world war."

U.S. forces bombed Houthi weapons storage facilities that the Iran-backed rebel group controls in Yemen in "precision strikes" authorized by President Biden, United States military officials announced late Wednesday.

Why it matters: U.S. and allied firepower has so far failed to thwart months of Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and other key Middle East waterways, affecting an estimated 65-plus countries and at least 29 major shipping and energy companies.

Former President Trump added to a baseless conspiracy theory he's peddled about Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs during a Univision Noticias town hall in Doral, Florida, on Wednesday.

Why it matters: After Trump and other Republicans amplified the false rumors that began in Springfield, Ohio, and spread online, residents in the community faced security threats.

Israeli officials have been assuring their U.S. counterparts that Israel will act quickly to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza following an ultimatum from the Biden administration, two Israeli officials tell Axios.

Driving the news: Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin sent a letter to Israeli leaders on Monday warning that shipments of U.S. weapons to Israel could be affected if Israel does not take steps within 30 days to improve the conditions in Gaza, according to a copy of the letter obtained by Axios.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) levied a record fine against German airline Lufthansa Tuesday for discriminating against Jewish passengers who were stopped from boarding a 2022 flight.

Why it matters: The $4 million fine is the largest that the DOT has slapped an airline with for a civil rights violation.

One year after joining SAIC, Lauren Knausenberger has thoughts — about artificial intelligence, information warfare, critical infrastructure, commercial innovation and, maybe most importantly, instantly hot water.

• Axios interviewed her at the company's corporate headquarters in Reston, Virginia.

Why it matters: Knausenberger previously served as the chief information officer at the Department of the Air Force, where she oversaw a portfolio totaling $17 billion. She is now the executive vice president and chief innovation officer at SAIC.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is considering a post-war plan for Gaza based on ideas developed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates that would be presented after the presidential election, U.S. officials say.

Why it matters: Several officials in the White House and State Department are concerned the plan would marginalize Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his government, which is what Israel and the UAE are pushing for in the immediate term.