Negotiations

Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas’s counterproposal for a cease-fire. Hamas's plan reportedly called in part for the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for all of the hostages and for the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza. Netanyahu said victory was a “matter of months” away and called Hamas's terms “delusional.” A Hamas official said Netanyahu’s remarks were “political bravado.” The toll of the war, based on information from the Gaza Health Ministry and Israeli officials, is now more than 27,700 Palestinians, with more than 1,200 people killed in Hamas’s Oct 7 attack.

As negotiations for a deal are expected to continue today, Netanyahu says Israeli forces will push into the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. The UN says there are more than 1.4 million Palestinians seeking refuge there, living in makeshift tents with little to no access to food. The UN has said it’s “especially alarmed” by Israel’s plan as displaced Palestinians “have been squeezed in a desperate search for safety.” Blinken has also reportedly said the Biden admin is concerned over Israel's plan to expand into the city.

Meanwhile, a US drone strike in Baghdad killed a senior leader of an Iranian-backed militia yesterday. Military officials said the leader was “directly planning and participating” in the strike that killed three US soldiers along the Jordanian-Syrian border.

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