For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press, Reuters, the Anadolu Agency, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israel strikes Gaza as Blinken heads to region to try to help close cease-fire deal, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli strikes across Gaza killed 19 people overnight, including a woman and her six children, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the region today to try to seal a cease-fire deal after months of contentious negotiations. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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NEWER  Woman, her 6 children among 20 more Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza. From Anadolu Agency. ANKARA — At least 20 Palestinians including a woman and her six children were killed todaY when the Israeli army targeted several areas in Gaza Strip. Medical sources . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 17Who is Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar? Reported by Michael Levitt and Adrian Ma | NPR  New Yorker editor David Remnick talks about his recent profile of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM AUG. 17  How U.S. policy in the Middle East is unravelling, by Jehad Abusalim | Middle East Eye  As we stand on the precipice of what could be a decisive turning point in the region’s history, it is essential to ask how we got here. Over the past 10 to 15 years . . . READ MORE . . .