For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, and National Public Radio, followed by commentary by a Britain-based observer; others are accessible by clicking on the sources’ names or initials below. (The UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Another wave of Israeli strikes hit Gaza refugee camp as crossing opens for foreigners and wounded, by Najib Jobain and Samy Magdy | AP  RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes hit apartment buildings in a Gaza refugee camp for the second day in a row today, Palestinian officials said, as the territory’s only functioning border post opened to allow foreign passport holders to leave for the first time since war broke out over three weeks ago. Al-Jazeera television aired . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel keeps up airstrikes on Gaza, hopes are raised Egypt crossing will stay open. Reported by Steve Inskeep and Greg Myre | NPR  Israeli airstrikes have leveled apartment buildings in a refugee camp near Gaza City, while evacuees from northern Gaza wait for a chance to pass through the Rafah crossing into Egypt. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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First evacuees leave Gaza as Israeli offensive intensifies, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams | Reuters  GAZA / JERUSALEM — A first group of injured evacuees from Gaza crossed into Egypt today under a Qatari-mediated deal, Egyptian security sources said, as Israeli forces pressed their offensive against Hamas militants in the Palestinian enclave. Evacuees were driven in ambulances through the Rafah . . . READ MORE . . .

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‘Are we not equal human beings?’ asks Palestinian doctor demanding cease-fire. Reported by Jonaki Mehta, Justine Kenin and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, leader of the Palestinian National Initiative, talks about the intensifying violence in the Hamas-Israel war and its impact on the West Bank. Click HERE to listen and read.

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The latest on Israel’s bombing of the largest Gazan refugee camp. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  Israel bombed the largest refugee camp in Gaza and said it killed a senior Hamas commander. Palestinians said it caused a huge number of civilian casualties. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Funding for Ukraine and Israel is causing rifts in Congress. Reported by Eric McDaniel | NPR  A new House bill proposes splitting funds for the war in Israel from funding for the war in Ukraine. It defies the path favored by both the Senate and the White House.  Click HERE to listen and read.

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Mounting evidence suggests Israel may be ready to ‘cleanse’ Gaza, by Jonathan Cook | jonathan-cook.net  As Israeli forces began making limited ground incursions into northern Gaza over the weekend, reports proliferated that Israel was readying plans to expel much or all of the enclave’s population into the neighbouring Egyptian territory of Sinai. In part, . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (The GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Ukraine says Russian warplanes drop explosives on Black Sea shipping lanes. From Reuters. Ukraine said today Russian warplanes had dropped “explosive objects” into the likely paths of civilian vessels in the Black Sea three times in the last 24 hours, but that its fledgling shipping corridor was still operating. Russia has said it would consider any vessel a potential military target after it quit a U.N.-brokered deal in July that . . . READ MORE . . .

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All 59 killed in Hroza missile attack were civilians, UN reports. From the Kyiv Independent. A report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released on Tuesday found that all 59 people killed in Russia’s missile attack on the village of Hroza were civilians. It also said there are “reasonable grounds to believe that there were no military personnel or any other legitimate military target present at or in proximity to the reception at . . . READ MORE . . .

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A UN report urges Russia to investigate an attack on a Ukrainian village that killed 59 civilians, by Nebi Qena | AP  KYIV — UN investigators on Tuesday urged Russia to acknowledge responsibility for a missile strike on a Ukrainian village that killed 59 civilians, conduct a transparent investigation into what happened, provide reparations for victims and hold those responsible to account. The strike on a cafe in the village of Hroza on Oct. 5 . . . READ MORE . . .

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Funding for Ukraine and Israel is causing rifts in Congress. Reported by Eric McDaniel | NPR  A new House bill proposes splitting funds for the war in Israel from funding for the war in Ukraine. It defies the path favored by both the Senate and the White House.  Click HERE to listen and read.

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Clooney Foundation for Justice brings alleged Russian crimes to German prosecutors, by Anastasiia Malenko | The Kyiv Independent  The Clooney Foundation for Justice, a non-governmental organization founded by Amal and George Clooney, has filed three cases with German federal prosecutors to investigate crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. Submitted on Oct. 26, the cases rely on absolute universal jurisdiction in Germany, which allows the country to open investigations for international crimes committed outside its borders. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Reuters, Consortium News, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio, followed by a link to commentary from Indian Punchline; other articles are accessible by clicking on the sources’ names or initials below. (The UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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NEWER  Yemen’s Houthis say they launched missiles, drones at Israel. From Reuters. DUBAI — Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group said it launched a “large number” of drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel today, after Israel’s military said it downed an approaching “aerial target” off the Red Sea city of Eilat. The operation was the third targeting Israel and there would be more, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said . . . READ MORE . . .

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NEWER  Hundreds feared dead in bombing of refugee camp. From Consortium News. Israel has targeted the Jabaliyah refugee camp south of Gaza City today, killing at least 100 people and injuring 300, according to the Gaza interior minister. Many more people are trapped in the rubble. Al Jazeera reports that six Israeli bombs hit the camp where tens of thousands of refugees are crowded into a square kilometer. Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian doctor who has tended to . . . READ MORE . . .

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NEWER  Health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says 50 killed in Israeli strike. From AFP. GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories — The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip said at least 50 people were killed today in Israeli bombardment of a refugee camp in the Palestinian territory. A ministry statement said, “More than 50 martyrs and around 150 wounded and dozens under the rubble, in a heinous Israeli massacre that targeted a . . . READ MORE . . .

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NEWER  New document leak on plan to expel Gaza population, by Joe Lauria | Consortium News  A leaked document from the Israeli Ministry of Intelligence to an Israeli news site on Monday lays out a plan to transfer more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt’s Sinai desert. The document is being downplayed by Israeli officials, who are saying it is not being actively considered while the ground operation is underway.  The document was first published . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israeli forces battle Hamas around Gaza City, as military says 800,000 have fled south, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli troops battled Hamas militants and attacked underground compounds today with a focus on northern Gaza, from which an estimated 800,000 Palestinians have fled south despite continued Israeli bombardment across the besieged enclave. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a cease-fire and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel attacks Hamas gunmen inside Gaza tunnels, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Emily Rose | Reuters  GAZA / JERUSALEM — Israel said its forces attacked Hamas gunmen inside the Islamists’ vast tunnel network beneath Gaza, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed calls for a halt to fighting to ease humanitarian crisis. The tunnels are a key . . . READ MORE . . .

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Mission impossible? Biden says Mideast leaders must consider a two-state solution after the war ends, by Aamer Madhani, Chris Megerian, Will Weissert and Seung Min Kim | AP  WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is calling on Israeli and Arab leaders to think hard about their eventual postwar reality. It’s one, he argues, where finally finding agreement on a long-sought two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict should be a priority. “There’s. . . READ MORE . . .

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NEWER  As Israel’s assault on Gaza intensifies, how will the ground operation unfold? Reported by A Martínez and Tom Bowman | NPR  Israel’s attacks on Gaza are intensifying, but the strategy of the operation remains unclear. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  Biden’s plan to send military aid to Israel has bipartisan support in the Senate. Leila Fadel of NPR talks with Maya MacGuineas of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, about the Biden administration’s $14 billion proposal for emergency military aid to Israel. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Thousands of workers from Gaza are trapped in the West Bank and can’t go home. Reported by Elissa Nadworny | NPR  Thousands of Palestinians from Gaza were working in Israel when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7. Now, they’re unable to go back and in limbo in the West Bank. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Where Britain, France and Germany stand on the Israel-Hamas war. Reported by Lauren Frayer, Eleanor Beardsley and Rob Schmitz | NPR  Reactions to the Israel-Hamas war vary across Europe, determined by each country’s unique history and perspective. Here’s what governments are saying in Britain, France and Germany. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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U.S. seeks strategic dialogue with Russia, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  Almost four weeks into Hamas’ attack on Israel, Russia is in no hurry to exploit the Biden administration’s quandary over the collapse of Middle East security. The western media was unanimous that Russia was waiting in the wings to seize the opportunity once the U.S. took its eye off the ball in Ukraine. However, no such thing happened. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Kyiv Independent and Tass, followed by a link to commentary from Indian Punchline; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names below. The GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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UK Defense Ministry: Russia replaces commander in charge of occupied Kherson Oblast, by Nate Ostiller and thenews desk | The Kyiv Independent  Russia has changed the leadership of its forces operating in occupied Kherson Oblast, likely indicating an increased intensity of the pressure the Russian Army faces in the area, the U.K.’s Defense Ministry said today citing a report by the Russian state-run news agency Tass. Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky, the deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, replaced. . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian UAV, naval drone production sites in past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces destroyed Ukrainian army sites producing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and naval drones over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a briefing. “Near the settlement of Malodolinskoye  . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. seeks strategic dialogue with Russia, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  Ukraine war is on autopilot. The compass has been set, the dice is cast and the calculus is holding steady with regard to the strategic objectives set by President Vladimir Putin in February last year. Russia senses that it has gained the upper hand in the war and that is irreversible. Ukraine’s counteroffensive . . . READ MORE . . .

 

For today, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Antiwar.com and National Public Radio, followed by links to commentary from Global Research and ScheerPost; other reports and commentary are accessible by clicking on the sources’ names or initials below. (The UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Fierce clashes in Gaza as Israeli forces expand ground offensive, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Henriette Chacar | Reuters  GAZA / JERUSALEM — Fierce air and artillery strikes rang out in Gaza early today as Israeli troops backed by tanks pressed into the Palestinian enclave with a ground assault that prompted more international calls for civilians to be protected. Israel’s military said it had . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel pounds Gaza’s north as it steps up ground assault, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters   GAZA — Palestinians in northern Gaza reported fierce air and artillery strikes early on Monday as Israeli troops backed by tanks pressed into the enclave with a ground assault that drew increased international calls for the protection of civilians. Israeli air strikes hit areas near Gaza City’s Shifa and Al-Quds hospitals, and Palestinian . . . READ MORE . . .

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Gaza receives largest aid shipment so far as deaths top 8,000 and Israel widens military offensive, by Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy and Kareem  Chehayeb | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Nearly three dozen trucks entered Gaza on Sunday in the largest aid convoy since the war between Israel and Hamas began, but humanitarian workers said the assistance fell desperately short of needs after thousands of people broke into warehouses to take flour and basic hygiene products. The Gaza Health Ministry said . . . READ MORE . . .

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House speaker says bill to split Israel aid from Ukraine will be brought to floor, by Dave DeCamp | awar.com  Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said Sunday that a stand-alone bill to provide Israel with billions more in military aid will be brought to the House floor this week instead of President Biden’s $105 billion request that also includes spending for Ukraine, Taiwan, and the border. “We’re going to move a stand-alone Israel funding bill this week . . . READ MORE . . .

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With Gaza borders sealed, there’s much we don’t know about what’s happening inside. Leila Fadel of NPR speaks with Tirana Hassan, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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‘Wiping Gaza off the map’: Big money agenda to confiscate Palestine’s maritime natural gas reserves. A video interview with Michel Chossudovsky | Global Research.  In a 24-minute video presentation, the GR director expands on a 2013 article in which freelance journalist Felicity Arbuthnot reported that Israel was “set to become a major exporter of gas and some oil, ‘if all goes to plan’” by 2024 — including the appropriation of Palestinian offshore reserves in the Mediterranean Sea. Click HERE to watch and listen.

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Full-dress irrationality, by Patrick Lawrence | ScheerPost / Popular Resistance  Joe Biden has sold a lot of snake oil off the back of his buckwagon over the past half-century. What he has on offer now is too consequential simply to dismiss. He is diabolically leveraging the obvious urgency of the Israel–Palestine crisis to . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Agence France-Presse, Reuters, and Tass, followed by commentary from ScheerPost; other articles are accessible by clicking on the sources’ names or initials below. (The GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Ukraine says hit Russian air defense systems in Crimea. From AFP. Ukraine’s army said today it had overnight “successfully hit” part of Russia’s air defense system located in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. The Rybar Telegram channel, which is close to the Russian army, also reported a “combined attack” . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine eyes global peace summit this year, says deputy foreign minister, by Max Hunder | Reuters  Ukraine aims to hold a global “peace summit” of world leaders this year, Deputy Minister Mykola Tochytskyi said on Sunday after international representatives met in Malta over the weekend to discuss Kyiv’s peace formula for its war with Russia. The talks do not include Russia. READ MORE . . .

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Kiev loses almost 750 troops in Zaporozhye battles over week — regional head. From Tass. MELITOPOL — The Ukrainian military lost almost 750 troops, 13 tanks and 25 armored vehicles in battles in the Zaporozhye area over the past week, Regional Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said today. The Ukrainian military continues . . . READ MORE . . .

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Full-dress irrationality, by Patrick Lawrence | ScheerPost / Popular Resistance  Joe Biden has sold a lot of snake oil off the back of his buckwagon over the past half-century. What he has on offer now is too consequential simply to dismiss. He is diabolically leveraging the obvious urgency of the Israel–Palestine crisis to . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, the Kyiv Post, and the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Today’s GAZA entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Belarus’s Lukashenko says Ukraine-Russia war at stalemate, urges talks. From Reuters. Russia and Ukraine are locked in a stalemate on the frontlines of their war and the two sides need to sit down and negotiate an end to the conflict, Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of Belarus and an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said this weekend. “There are enough problems on both sides and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia says it shot down 36 Ukrainian drones as fighting grinds on in Ukraine’s east. From AP.  KYIV — Russian air defense shot down over 30 Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea and the Crimean peninsula overnight, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today, Separately, British intelligence assessed this weekend that Russia had suffered some of its biggest casualty rates so far this year as a result of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian armored column attacks near Avdiivka, immediately flees in face of devastating Ukrainian fire. From Kyiv Post. Drone operators have recorded a Russian armored column driving toward Ukrainian Armed Forcespositions near Andiivka, only to come under punishing fire and then attempt to flee the battlefield. The video shows . . . Click HERE to read more and view video.

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Southern counteroffensive runs out of steam as West scrambles to deliver aid, by Igor Kossov | The Kyiv Independent  As fall weather arrives, observers are looking at the status of Ukraine’s three-pronged counteroffensive, which continues to move very slowly. Ukrainian forces have yet to fully break through . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Consortium News, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Then, links to three pieces of commentary from Australia, the United States, and Britain. (Today’s UKRAINE  entry is HERE,) — MCM

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Israel wages ground campaign in Gaza, communications blackout slowly ending, by Emily Rose | Reuters  JERUSALEM — Israeli forces waged ground operations against Hamas in Gaza today in what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the second phase of a three-week-old war aimed at crushing the Palestinian militant group. However, telephone and internet communications in Gaza, largely severed late on Friday as Israel’s warplanes dropped bombs and its troops pushed into the Hamas-ruled enclave, were returning slowly . . . READ MORE . . .

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UN chief warns Gaza growing more desperate ‘by the hour.’ From AFF. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today warned the situation in Hamas-ruled Gaza is declining rapidly as he repeated desperate appeals for a ceasefire to end the “nightmare” of bloodshed. “I regret that instead of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Thousands loot UN aid warehouses in Gaza as desperation grows and Israel widens ground offensive, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Thousands of people broke into aid warehouses in Gaza to take flour and basic hygiene products, a U.N. agency said Sunday, in a mark of growing desperation and the breakdown of public order three weeks into the war between Israel and Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers. Tanks and infantry pushed into . . . READ MORE . . .

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United Nations General Assembly votes for Gaza ceasefire. From Consortium News. The U.N. General Assembly on Friday voted 120 votes In favor, 14 against and 45 abstentions in a non-binding Resolution for an immediate ceasefire In Gaza. Reporting from the U.N. News website: The [Jordanian] resolution calls for an ‘immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce”, and demands all parties comply . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel PM Netanyahu announces second phase of war against Hamas. Reported by Greg Myre | NPR  Israeli troops who fought against Hamas on Oct. 7 prepare for the next battle. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas’ role in the Hamas-Israel conflict. Scott Detrow of NPR talks with Grant Rumley about Mahmoud Abbas and the role of the Palestinian Authority in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  Workers from Gaza in the West Bank are desperately awaiting news from home. Reported by Ayesha Rascoe and Elissa Nadworny | NPR  As Israel’s military operation intensifies into what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says will be a “long and difficult war,” the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is getting worse. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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It’s okay to admit you were wrong about Gaza, by Caitlin Johnstone | caitlinjohnstone.com.au  It’s okay to admit you were wrong about this. It’s okay to change your mind. It’s okay to admit you reacted inappropriately to the news of what happened on October 7 and advocated . . . READ MORE . . .

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Thou shalt NOT kill, by Dennis Kucinich | The Dennis Kucinich Report  The U.S., with its political divisions on full display, functions now only for purposes of funding wars. Otherwise, the government will shut down over its inability to balance the books from the expenses of previous wars which were put on the national credit card. The polarization . . . READ MORE . . .

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Something has snapped, by Craig Murray | CraigMurray.org.uk  The Zionist grip on the political and media class is stark. Ordinary citizens are left with feelings ranging from rage to deep sorrow, but with a feeling of helplessness at having no power and no genuine voice in the country where they live. The bought-and-paid-for politicians intone . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to reports from the Associated Press, Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (Today’s GAZA entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Russia accuses Ukraine of damaging a nuclear waste warehouse as the battle for Avdiivika grinds on. From AP. KYIV — Russia accused Ukraine today of damaging a nuclear waste storage facility in a drone strike on the Kursk nuclear power plant while fighting raged on for the control of the key eastern city of Avdiivika, where Russians apparently suffered heavy losses. The Russian Foreign Ministry said . . . READ MORE . . .

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529 Russian troops killed near Tavriya. Only one taken prisoner, AFU says. From Kyiv Post. The Armed Forces of Ukraine claimed they killed 529 Russian troops in fighting near Tavriya in Zaporizhzhia over the past day, as well as destroying numerous tanks, vehicles and a missile system..” According to the report, 36 pieces of military hardware were destroyed, including . . . READ MORE . . .

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General Staff: Ukraine repelled 48 attacks as Russia assaults across east, by Alexander Khrebet | The Kyiv Independent  Ukrainian forces repelled 48 Russian attacks in many sectors of the eastern front, including in the Avdiivka, Kupiansk, Bakhmut, and Marinka axes over the past day, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in its evening update on Oct. 28. Russia continues . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian air defense forces down Ukrainian Su-25, MiG-29 fighter jets in past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian air defense forces downed a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet and a MiG-29 fighter over the past day, according to a Russian Defense Ministry report. “[Russian] air defense forces downed fighter jets, a Su-25 and a MiG-29, of the Ukrainian Air Force over the localities of Daryevka in the Kherson Region and Ternovka in the Dnepr Region,” the report reads.

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Russia probes shooting of ex-Ukrainian lawmaker in Crimea, by Mark Trevelyan | Reuters — Former Ukrainian lawmaker Oleg Tsaryov, a pro-Russian figure whom sources said Moscow had enlisted to lead a puppet administration in Kyiv after Russia’s invasion, was shot and wounded in a late-night attack, family and officials said on Friday. Russia’s top investigative body said it had opened a criminal inquiry into . . . READ MORE . . .

First, links to reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, and Agence France-Presse; others are accessible by clicking on the organizations’ names or initials below. Finally for today, commentary from Indian Punchline. (Today’s UKRAINE entry is HERE.) — MCM

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Israel expands ground operation in Gaza and bombs Hamas tunnels after knocking out communications, by Isabel Debre, Julia Frankel and Samy Magdy | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel today expanded its ground operation in Gaza with infantry and armored vehicles backed by massive strikes from the air and sea, including the bombing of Hamas tunnels — a key target in its campaign to crush the territory’s ruling group after its bloody incursion in Israel three weeks ago. The bombardment, described by Gaza residents as . . . READ MORE . . .

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Gaza under blackout as Israel reports ‘good progress’ in war against Hamas, by James Mackenzie | Reuters  JERUSALEM — Gaza was largely cut off from the outside world today after Israel expanded air and ground operations and suggested its long-promised ground offensive against the Hamas .   . READ MORE . . .

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Communications have been cut off in Gaza, making rescue efforts even more difficult. Reported by Scott Simon and Greg Myre | NPR  All signs point toward a massive Israeli ground invasion of Gaza as the humanitarian crisis in the coastal territory grows more dire. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Hundreds of Gaza buildings destroyed in Israel air strikes: rescue services. From AFP. “Hundreds of buildings and houses were completely destroyed and thousands of other homes were damaged,” said Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the Gaza Civil Defence. The intense bombardments had “changed the landscape” of northern . . . READ MORE . . .

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Iran’s foreign minister: Armed groups are poised with ‘their finger on the trigger.’ Reported by Arezou Rezvani and Steve Inskeep | NPR  Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says groups allied with Iran are prepared to strike if Israel’s war against Hamas continues. In an interview in New York City with Morning Edition‘s Inskeep, Amir-Abdollahian said he had met with “leaders of the resistance in Lebanon and also Palestinian groups” in recent weeks and heard of plans that are “more powerful and deeper than what you’ve witnessed.” Click HERE for a two-minute video and read transcript of some of the interview; seven-minute audio of the segment may not be available. (The next link is to a shorter report on same interview heard Thursday on All Things Considered.)

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Iran’s foreign minister on the Hamas attack and the war that has followed. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian talked with NPR about the attack Hamas launched against Israel on Oct. 7 and the war it has triggered. Click HERE to listen and read.

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As the Israel-Hamas war rages, the U.S. wants to offer Israel advice — and get advised. Reported by Quil Lawrence | NPR  U.S. military advisers recently dispatched to Israel in advance of a possible incursion into Gaza include retired Marine Gen. Mark Schwartz, a Marine special operations commander with experience in urban warfare, in places like Fallujah and the fight against ISIS in the Iraqi city of Mosul. “The relationship . . . Click HERE to listen and read.

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Conditions in Gaza hospitals remain in crisis. Reported by Ari Daniel | NPR  For three weeks, medical staff at hospitals in Gaza have been working nonstop. Doctors say they’re making life and death decisions about who they can treat while dealing with their own personal loss. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  About 150 women are giving birth in Gaza each day with no clean water or electricity. Reported by Selena Simmons-Duffin | NPR  Approximately 50,000 women are pregnant in Gaza’s population of 2.2 million and 150 of them give birth each day. Medical care and clean water are dire needs, says the UN population agency. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  The former head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service on its security challenges. Scott Simon of NPR looks back and ahead at Israel’s security challenges with Ami Ayalon. He’s the former head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service. Click HERE later to listen and still later to read.

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Communications in Gaza black out as Israel proceeds operations on the ground. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  Israel has expanded air strikes and ground operations in Gaza, knocking out communications for residents there — as the violence spiralS nearly three weeks after the Hamas attack in Israel. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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The impact of the Israel-Hamas crisis on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s political future. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  For many Israelis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bears responsibility for the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. Critics say he took his eye off the ball when it came to the nation’s security. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Some Jewish American peace activists pay a personal price for backing ceasefire. Reported by Jasmine Garsd | NPR  Jewish Americans who are critical of how Israel and the U.S. are responding to Hamas’ attack say they’re being ostracized by the mainstream U.S. Jewish community. Click HERE to listen and read.

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NEWER  Tel Aviv returns to a new normal, with faith in the government taking a blow. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  A look at how daily life has changed in Israel since the Hamas attacks. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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NEWER  U.S. diplomacy lost traction in Middle East. Isolating Iran no longer possible, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  The two most compelling realities in the rejection of American leadership are: one, a strong united regional solidarity cutting across sectarian divides to seek a settlement on Palestine, like at no time before, and, two, the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement. The latest developments involving Hamas and Israel undermined the U.S. efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia to recognise Israel. The Saudi . . . READ MORE . . .