All Middle East
First LookDeath toll in Gaza rising as Israel launches 鈥榥ext stage鈥� in warIsrael鈥檚 defense minister says an expanded ground operation is underway against Hamas. With communications knocked out in Gaza, risks to civilians rise.
Israeli, Palestinian pro-peace groups cautious, but not cowedPeace activists in Israel and the occupied territories are largely staying out of the limelight with the outbreak of war, but they are not giving up.
As perilous ground war looms in Gaza, Israelis brace for sacrificeIsraeli military officials, soldiers, and the public all know that a ground war against Hamas in Gaza will entail a heavy loss of Israeli life. But after the trauma of the Oct. 7 鈥渆arthquake,鈥� they are resolved to bear it.
鈥楶ushed to the brink,鈥� Gaza evacuees face bombs, blackoutsWithout fuel, residents of Gaza are about to lose their water and electricity supply. Israel is blocking fuel imports for fear Hamas will steal them.
Gaza crisis: After strategic gains, Iran pivots to prevent lossesSince the Hamas-Israel war erupted, Iran and its other regional allies have been arrayed against Israel and the United States, which has deployed forces. Iran鈥檚 balancing act now is to preserve what it has gained, without the costs of a wider war.
Besieged on all sides, Israeli Arabs preach message of coexistenceMembers of Israel鈥檚 Arab community, perched precariously amid this latest round of violence in Gaza, say they grieve for both sides and have much to offer: a message of peace and coexistence. If only everyone would listen.
Israel aims to defeat Hamas, then leave Gaza. Who would fill vacuum?As Israel prepares to launch a ground invasion of Gaza, its challenge is more than military. A long, costly battle could both remove Hamas, and pave an ideological path for its return.
First LookUS teenage hostage freed by Hamas 鈥榙oing very good,鈥� says her fatherUri Raanan of Illinois says he spoke briefly to his daughter, Natalie Raanan, who along with her mother, Judith, was released by Hamas on Friday after being abducted in Israel and held in Gaza.
With food and shelter scarce in Gaza, Palestinians turn to each otherRoom on the floor to sleep. A catering business-turned-community kitchen. Palestinians under siege in Gaza are relying on each other and sharing what little they have.
In Israel, army of 鈥榗an do鈥� volunteers fills void left by governmentFrom supplying soldiers to housing and feeding those displaced by the Hamas attack, Israeli civilians have mobilized at a moment of profound loss.
From Israeli and Palestinian anger, could hope emerge?Israel is preparing an unprecedentedly forceful invasion of Gaza. Could the war lay foundations for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Hamas-Israel war: Why Arab frustrations with US are spikingThe horror of an explosion at a Gaza hospital canceled a summit between President Joe Biden and Arab allies. But anger was already simmering over a perceived lack of appreciation for their red lines on Palestinian refugees.
As Biden arrives, Israel鈥檚 war aims are ambitious, and incompleteAs Israel girds for war against Hamas, something has changed. The worst attack in the country鈥檚 history has raised the price that Israelis say they are willing to pay for security. How and whether it can be achieved is unclear.
Food, water, shelter: Gazans navigate dire shortages as war ragesBefore the war, Gaza was already overcrowded, and power, water, and food were in chronic short supply. Now, with聽Gazans under siege and displaced in search of safety, a humanitarian crisis is intensifying.
Israel鈥檚 moral challenge in Gaza 鈥� to fight humanelyIsrael is still seeking a way to balance its military goal in Gaza 鈥� destroy Hamas 鈥� with its humanitarian duty not to harm civilians. Is it possible?
First LookAs Israel plans Gaza invasion, US intensifies Middle East outreachPresident Joe Biden has urged Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow humanitarian aid to the region.
To stay or go? Bombarded by Israel, Gazans make anguished choice.Caught in the middle of the Hamas-Israel war, 1.1 million civilians in northern Gaza must decide whether safety means leaving their homes. Our reporter had to make the agonizing choice.
With hostages鈥� fate uncertain, Israeli families tend spark of hopeFreeing Israeli hostages in Gaza will be enormously difficult. The worst thing for their relatives is not knowing if the hostages are dead or alive.
First LookIsraeli reservists drop everything to return home and join the fightAcross the globe, Israeli citizens are receiving call-ups to reserve military service after Hamas鈥� attacks last weekend. Leaving their studies, careers, and family behind, many say they felt a duty to protect their homeland.
Saudis pivot from seeking peace with Israel to trying to contain warSaudi Arabia, which has been prioritizing prosperity and progress, is seeking聽to de-escalate the intensifying Israel-Hamas war. It is willing to talk to all sides, but how much leverage does it have?
