WORLD BRIEFING: November 2, 2023
Israeli - Gaza War
Israel’s war against Hamas has entered its twenty-seventh day, three weeks after Hamas slaughtered at least 1,300 Israelis and wounded more than 3,300 in a merciless assault, Haaretz reported. In the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-controlled health ministry reports that at least 8,796 Palestinians have been killed.
In a statement Thursday morning, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari confirmed that the army has notified the families of the 242 hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip - Haaretz
Gaza officials say 195 killed, 120 missing in Israel’s bombing of Jabalia refugee camp, which the UN says may be “disproportionate attacks that could amount to war crimes”. Meanwhile, the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza’s only medical facility serving cancer patients, forced to shut down after running out of fuel. The Indonesian Hospital is reportedly running on backup generator - Al Jazeera
US President Joe Biden called for a 'humanitarian pause' during a campaign rally after a woman interrupted him mid-speech, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Biden responded: "I think we need a pause. A pause means give time to get the prisoners out." The White House later clarified he meant hostages and humanitarian aid
After weeks of waiting, hundreds of people were allowed to leave the besieged Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the first of thousands of foreigners, aid workers and critically wounded patients who were expected to exit in the coming days. By Wednesday night, buses had ferried 361 foreign nationals over the border to Egypt, and ambulances had carried 45 severely injured Palestinians, along with some of their family members, to Egyptian hospitals, according to Al Qahera, an Egyptian state-owned television channel. They left behind the destruction and the most immediate suffering wrought by the war between Israel and Hamas, the group that controls Gaza - NYT
Elsewhere
Two days after ringing in her 42nd birthday, Ivanka Trump has turned back to more pressing matters: Trying at all costs to avoid being grilled at her father’s $250 million civil fraud trial. An attorney for Donald Trump’s eldest daughter gave notice in a filing on Wednesday that she plans to appeal a judge’s order that she must testify in the case. Her legal team previously filed a motion to quash a subpoena compelling her testimony, saying that an appellate court’s decision to drop her as a co-defendant in June negated the need for her appearance. Judge Arthur Erdogan rejected that argument on Friday. “Ms. Trump has clearly availed herself of the privilege of doing business in New York,” he said, but noted that he would give her time to appeal. Ivanka is set to take the stand on Nov. 8. Two of the former president’s other adult children—Don Jr. and Eric—were slated to answer questions on Wednesday, serving as a warm-up act of sorts to their father, who is expected to give testimony on Monday - The Daily Beast
An investigation by Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (SBR) revealed a widespread scheme in which regional military enlistment offices received bribes in exchange for helping people evade mobilization, the SBR wrote on Nov. 1. The scheme involved nine military recruitment officers, as well as other accomplices, and was allegedly organized by the former head of the Kyiv Regional Military Commissariat. It was primarily located in Kyiv Oblast, but involved individuals operating elsewhere in Ukraine. The alleged facts of the scheme are similar to instances of corruption or other violations at enlistment offices reported before - Kyiv Independent
British tabloid The Sun publishes photos of 32 kids held by Hamas in Gaza (below)
