WORLD BRIEFING: November 14, 2023

Israel - Hamas War

The Gaza Strip’s hospitals “must be protected,” President Biden said on Monday as Israeli troops battled to seize control of what Israel says is a Hamas command complex that lies below the enclave’s main medical facility, Al-Shifa Hospital. Thousands of people fled Al-Shifa over the weekend as Israeli troops encircled it, and the World Health Organization on Monday warned of a “dire and perilous” situation for patients. The health organization said in a statement that Al-Shifa “is not functioning as a hospital anymore,” after running out of fuel and water, risking the lives of patients. “My hope and expectation is that there will be less intrusive action relative to hospitals,” Mr. Biden told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if he had expressed concerns to Israel. Mr. Biden said U.S. officials “remain in contact with the Israelis” to secure a pause in the fighting to allow for the release of hostages held by Hamas and other militant groups. “I remain somewhat hopeful, but hospitals must be protected,” Mr. Biden added - NYT

Jake Sullivan, Mr. Biden’s national security adviser, said at a briefing shortly afterward that the United States and Israel “do not want to see firefights in hospitals.” The Israeli government has told the White House, Mr. Sullivan said, that it is prepared to provide fuel to hospitals to ensure they can continue to operate. In some cases, he said, Israeli officials have told the White House that they been unable to communicate with hospital administrators. But Mr. Sullivan underlined the president’s call to ensure hospitals be allowed to operate. “That’s something we will continue to work on, but the position of the United States on this matter is clear,” Mr. Sullivan said. “Hospitals should be protected, hospitals should be able to run effectively, evacuation routes have to be safe and the Israeli government has told us as recently as today, that there are and will continue to be evacuation routes for people leaving hospital compounds.” Israeli and American security officials have said a Hamas command base lies beneath the hospital, and have cast it as an example of Hamas’ willingness to use civilians as human shields. Hamas and hospital officials have denied the allegation - NYT

“We may need to take strong measures, possibly even expelling some UN agencies and top officials" - Israeli UN ambassador Gilad Erdan, speaking to Channel 14, called for the expulsion of UN agencies from Palestine, including the heads of UNICEF and UNRWA

At least 102 United Nations staff members have been killed in Gaza since the war began, a UN aid agency operating in the enclave said Monday. "In the last 24 hours, one UNRWA staff member was killed with her family in the north of the Gaza Strip due to strikes," bringing the death toll to more than 100, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said in a statement. At least 27 staff members have also been injured since the start of the war, it said - CNN

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday evening that Hamas has lost control in Gaza as Israeli forces continue ground operations within the Palestinian enclave.

Arab and Islamic countries have strongly criticised Israel's bombing of the headquarters of the Qatar Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza. Through the humanitarian office, Qatar disburses monthly grants in support of 100,000 families in the Gaza Strip, at a rate of $100 for each family. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Egypt and Jordan – along with the Gulf Co-operation Council and Organisation of Islamic Co-operation – all issued statements of condemnation late on Monday against the Israeli air strikes on the offices of the organisation, which has played a vital role in Gaza's reconstruction for more than a decade - The National

Ukraine War

• Russian state media on Monday published and swiftly retracted reports of a withdrawal of forces from positions on the left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro River. The reports quoted Russia's defence ministry announcing troops were being transferred "to more favourable positions" on the Russian-occupied left - or eastern - side. The stories were quickly retracted. The Russian defence ministry blamed the "false report" on Ukraine. Ukraine claimed the announcement was a Russian disinformation operation being carried out against it - BBC

• Russia may charge volunteer fighters who surrender, desert, or refuse to carry out orders with a crime as the Kremlin seeks to maintain discipline on the front lines in Ukraine.

• A court in Ukraine’s eastern city of Kharkiv sentenced a local resident to life in prison for helping coordinate a deadly Russian missile attack in March 2022, the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's Office said on November 13.

• The 100th ship has departed through the Black Sea humanitarian corridor since its opening in August, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink said on Nov. 13. In total, 3.7 million metric tons of food and goods have passed through the corridor, Brink wrote. The humanitarian corridor was opened after the Black Sea Grain initiative fell apart in July following Russia's unilateral withdrawal. Russia then threatened that all ships sailing to Ukrainian ports would be considered legitimate targets. The corridor hugs the coastlines of Ukraine and NATO members Romania and Bulgaria rather than going directly towards the Bosphorus Strait - Kyiv Independent

Elsewhere

• Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron has returned to the cabinet table for the first time in more than seven years on Tuesday after his recall to government. Rishi Sunak met his new cabinet after a dramatic overhaul on Monday saw the former prime minister return to frontline politics. He replaces James Cleverly, who was moved to be home secretary to take over from Suella Braverman. Mrs Braverman was sacked following her criticism of the Metropolitan Police - BBC

• Upon his appointment as foreign secretary, Cameron said: “We are facing a daunting set of international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East. At this time of profound global change, it has rarely been more important for this country to stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships and make sure our voice is heard.”

• Turkey has become the latest country to begin deporting a large number of Afghans back to their country with almost 4,000 leaving in recent weeks. The expulsions from Turkey come amid large-scale deportations of Afghans from neighboring Pakistan and Iran. Over the past month, an estimated 400,000 Afghans have been repatriated from those two countries. Ankara said over the weekend about 3,900 Afghans have been deported to Kabul through special flights - RFE/RL

• Rescuers were digging through dirt and parts of a collapsed road tunnel Monday to reach 40 workers trapped by a landslide at the construction project in northern India. All of the construction workers are safe, police officer Prashant Kumar said, adding that they have been supplied with oxygen and water. He said the rescuers had established contact with the trapped individuals. The collapse occurred Sunday in Uttarakhand, a mountainous state dotted with Hindu temples that attracts many pilgrims and tourists - NPR