WORLD BRIEFING: December 9, 2023

Israel-Hamas War

The Israeli military says it's fighting in a key city in southern Gaza from house to house and "shaft to shaft" - a reference to tunnels used by Hamas. Khan Younis is surrounded by tanks from the eastern and northern sides; most of the population has fled to coastal areas or further south to Rafah. The Jabalia refugee camp in the north has also been encircled - leaving thousands trapped inside for days without food and water, according to one displaced Palestinian - BBC

On Friday night, the US blocked a resolution at the UN Security Council calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire - though urged Israel to do more to protect civilians. Also on Friday, Israel said two soldiers had been severely wounded in a failed attempt to rescue a hostage seized by Hamas - BBC

Hamas officials in Gaza say Israel has killed more than 17,400 people in its retaliatory campaign, including more than 7,000 children

Ukraine War

  • Ukraine's defense minister has said his country expects to take delivery of advanced F-16 fighter jets "soon," as the Biden administration warned the U.S. Congress that failure to support Ukraine could mean the United States will have to pay a high price in "national treasure and in American blood" in the future. Meanwhile, Germany has delivered a new package of military aid to Ukraine that includes shells, drones, and vehicles, the government in Berlin said in a statement - RFE/RL

  • Kyiv has agreed with two American firms to jointly manufacture 155mm artillery shells in Ukraine, Strategic Industry Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin said on December 7.

Elsewhere

  • The Philippines condemned China's "illegal and aggressive actions" in the South China Sea on Saturday, saying its coast guard had fired water cannon at a Philippine fisheries bureau vessel conducting a regular resupply mission. The Philippine task force for the South China Sea, an inter-agency government body, called for China to stop its "aggressive activities" in the Scarborough Shoal, which is claimed by both countries - Reuters

  • Vladimir Putin has moved to prolong his repressive and unyielding grip on Russia for at least another six years, announcing his candidacy in the presidential election next March that he is all but certain to win - AP

  • A century-old territorial dispute deepened by the discovery of oil is boiling over between neighbors Guyana and Venezuela. Steeped in patriotism, the Venezuelan government is seizing on the fight to boost support ahead of a presidential election among a population fed up with a decade-long crisis that has pushed many into poverty. Venezuelans on Sunday approved a referendum to claim sovereignty over Essequibo, a mineral-rich territory that accounts for two-thirds of Guyana and lies near big offshore oil deposits. Military confrontation appears unlikely for now, but several countries have echoed Guyana’s concerns over an annexation by its neighbor to the west - AP

Michael BociurkiwComment