Israel's military carried out airstrikes in Rafah on Monday, residents said, hours after Israel told Palestinians to evacuate parts of the southern Gaza city where more than a million people uprooted by the war have been sheltering. reuters.com/world/middle-e…

Netanyahu hoped Hamas would reject Israel's offer. When it didn't, he turned to sabotage / Yossi Verter haaretz.com/israel-news/20…

US and Saudi are expected to finalize “within weeks” the details of a US-Saudi defense pact & civil nuclear cooperation — part of the “grand bargain” that includes Saudi-Israel normalization plus pathway to Palestinian statehood.

But, all are linked & none go forward without…

ABD DİB Blinken dün ilk defa Gazze sınırındaydı. İsrail Kerem Şalom sınır kapısından geçen insanı yardımlarla ilgili bilgi aldı. Gezdiğimiz denetim noktasındaki kamyonlarda çoğunlukla patates, konserve, pirinç gibi gıda maddeleri bulunuyordu. Yaklaşık 1,5 saat süren ziyaretin…

KEREM SHALOM, Israel, May 1 (Reuters) - Tank fire echoed from the Gaza strip on Wednesday as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited an aid inspection point, where he heard from Israeli officials including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant about efforts to increase assistance…

BREAKING: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday visited Kerem Shalom border crossing in southern Israel in a previously undisclosed visit, as Washington is pushing Israel to do more to boost humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Secretary Blinken arrives in Israel

Secretary Blinken now in Amman, second stop of his Middle East tour & the trip’s focus shifts to how to get more and sustained humanitarian aid to Gaza. Yesterday he said US has seen some progress from Israel on aid but repeated it’s not enough reuters.com/world/middle-e…

Key question following this story and ahead of May 8 obviously is what will Secretary Blinken’s report to Congress will say.

We know deliberations among bureaus for fresh memo(s)/submissions already underway.

Would the bureaus change their assessment?

Would the legal bureau…

First dispatch from Riyadh — Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, the first stop in a broader trip to the Middle East — his seventh to the region since Oct. 7 — to discuss post-war Gaza plans with Arab allies and push Israel on humanitarian aid.
reuters.com/world/middle-e…

Secretary Blinken Secretary Antony Blinken arrives in Riyadh