By WAFAA SHURAFA, TOQA EZZIDIN and CARA ANNA Associated Press
Palestinians in Gaza are reacting to a possible shift in the world's attention away from the Israel-Hamas ceasefire to a new regional conflict with Iran. Israel closed all crossings into the territory of over 2 million people in the wake of its new strikes on Tehran. The Israeli military body overseeing civilian affairs in Gaza said it closed the crossings because they cannot not be safely operated under fire. It said crossings would reopen as soon as the security situation allows. Palestinians fear new lack of access to food and other basic necessities from the outside world. Memories of hunger during last year's Israeli blockade remain fresh. The latest conflict comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump rallied billions of dollars in pledges for Gaza's reconstruction.
A new Gallup poll shows that American sympathies in the Middle East have shifted dramatically toward the Palestinians after decades of overwhelming support for the Israelis. That shift accelerated during the war in Gaza. Fifty-four percent of Americans sympathized more with the Israelis three years ago compared with 31% for the Palestinians. Their support is now about evenly balanced between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The numbers reflect how support for Israel has become deeply contentious in the U.S. with profound implications for American politics and foreign policy. The changing sentiment has been largely driven by Democrats who are now much more likely to sympathize with Palestinians.
By JULIA FRANKEL and NATALIE MELZER Associated Press
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a rousing welcome from lawmakers in Israel. The Indian leader started a two-day visit on Wednesday with a speech to the Israeli Parliament in which he promised continued "friendship, respect and partnership." Israeli and Indian officials expect the visit to strengthen security, economic and technological cooperation between the allied countries. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Modi he has "never been more moved" by a foreign leader's visit. Modi became India's first prime minister to visit Israel in 2017. This is his second trip, nine years later.
President Donald Trump has announced at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting that nine members have agreed to pledge $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package. He also says five countries have agreed to deploy troops as part of an international stabilization force for the war-battered Palestinian territory. While lauding the pledges, Trump faces the unresolved challenge of disarming Hamas, a sticking point that threatens to delay or even derail the Gaza ceasefire plan that his administration notched as a major foreign policy win. The dollars pledged on Thursday, while significant, represent a small fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory decimated after two years of war between Israel and Hamas.
U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace is set to meet for the first time on Thursday in Washington. It's an early test of whether one of his marquee foreign policy initiatives can gain broad support or advance the shaky ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Trump's ballooning ambitions for the board extend from governing and rebuilding Gaza as a futuristic metropolis to challenging the United Nations Security Council's role in solving conflicts. But they could be tempered by the realities in Gaza, where there has so far been limited progress in achieving the narrower aims of the ceasefire.
By DAVID RISING and NINIEK KARMINI Associated Press
Indonesia is training troops for a new peacekeeping force in Gaza, backing a key part of President Donald Trump's postwar plan. Earlier this week, the army chief said training has started even though Indonesia has no clear guidance yet. Officials now talk about sending 5,000 to 8,000 troops, focusing on engineering and medical units. Indonesia has long U.N. peacekeeping experience and has backed Gaza aid. But many at home doubt the plan, wondering who will pay the troops and how they will be used. An online petition also calls for Indonesia to reverse its decision to join Trump's Board of Peace, questioning its legitimacy.
By WAFAA SHURAFA and EDNA TARIGAN Associated Press
Two Palestinian men riding bicycles were killed in an Israeli drone strike Tuesday, hospital officials said, as deadly violence continued in Gaza despite an October ceasefire. Gaza health authorities say 586 Palestinians have been killed since the truce took effect, bringing the war's overall toll to more than 72,000. Israel says its strikes respond to ceasefire violations. Some elements of the agreement have advanced, including the return of all hostages and limited reopening of the Rafah crossing. Plans for an international stabilization force are also emerging, with Indonesia saying it is preparing thousands of troops for humanitarian and reconstruction roles, though the force's mandate remains unclear.
