Middle East conflict live updates: U.N. says Israelis were aware of aid route where staffer was killed
Nearly 450,000 people have fled Rafah in southern Gaza, a U.N. agency said. Cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas are “almost at a stalemate,” Qatar’s prime minister said Tuesday.
By Frances Vinall, Jennifer Hassan and Adela SulimanColumbia ends year of protest with smaller commencement ceremonies
The commencement for Columbia University’s undergraduates comes after weeks of pro-Palestinian protests prompted the school to cancel its university-wide ceremony.
By Susan Svrluga and Richard Morgan
Israeli forces push into Rafah city as nearly 450,000 flee fighting
Aid workers in Rafah said that streets in the eastern part of the city were deserted. Thousands of tents used to house the displaced had disappeared.
By Louisa Loveluck
Why news outlets and the U.N. rely on Gaza Health Ministry for death tolls
The Washington Post, like other news organizations, cannot independently verify death tolls in the war between Israel and Hamas.
By Adam Taylor
Rafah border closure strands American doctors in Gaza hospital
“We are stuck in Gaza,” an Oregon-based nurse said after Israel closed the Rafah border. “No safe way to get out and no new help or supplies coming in.”
By Daniel Wu
Army officer resigns in protest of U.S. support for Israel in Gaza
Maj. Harrison Mann said he feels “incredible shame and guilt” to know his work at the Defense Intelligence Agency has contributed to Palestinians’ suffering.
By Alex Horton and John Hudson
The Conflict Explained
How many hostages are still in Gaza since Hamas attack on Israel? What to know.
Israel estimates some 112 hostages held by Hamas have been released or freed; 92 are believed still to be alive in Gaza. Here’s what we know.
By Victoria Bisset, Sammy Westfall and Helier Cheung
Visualizing what an attack on Rafah means for civilians
Over 1 million Palestinians displaced by war have sought refuge in Rafah. Now, about 100,000 civilians are being told to evacuate to an area with little infrastructure.
By Ruby Mellen, Laris Karklis and Samuel GranadosIsraeli forces advance in Rafah; Health Ministry says Gaza hospital system will collapse in hours
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israeli success in Rafah is “not sustainable” without a postwar plan for Gaza. It’s Memorial Day in Israel.
By Rachel Pannett, Leo Sands and Cate Brown
U.N. staff member killed in attack on car marked with U.N. flag in Rafah
The staff member who was killed Monday in Gaza was the first international U.N. casualty since the beginning of the conflict on Oct. 7, a U.N. spokesman said.
By Cate Brown and Karen DeYoung
How is any of this making Israel more secure?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is creating a state of total anarchy with his country’s war on Gaza.
By Eugene Robinson
A traumatized Israel remembers its fallen and eyes an uncertain future
In a nation where most 18-year-olds do some form of military service, Memorial Day is sacred and solemn. Even more so in the aftermath of Oct. 7.
By Shira Rubin
David Petraeus warns Israel’s ‘clear and leave’ strategy won’t work
U.S. military planners behind the “surge” in Iraq explain how to execute a successful counterinsurgency.
By Max Boot
Will Zionism survive the war?
As Israel marks its Independence Day, the nation’s Zionist ideology faces hard questions.
By Yuval Noah Harari
Why Spain will recognize a Palestinian state
Several more countries are expected to join the more than 140 U.N. member states that have recognized Palestinian statehood.
By Ishaan Tharoor
Israeli operations in north and south Gaza force displaced to flee again
Humanitarian agencies warned that no place was safe and that aid had nearly run out, almost a week after Israel seized and shut down the Rafah crossing.
By Miriam Berger, Niha Masih, Leo Sands and Claire Parker
Biden’s confrontation with Netanyahu was unavoidable
The two leaders have deep differences — and conflicting domestic political interests.
By E.J. Dionne Jr.
Switzerland wins politically charged 2024 Eurovision Song Contest
Singer Nemo is the first nonbinary person to win Eurovision. This year’s contest was dominated by political tensions over Israel’s participation.
By Kate Brady
More college presidents face no-confidence votes over handling of protests
More faculty groups are taking votes of no confidence in university presidents and chancellors, who are coming under scrutiny after campus protests.
By Danielle Douglas-Gabriel
Israel orders more Rafah evacuations, expanding military operation
The evacuation orders included crowded neighborhoods, a hospital and two refugee camps in central Rafah, and risked angering the White House.
By Loveday Morris, Miriam Berger and Mohamad El Chamaa
U.S. cites intelligence, offers Israel supplies to limit Rafah operation
Netanyahu has promised to enter Rafah with “extreme force,” while Biden wants any operation to be targeted
By Yasmeen Abutaleb
Biden commencement address at Morehouse sparks debate over identity
Some students say Martin Luther King Jr., the school’s most famous alumnus, would be protesting the president’s speech instead of welcoming him
By Cleve R. Wootson Jr.