 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
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Biden: Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks wait until after hostages released |
President Biden said Monday that he would be willing to engage in talks about a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas if the hostages taken by the militant group were released. |
In response to a question by a reporter about whether the U.S. would support a potential cease-fire for a hostages deal, Biden replied: "We should have those hostages released, and then we can talk." Among the more than 200 hostages taken during Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel are a contingent of Americans that the U.S. has been attempting to free. Two of those Americans were released last week by Hamas in a deal brokered by Qatar. On Monday, right around the time Biden made his remarks, two elderly women were recovered from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, amid intense international negotiations. National security spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that a handful of Americans are still being detained as hostages, while more than 10 Americans remain unaccounted for. The White House has been sidestepping questions on whether it was asking Israel to delay its expected ground invasion after reports suggested it was doing so in the hopes that more hostages would be released. Israeli forces have been striking Gaza by air since Hamas launched attacks that killed more than 1,400 people in Israel, including hundreds of civilians in their homes, at a bus stop and at a music festival earlier this month. The Israeli bombardment of Gaza has so far killed more than 5,000 Palestinians and injured more than 14,000 others. Israel has also cut off food, water, electricity and medicine to the region, intensifying the humanitarian crisis in the area. Read the full report at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
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The United States on Monday renewed a warning that it will defend the Philippines against any armed attacks after the island nation accused Chinese coastguard ships of "intentionally" hitting its vessels in the South China Sea over the weekend. The Sunday incident took place while Philippines ships were headed to a small outpost on the Second Thomas Shoal on a resupply mission in a disputed part … |
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| The White House on Monday further sidestepped questions on whether that it was asking Israel to delay its expected ground invasion after reports suggested it was doing so in the hopes that more hostages would be released. National security spokesperson John Kirby responded to questions on the matter by saying that it would be inappropriate for the U.S. to preview Israel's operations in Gaza in the wake of attacks launched by … |
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A senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s military is undertaking a "maximum effort" to minimize civilian casualties amid its military campaign in Gaza. The war between Israel and Hamas began earlier this month after the militant group killed over 1,400 Israelis in a surprise attack on towns and military bases. The resulting airstrikes from Israel have killed more than 4,300 Palestinians, … |
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United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on the international community to double down on efforts to provide humanitarian aid for Gaza on Saturday, amid Israel's war with Hamas. The first aid convoys entered Gaza early Saturday after days of negotiations between Egypt, the U.S. and Israel. Israeli strikes had previously kept Gaza's only border with Egypt closed. "Yesterday I went to the Rafah border crossing. … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan will speak at the Hudson Institute on "The Coast Guard's Vital Role in the Indo-Pacific," at 10 a.m.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on U.S. support for Israel, with testimony from Barbara Leaf, assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, and Dana Stroul, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for the Middle East, at 2 p.m.
Hudson Institute will hear from Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy about his vision for the defense of the American homeland, including how that vision applies in the Middle East, at 4 p.m.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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DHS proposes changes to H-1B work visas |
The Biden administration on Monday rolled out a series of proposals to change how work visas are granted and what rights they convey to foreign nationals. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the changes “to modernize and improve the efficiency of the H–1B program, add benefits … |
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Events in and around the defense world: |
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing on "Instability in the Sahel and West Africa: Implications for U.S. Policy," with testimony from Molly Phee, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, at 10 a.m. The Middle East Institute will hold a virtual discussion on "Red Lines and Shifting Rules of Engagement: The Prospects of a Hezbollah-Israel War," at 10 a.m.
Brookings Institution will have a discussion on "Implementing the 2022 National Defense Strategy," with Mara Karlin, performing the duties of deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, at 2 p.m.
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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Former President Trump's ex-fixer-turned-foe Michael Cohen — whose past revelations about Trump's wealth prompted the New York probe of his finances … Read more |
| Billionaire Elon Musk offered Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, $1 billion under the condition that it changes its name to “Dickipedia.” … Read more |
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Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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