1/ The Biden administration is reportedly worried that Israel lacks “achievable military objectives” ahead of its anticipated ground offensive in Gaza, but will refrain from “dictating terms” for Israel. Biden, nevertheless, sent a Marine three-star general and several military officers to advise the Israeli military. The U.S. has also reportedly called on Israel to delay its ground invasion for hostage negotiations and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave. Gaza’s 2.3 million people are running out of food, water, and medicine since Israel sealed off the territory following the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7. At least 2,000 children are among the more than 5,700 people that been killed in Gaza by Israeli air strikes, which have escalated in the past two days. At least six hospitals in Gaza have been forced to close due to a lack of fuel, in addition to those that have closed because of damage or attacks. A doctor at the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City – the largest hospital in the enclave – said that without electricity, the hospital “will just be a mass grave” and “there’s nothing to do for these wounded.” The Palestinian Health Ministry declared the health care system a “complete collapse.” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called for a humanitarian cease-fire, saying “the appalling attacks by Hamas,” which left 1,400 people dead, didn’t “justify the collective punishment” of civilians in Gaza. In response, Israeli officials called on Guterres to resign and said they’ll “reassess” their relations with the U.N. The Biden administration, meanwhile, is preparing for the possibility that more than 600,000 Americans living in Israel and Lebanon will require evacuation if the war escalates. (New York Times / HuffPost / Washington Post / NBC News / CNN / NPR / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / New York Times / The Guardian)

2/ Tom Emmer dropped out of the speaker’s race four hours after House Republicans selected him as their nominee when it became clear he couldn’t secure the 217 votes needed to win the gavel. Republicans had nominated Emmer after five rounds of voting behind closed doors. However, at least two dozen Republicans immediately indicated they would not support Emmer for the speakership, including some members of the House Freedom Caucus. It’s unclear whether any Republican can get the ...