Thursday, March 7, 2024

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1/ Biden will order the U.S. military to build a temporary port and pier in Gaza so more humanitarian aid can reach 2.3 million Palestinian civilians in need. Biden has reportedly grown frustrated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has restricted the flow of humanitarian aid into the beleaguered territory despite U.S. pressure. “We’re not waiting on the Israelis,” one U.S. official said, noting that the ship transport of aid will supplement the on-going U.S. airdrops. The project is expected take several weeks before it’s operational, which will then allow aid to be distributed inside Gaza by the United Nations and other humanitarian personnel. Israel also agreed to open a third border crossing for delivery of trucked food and medicine to northern Gaza. Biden will announce the “emergency mission” to open a maritime route for humanitarian assistance during his State of the Union address tonight. Meanwhile, efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan appear to be failing with the Hamas delegation leaving negotiations in Cairo “to consult with the leadership of the movement.” Netanyahu has publicly ruled out Hamas’ demands for a permanent ceasefire, saying Israel intends to resume the offensive after any pause and expand it until “total victory” is achieved. (Politico / Associated Press / CBS News / Bloomberg / New York Times / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / CNN / ABC News / Axios)

2/ Despite facing criminal charges for mishandling of classified documents, Trump will receive U.S. intelligence briefings after he secures the Republican nomination. Although the there are no legal requirements to share classified information with Trump, it’s a tradition that dates back to 1952. The Biden administration is expected to modulate what it shares with Trump. Shortly after Biden took office, he barred Trump from receiving intelligence briefings typically given to former presidents, citing Trump’s “erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.” One former senior U.S. intelligence official added that they’d be “afraid” to give Trump access to classified intelligence. Trump is currently facing 40 counts related to the possession of classified documents and then obstructing efforts to retrieve them. (Politico / Daily Beast)

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