It’s Friday, November 3rd, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. ([email protected])

By Adam McManus

Israeli troops advance; Palestinians death toll tops 9,000

On Thursday, Israeli troops battling Hamas Muslim militants encircled Gaza City, as the Palestinian death toll rose above 9,000, reports the Associated Press. U.S. and Arab leaders raised pressure on Israel to ease its siege of Gaza and at least briefly halt its attacks in order to aid civilians.

Nearly four weeks after Hamas’ deadly rampage in Israel sparked the war, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heading to the region for talks Friday in Israel and Jordan following President Joe Biden’s suggestion for a humanitarian “pause” in the fighting. The aim would be to let in aid for Palestinians and let out more foreign nationals and wounded. Around 800 people left over the past two days.

Israel did not immediately respond to Biden’s suggestion. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has previously ruled out a cease-fire, said Thursday: “We are advancing … Nothing will stop us.” He vowed to destroy Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip.

UK's most-read paper shows Israeli child hostages held in Gaza on front page

The Sun, the United Kingdom's most widely-read newspaper, published a cover story on Thursday depicting the names and faces of all 32 children being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, reports the Jerusalem Post.

The cover image features the faces of all 32 children arched around a black box, emblazoned on which is the text: "32 innocent children snatched by terrorists. This is why Israel must fight evil of Hamas. BRING THEM HOME."

The article was also featured prominently on the U.K. news outlet's website, which included a compilation of video footage depicting, among other things, Hamas taking hostages on October 7, scenes of Hamas's underground tunnel networks, and protests calling for the hostages to be returned home.

JK Rowling risks imprisonment over refusal to use gender identity pronouns

World-renowned author J.K. Rowling said she'd rather go to prison for two years than repeat the lie that “trans women are women,” reports The Christian Post

Rowling, a British fiction writer who gained international fame and notoriety for authoring the seven-book Harry Potter series, tweeted her reaction to a picture of a message projected on the exterior wall of a building that read: “Repeat After Us: Trans Women Are Women.”

When Rowling shared the photograph on her social media platform, she wrote one word: “No.”

Trump out of touch with pro-life Iowa caucus voters

Former President Donald Trump’s opposition to protecting preborn babies from abortion after six weeks is out of touch with the very people he will need to win in Iowa, according to a new poll.

Trump called Florida’s Heartbeat Bill a “terrible mistake” during a September 17 Meet the Press interview. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s 2024 primary opponent, signed the legislation.

Listen to the exchange between NBC’s Kristen Welker and Trump.

KRISTEN WELKER: “If a federal ban landed on your desk, if you were re-elected, would you sign it at 15 weeks?

TRUMP:  “Are you talking about a complete ban?”

WELKER: “A ban at 15 weeks.”

TRUMP: “Well, people, people are starting to think of 15 weeks. That seems to be a number that people are talking about right now.”

WELKER: “Would you sign that?”

TRUMP: “I would sit down with both sides and I’d negotiate something, and we'll end up with peace in that issue for the first time in 52 years. I'm not going to say I would or I wouldn't. I mean ‘DeSanctus’ is willing to sign a five-week and six-week ban.”

WELKER: “Would you support that? Do you think that goes too far?”

TRUMP: “I think what he did is a terrible thing and a terrible mistake.”

Iowa has a similar Heartbeat Law that is pending legal challenges.

A new poll from The Des Moines Register and NBC News found that 52% of like