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1 Israel To Open More Aid Routes To Gaza After Tense Call Between Biden and Netanyahu
Israel committed yesterday to opening more routes for aid to flow into Gaza after a call from President Joe Biden. Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for roughly a half-hour, and according to US officials the president told Netanyahu that US military aid could be conditional depending on what Israel does to address humanitarian concerns in Gaza. The killing by the IDF of staff from the World Central Kitchen forced the discussion. During the White House press briefing yesterday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that he wouldn’t talk about any steps the US might take, but that the administration was going to wait to see a dramatic increase in humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza in the next few days. During the call, the prime minister reportedly said Israel was committing to opening the Ashdod port to allow assistance into Gaza, opening the Erez crossing to let aid be delivered into North Gaza, and that deliveries from Jordan would be increased. The White House said that Biden “made clear that US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.” Biden is also said to have discussed Iranian threats to Israel during the conversation and reiterated the US’s strong support of Israel.
2 Nor'Easter Pounds Northeast With Winds, Rain, And Snow
The nor’easter that roared through the Northeast yesterday isn’t done, but it’s already left major problems in its wake. Four people were killed when trees fell on their cars; one in Armonk, New York, another in New Hampshire, and two people in separate incidents near Philadelphia. The woman killed in Armonk was later identified as 50-year-old Cathy Tusiani, the wife of a senior vice president with the New York Yankees. Maine was hit particularly hard by the storm, with over 330,000 customers without power yesterday as high winds brought trees down onto power lines and vehicles. The storm isn’t done with the Northeast quite yet; some parts of New England could get between four and eight inches of additional snow over the weekend.
3 Emergency Congressional Summit To Be Held Next Week On Funding Key Bridge Reconstruction
Maryland’s congressional delegation has scheduled a meeting with Gov. Wes Moore and the director of the US Office of Management and Budget next week to talk about emergency funding for the response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The meeting at the US Capitol on Tuesday is coming in the middle of some internal disagreement among the congressional leaders from Maryland over the size and scope of what Congress should be asked to fund immediately. An initial $60-million has already been authorized, and while the congresspeople admit they don’t really know how much they’ll need, Rep. David Trone said yesterday, “The total number could be very well north of a billion dollars.”