First Thing: Push for Gaza ceasefire intensifies as Biden says ‘key elements’ on the table
US president says gaps remain' in truce proposal and that planned Israeli operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible plan'. Plus: wall off coast of Germany may be Europe's oldest known human-built megastructure
Good morning.
With the threat of an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah looming, Joe Biden has said the US will do everything possible" to bring about a ceasefire.
What else did Biden say? A major military operation in Rafah should not proceed without a credible plan for ensuring the safety and support of more than 1 million people sheltering there. Many people there have been displaced multiple times fleeing the violence to the north and now they are packed into Rafah, exposed and vulnerable. They need to be protected."
What's happening on the ground in Rafah? Panic and despair spread across Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah after a night of intense bombardment where at least half of the territory's population have fled seeking shelter and now fear an Israeli ground assault.
How does Trump hope to deal with his legal woes? Trump has made it no secret that his strategy for all his impending cases is to seek delay, ideally beyond the 2024 election in November, in the hopes that winning a second presidency could enable him to pardon himself or to direct his attorney general to drop the charges.
What else happened yesterday? Trump attended a critical court hearing where his lawyers presented their defense theories in the criminal case over his retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago club and alleged obstruction of justice.
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