rafah invasion

Israel hostage rescue and the worsening human toll

Israel hostage rescue and the worsening human toll

Ian Bremmer's Quick Take: Four hostages were rescued by an Israeli Defense Forces operation over the weekend. To get those hostages out, there were between 100 and 300 Palestinians killed. Hamas is keeping these people in civilian homes and among a densely populated civilian area specifically to make it harder for Israelis to rescue them without having large numbers of Palestinian civilians killed. At the same time, Israel has been way too indifferent to civilian casualties.

Biden's Israel-Hamas cease-fire plan is trouble for Netanyahu

Biden's Israel-Hamas cease-fire plan is trouble for Netanyahu

Ian Bremmer's Quick Take: Bibi is under a lot more pressure. Benny Gantz, a member of the War Cabinet, is willing to leave. Gives him an ultimatum: If there isn't some plan for what to do with Palestinian governance after the war is over. And Netanyahu has been kicking the can on this, just like he's been kicking the can on under what conditions the war in Rafah will be over.

ICC war crimes charge strengthens Netanyahu's position in Israel

ICC war crimes charge strengthens Netanyahu's position in Israel

Ian Bremmer's Quick Take: How will the ICC's decision to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu, in addition to Sinwar, play out in Israel? The idea for any Israeli civilian, any Israeli civilian that their country, that their leadership could be somehow put in equivalence to the terrorist organization that attacked them on October 7 is utterly unthinkable. So, the response here is going to be stronger support for the Israeli government inside Israel, stronger support for the Israeli prime minister and defense minister inside Israel.

Israel-Gaza situation has Biden facing bipartisan criticism

Israel-Gaza situation has Biden facing bipartisan criticism

Ian Bremmer's Quick Take: When the war started, the US was not aligned on Israel policy with all of its allies out there. Increasingly today it is, with the entirety of the G7 and with allies in the Gulf, in the Middle East. And a US policy—like its policy on Ukraine—where the US is leading but is coordinating security policy with everyone, is a much stronger policy than one where the Americans are by themselves. Biden is now in a position where he's increasingly by himself internationally, and he's also increasingly by himself at home.