Monday Briefing: The chance for a new phase in Gaza

A deadly attack in Russia and drag goes mainstream in the Philippines

View in browser|nytimes.com June 24, 2024 By Daniel E. Slotnik Good morning. We're covering a possible new stage of the war in Gaza and a deadly attack in Russia. Plus: Drag goes mainstream in the Philippines. The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on Rafah yesterday. Haitham Imad/EPA, via Shutterstock Netanyahu said the war in Gaza could enter a new phase The intensive phase of Israel's war against Hamas "is about to end," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday, adding that he did not mean that the conflict was over. Netanyahu's remarks, in an interview on Israeli television, were the latest suggestion by Israeli officials that the war could soon change. Israel's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, said over the weekend that his meetings with Biden administration officials this week would include discussion of "the transition to 'Phase C' in Gaza." Last October, Gallant outlined a three-part battle plan, beginning with a period of intense airstrikes against Hamas targets and infrastructure, then a period of ground operations to eliminate pockets of resistance. The third phase, Gallant said then, would be to create "a new security reality for the citizens of Israel" — presumably by achieving Israel's stated goals of dismantling Hamas's military and governing capabilities in Gaza. The Israeli government has not proposed a clear plan for governing Gaza after Hamas, but in the interview Netanyahu suggested involving local Palestinians, possibly with help from moderate Arab nations. The Israeli military would maintain security control of the enclave. West Bank: An influential Israeli official said in a taped speech at a private event that the government was stealthily trying to cement control of the occupied area. And on Saturday, a video of Israeli troops tying a wounded Palestinian to a military vehicle quickly went viral, prompting outrage and the promise of an investigation by Israel's military. Public opinion: Many Israelis said they blamed Hamas and the Oct. 7 attacks for Gazans' suffering and felt little sympathy for the Palestinian civilians facing devastation from Israel's military offensive. Dagestan's capital, Makhachkala. Sergey Rassulov/Getty Images Gunmen killed several people in a Russian republic Gunmen yesterday killed multiple police officers and a priest in an apparently coordinated assault on two cities in Russia's southernmost republic of Dagestan, local officials said. Wielding rifles and Molotov cocktails, the gunmen attacked synagogues and churches in the cities of Makhachkala and Derbent. Officials said that six attackers were killed in shootouts. Sergei Melikov, Dagestan's governor, said that "more than 15 police officers fell victim to today's terrorist attack," without specifying how many were killed and how many were wounded. The Russian Investigative Committee, the country's equivalent to the F.B.I., said it had opened a terrorism investigation. Region: Dagestan is a predominantly Muslim republic, but it also has a Jewish population, and it has experienced a heightened level of violence for at least three decades. Melikov described the attack as the latest assault "on our multiethnic unity." Context: The mayhem highlighted the long-running ethnic and religious tensions in Russia. In March, four gunmen killed 145 people at a Moscow concert hall in a terrorist attack, the deadliest in Russia in two decades. An auto plant in Shanghai. Qilai Shen for The New York Times E.U. and China agreed to try to avoid a trade war China and the E.U. said they would sit down to try to resolve an escalating dispute over proposed tariffs. Billions of dollars in trade are at stake. The apparent de-escalation comes after the bloc proposed new tariffs of up to 38 percent on electric cars from China — and after Beijing threatened to impose tariffs on pork imports from Europe. MORE TOP NEWS Fadel Senna/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Heat Hajj: The deaths of more than 1,300 pilgrims during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca have exposed an underworld of illicit tour operators, smugglers and swindlers. U.S.: The end of an early heat wave that has gripped much of the country over the past week is in sight, but a couple more scorching days are expected. Other News H.I.V.: Results from a large clinical trial in Africa showed that a twice-yearly injection of a new antiviral drug gave young women total protection from the virus. Ukraine: The country urged its allies to further ease limits on Western weapons so they could be used against Russian air bases. Trade: The Biden administration outlined plans to curb new U.S. investment in critical Chinese tech industries that could be used to enhance China's military. France: As the far right surges, some voters want the country to have borders that can be sealed tight. President Emmanuel Macron is taking note. Germany: Björn Höcke, a leader of the Alternative for Germany party, has been steadily tilting the country's mainstream toward the far right, softening the ground for extremism. China: Kwon Pyong, a dissident who fled China on a jet ski, recounted for the first time the series of gambles that helped him escape China and then leave South Korea. SPORTS NEWS Euro 2024: For the nearly three million Turks in Germany, the tournament is soccer coming home. For all teams, and spectators, Germany's faulty rail system has become a tough opponent. Here's more from the tournament. Olympics: Sha'Carri Richardson won the 100-meter title at the U.S. trials, qualifying for Paris three years after she was barred from the Tokyo Games. MORNING READ Jes Aznar for The New York Times Drag is going mainstream in the Philippines, which is both one of the biggest majority-Christian countries and one of the most gay-friendly Asian nations. But there are still few legal protections for gay Filipinos, and same-sex unions are not allowed, so for many artists, drag is deeper than sequins and spectacle. "Drag is not just entertainment," one performer said. "The mere fact that a man dresses as a woman in public is already a form of defiance." CONVERSATION STARTERS A pageant of aquatic weirdness: The heat couldn't keep New Yorkers from the Mermaid Parade on Coney Island. See photos here. Dental health: These five habits can cause a surprising amount of damage to your teeth, experts say. How to move a huge artwork: In Australia, it takes a big truck, safety vehicles, good planning and cool nerves. ARTS AND IDEAS Lauren DeCicca for The New York Times A winning Thai tear-jerker The movie "How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies" has become a surprise hit across Southeast Asia. People have been posting tear-filled videos on social media after watching it. The film explores the tensions that arise in a family as one head of the household nears death. As an aimless young man takes care of his dying grandmother, initially hoping to inherit her house, he grows to better understand the complicated web of characters in his Thai-Chinese family. A 27-year-old financial consultant in Singapore uploaded a TikTok video of himself choking up after seeing the film, with the caption "Running over to hug my Grandma now!!" We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: Go ahead. Have a cheesy dip for dinner. Read: A writer who interviewed Donald Trump in 2021 for a book about "The Apprentice" portrayed him as wounded, forgetful and hung up on Hollywood. Clean: Here's how to remove clothing stains. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today. Thank you for reading, and see you tomorrow. — Dan You can reach Dan and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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