Tuesday Briefing: The push for a Gaza cease-fire

Plus, the Democratic National Convention's opening night.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 20, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the U.S. push for a cease-fire in Gaza and the start of the Democratic convention in Chicago. Plus: Why we watch the shows we hate. Antony J. Blinken, left, the U.S. secretary of state, with President Isaac Herzog of Israel at a Tel Aviv news conference yesterday. Pool photo by Kevin Mohatt Israel accepted the latest cease-fire proposal, the U.S. said Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, said yesterday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel had accepted a "bridging proposal" aimed at closing the gap between Israel and Hamas on a cease-fire deal for Gaza. Hamas officials did not immediately comment, but they have called the proposal slanted toward Israel. A spokesman for Netanyahu confirmed that the prime minister had told Blinken that Israel had agreed to the proposal, which U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators presented last week. Blinken discussed it during a three-hour meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem. What's next: Negotiations are expected to resume this week in Egypt. Blinken said the talks represented "probably the best, maybe the last" chance to bring the Israeli hostages home and "put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security." Related: Israel said it had carried out strikes across central and southern Gaza. Palestinian officials said the strikes had killed 25 people since Sunday. Most Columbia University students who were arrested or faced discipline for participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations will be able to return to campus this fall. Hamas's military wing and Islamic Jihad took responsibility for what they said was a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv late Sunday. 🇺🇸 U.S. ELECTION 2024 The presidential election is less than 80 days away. This is what we're watching. Vice President Kamala Harris greeted Democrats at the United Center in Chicago last night. Kent Nishimura for The New York Times The Democratic National Convention's opening night Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, thanking President Biden, whom she is replacing on the party's ticket, for his "lifetime of service to our nation." She added, "When we fight, we win," words that have fast become a rallying cry for Democrats. With Biden and Hillary Clinton — the party's two previous nominees for president — both giving speeches, the evening symbolized how Democrats are moving on from the old guard that led the party for decades. Recap our live coverage of opening night. Donald Trump: American intelligence agencies said that Iran was responsible for hacking into the former president's campaign and had tried to breach the Biden-Harris campaign, too. Here's what else to know: The next few days should signal how Harris intends to define her candidacy. Here are six things to watch for. Thousands of protesters marched in Chicago. They represented a range of liberal causes but were united in anger over the Biden administration's approach to Israel and Gaza. Trump shared social media posts falsely suggesting that Taylor Swift had endorsed him. They were generated by artificial intelligence. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. Stay up-to-date: Live coverage| Poll tracker | The Run-Up podcast | On Politics newsletter A satellite image showed the damage to a bridge over the Seym River on Saturday after a Ukrainian strike in the Kursk region of Russia. 2024 Planet Labs Inc., via Reuters Ukraine aims to cut off Russian troops Russian troops defending a pocket of territory wedged between the Seym River and the border with Ukraine were at risk of becoming surrounded, military analysts said, after Ukraine bombed three bridges that are the only routes for resupply or retreat. It is unclear how many Russian soldiers remain in the area. The situation adds another challenge to a Russian Army caught off guard by Ukraine's startling incursion over the border on Aug. 6. The operation has given Ukrainian forces a new sense of optimism, though analysts and Western officials said it was too soon to know whether it would lead to strategic success. Analysis: President Volodymyr Zelensky is hoping to use captured Russian territory as leverage in future peace talks, but it's a risky bet. Russians who know President Vladimir Putin expect him to lash out in response, believing that his military has the upper hand. Go deeper: The fighting has mostly taken place over flat plains, and trying to encircle troops has been a key tactic for both armies. Getting surrounded or pinned against a river — in "kettles," as the Russian military puts it — is a feared outcome for soldiers. MORE TOP NEWS National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, via Reuters Philippines: Health officials reported the country's first case of mpox this year, but they did not say whether the patient was infected with the newer, more dangerous strain of the virus. Italy: At least one person was killed and six others, including the British software mogul Mike Lynch, were missing after a yacht sank during a storm off the coast of Sicily. Business: The Canadian store chain Alimentation Couche-Tard wants to buy the Japanese company that operates 7-Eleven. Kuwait: The government has responded to a fire that killed 49 migrant workers by evicting migrants and leaving them in fear of deportation. Kenya: Witnesses in the manslaughter trial of an evangelical pastor have testified that he ordered his followers to starve their children and themselves in order to meet Jesus. From the U.S. Trade: Alarmed by the possibility of higher tariffs on Chinese goods if Donald Trump is elected, some U.S. companies are stockpiling parts and delaying expansions. Politics: George Santos, the former Republican congressman from New York with a penchant for lying, pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud. SPORTS NEWS Baseball: Could Danny Jansen really play for the Red Sox and the Blue Jays in the same game? Premier League: Leicester faced off against Tottenham in a match that ended in a tie. Here's our full coverage. Soccer: Lionel Messi has been left off Argentina's squad for the World Cup qualifiers after sustaining an injury in the Copa América final. Formula One: Writers for The Athletic review their 2024 season predictions at the halfway point. MORNING READ Marco Garro for The New York Times Groups of Mennonites, seeking inexpensive land far from modern life, are carving out new colonies in the Amazon. The settlements have turned forest into thriving farms, raising concerns among environmentalists about new threats to a jungle already under pressure from cattle ranching and illegal gold mining. Lives lived: Michel Guérard, the French chef who was a driving force behind the 1960s culinary movement known as nouvelle cuisine, has died at 91. CONVERSATION STARTERS Fussy eaters: A growing number of parents are skipping spoon-feeding their babies and trying solid foods, in a process called "baby-led weaning." A different workout: Psychologists say a few simple steps can help strengthen your happiness muscle. A good hate-watch: Our critic explains why we keep on watching the TV shows we really can't stand. ARTS AND IDEAS Sam Bush for The New York Times A recovery effort at the British Museum In the year since the British Museum said it had fired a curator for stealing from its storerooms and selling the artifacts online, the organization has struggled to deal with fallout from the scandal, which has battered its reputation as a protector of world treasures. While a police investigation continues, the museum has asked an eight-person team in its Greek and Roman department to search for about 1,500 missing artifacts, online and otherwise. So far, the team has secured the return of 634 items, leaving more than 850 missing. Each member of the recovery team has a different area of focus — including working out what is actually missing. Read more about the investigation. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Linda Xiao for The New York Times Cook: Roasted zucchini and shrimp with za'atar yogurt is a colorful sheet-pan meal. Read: For great dialogue, check out these books by Evelyn Waugh and Deborah Eisenberg. Watch: With "Alien: Romulus" now in theaters, our critic ranked every film in the sci-fi horror franchise. Clean: Give your vintage rug a new lease on life. 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's briefing. See you next time. — Natasha P.S. The Opinions, an audio show from our Opinion section, is now available on podcast platforms. Reach Natasha 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. 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