Tuesday Briefing: Fighting in Northern Gaza

Plus, the best of 2024.

View in browser|nytimes.com December 31, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering ongoing fighting in Gaza and what we know about a plane crash in South Korea. Plus: Jimmy Carter's reflections on mortality. A funeral for an Israeli soldier killed in northern Gaza on Sunday. Amir Levy/Getty Images Fierce fighting raged in Northern Gaza After nearly three months of an intensified Israeli military campaign in northern Gaza to quell what Israel has said is a Hamas resurgence, fighting continued unabated yesterday, with each side claiming successes against the other's fighters. The military wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, said that it had destroyed an Israeli vehicle, killing and wounding an unspecified number of soldiers, and that it had killed five Israeli solders in Jabaliya, another northern town. The Israeli military released a statement saying that one soldier had been killed in combat and that three members of the same brigade had been severely injured in the same clash. Separately, the Israeli military announced that it had killed and arrested "multiple" militants in an overnight operation near Jabaliya. It said that action had followed a "targeted operation" against a Hamas command center "embedded inside Kamal Adwan Hospital" in the same area over the weekend that led to the arrest of more than 240 militants. Response: The fighting in and around hospitals in northern Gaza has raised alarms in the international community and among humanitarian organizations. Israeli officials have accused Hamas of exploiting Kamal Adwan and other civilian infrastructure in Gaza for military purposes. Dropping temperatures: At least five babies have died from the cold in Gaza in the past week as winter worsens the toll on a population traumatized by 15 months of conflict. Lebanon: Though the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is suspended in a fragile truce, Lebanon's economic recovery is still reeling from the war. Syria: Ahmed al-Shara, who led the rebel offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad, said it could take up to four years for the country to hold elections. The concrete structure that the plane hit at the end of the runway. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times From bird strike to deadly plane crash As officials race to investigate the plane crash in South Korea that killed 179 people on Sunday, one central question has emerged: What happened during the four minutes between the pilot's urgent report of a bird strike and the plane's fatal crash? Analysts are considering several factors, including a concrete wall near the runway that the plane slammed into. It is rare for airports to have structures like it close to runways, experts said, but when they do, the walls are typically designed to break apart or absorb impact with minimal damage to a plane. This one appeared far more solid. Here's what else we know. An abandoned Ukrainian tank, in the Kharkiv region.  Mauricio Lima for The New York Times Biden announced more aid for Ukraine The Biden administration is sending nearly $2.5 billion in security assistance to Kyiv, continuing its rush of aid before Donald Trump takes office. The aid will include air defense, artillery and other critical weapons systems, President Biden said in a statement on Monday morning. In Russia: Desperate for soldiers, the Kremlin is pressing chronic debtors, detained suspects, corrupt officials and recent immigrants into service. MORE TOP NEWS Dave Sanders for The New York Times Donald Trump: The president-elect failed in a bid to overturn a $5 million judgment that found that he had sexually abused the writer E. Jean Carroll, above, in the mid-1990s and had later defamed her. U.S. politics: Trump endorsed Mike Johnson for another term as House speaker. South Korea: A court cleared the way for the detainment of President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning, as the authorities investigated whether his failed declaration of martial law amounted to an insurrection. Ecuador: An extraordinary drought has drained the rivers and reservoirs the country relied upon for hydropower, leading to electricity outages of up to 14 hours. Cybersecurity: Someone sponsored by the state in China hacked the U.S. Treasury Department, gaining access to employee workstations and unclassified documents, the White House said. France: Dominique Pelicot, who admitted to drugging his wife and inviting men to rape her, will not appeal his conviction, his lawyer said. Other men convicted in the trial will. Renewables: A European weather condition known as a Dunkelflaute — when winds calm and clouds linger — is taking a toll on wind and solar power. Tech: A Times investigation found a network of men, many convicted of sex crimes or accused of pedophilia, who use Instagram to groom child influencers. Music: Five people were indicted in connection with the death of Liam Payne, the former One Direction singer who fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires in October. Health: Early intervention tries to rein in psychotic disorders like schizophrenia before they can ruin young lives. How well does it work? SPORTS NEWS Soccer: A.C. Milan has appointed Sérgio Conceição as head coach. Tennis: How rules and scoring changes could affect the sport's future. Chess: The controversy over Magnus Carlsen's attire. MORNING READ Dustin Chambers for The New York Times The state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Sunday at 100, will take place on Jan. 9 at the Washington National Cathedral. Over the years, Carter wrote and spoke candidly and thoughtfully about death. Read excerpts from his writings. "If I were an amputee," he wrote, "my prayer would not be to restore my leg but to help me make the best of my condition, and to be thankful for life and opportunities to be a blessing to others." For more: Here's a look at how Carter's legacy changed after his term, and how he made jeans presidential. Lives lived: The British actress Olivia Hussey, who was best known for her lead performance in the 1968 film adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet," died on Friday at 73. CONVERSATION STARTERS Good Tech Awards: In a year of continued A.I. progress, "founder mode" drama and a Trump election win, a few tech projects stood out for their clear benefits to humanity. Roll for diversity: Dungeons & Dragons replaced "race" with "species" and separated several character traits from biological identity. Some players — including Elon Musk — are upset. Tartan, pandan, wrinkles: What will we wear, eat, buy, believe and desire in 2025? Check out our Styles desk's forecasts. ARTS AND IDEAS Janus and Sideshow Films, via Associated Press, Fox, David Malosh for The New York Times, Kristina Dittmar for The New York Times The best of 2024 During a year defined by chaos and uncertainty, many of us sought escape, if only for a moment, across books, movies and TV; cooking (or perhaps a glass of wine); and even the brighter corners of the internet. Here's what we'll remember from the lighter side of 2024. The Times Book Review choose the top 10 fiction and nonfiction books. Episodes of "The Bear," "Blue Lights," "Chimp Crazy" and others topped critics' list of standout moments in television. Our film critics ranked their 10 favorite movies. You loved these 25 Times Cooking recipes. And here are our 16 favorite cookbooks. Our chief wine critic focused on 12 younger, more accessible bottles for his year-end list. These are the 36 pop culture moments that lived rent-free in our heads. By channeling guts and grit into their work, these 10 performers broke away from the pack. 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. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Shake: See out the year with a perfect margarita. Test: How well do you know the book that inspired the film? Try our quiz. Pack: These are our most popular travel products from the year. Strengthen: Use these tips to fortify your friendships and romantic partnerships. 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 in 2025. — Natasha 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. 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. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018