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We hope you had a wonderful weekend to recharge for another week ahead.

Israel’s potential invasion of Gaza has been a hot topic for some time. Reporters and journalists await Israel’s move, yet Israel remains elusive.

Today’s hotspots

Israel’s surprise delivery for Hamas masterminds: missiles.

Ground: An array of Israeli tanks and troops have gathered at the Gaza border, poised for a ground invasion.

Air: In the sky above, the Israeli Air Force has unleashed airstrikes on Gaza. Their targets? The Hamas commanders responsible for the Oct. 7th massacre of Israeli citizens.

The main culprit: Billal Al Kedra.

Billal Al Kedra was the commander of the southern Khan Yunis Nukhba forces, an elite unit of Hamas. He was responsible for planning and executing the brutal assault on Kibbutz Nirim on Oct. 7th, along with other Hamas operatives.

The strike.

Israel’s military tracked down Al Kedra’s location in Gaza and sent him a special delivery: a missile. The strike obliterated his hideout and also killed several other Hamas terrorists who were with him.

More strikes, more deaths.

Al Kedra was not the only Hamas leader who met his end in Israel’s airstrikes.

Two other high-ranking Hamas leaders were also eliminated:

• Murad Abu Murad: The head of the Hamas Air Force, who led the paraglider attacks that killed Israeli civilians from the air;

• Ali Qadhi: A company commander of the Hamas Nukhba commando force, who also participated in the kibbutz massacre.

*In 2005, Qadhi was sentenced to life in an Israeli jail for abduction and murder of his employer. However, he was freed in 2011 and exiled to Gaza as part of a prisoner exchange for an Israeli soldier.

Quick updates

Click the country's name for more.👇🏻

🇨🇳 China:

China slams Israel for overreacting to Hamas attack.

China is not happy with Israel’s response to the recent Hamas invasion. The Chinese foreign minister told his Saudi counterpart that Israel has gone beyond self-defense and violated human rights.

Yes, China talking about human rights.

Such is 2023.

✱ NOTE: Saudi Arabia has reportedly suspended the Saudi-Israel normalization talks.

🇺🇸 United States:

Biden tells Israel: Don’t occupy Gaza.

The US president warned his ally against taking over Gaza. He said Israel has the right to defend itself, but also urged it to protect civilians and create a humanitarian corridor. He did not call for a ceasefire, though.

Is this a mixed message coming from Biden?

✱ NOTE: Biden also said there is no clear evidence that Iran is behind the Hamas attacks.

🇮🇷 Iran:

Iran warns Israel: Stop the war or we will intervene.

Iran is not happy with Israel’s ongoing bombing of Gaza and has sent a clear message: Back off or we’ll step in.

Iran’s foreign minister delivered the message to Israel through the UN, saying Iran has its redlines and will not tolerate a ground invasion of Gaza. He also met with Hezbollah’s leader, who hinted at a possible “earthquake” for Israel.

Is Tehran threatening to get involved in the war through Hezbollah?

✱ NOTE: The US has been trying to prevent Iran and Hezbollah from joining the war and has sent an aircraft carrier group and fighter jets to the region.

🇷🇺 Russia:

Xi: Wanted by ICC? You are welcome in China.

Putin is joining Xi Jinping and other leaders to celebrate 10 years of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure project that was supposed to boost China’s global clout. However, it has been attracting accusations of being a debt trap.

The EU and the US are voicing apprehension that Beijing is overlooking Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine and assisting Russia to cope with the Western sanctions by buying more of its energy.

✱ NOTE: This trip would mark Putin’s second international trip since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant against him.