Signup to receive the Early Edition in your inbox here.
A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied allegations he is starving civilians in Gaza as a method of war, saying the arrest warrant application under review at the International Criminal Court is based on a “pack of lies.” ICC prosecutor Karim Khan announced on Monday that the allegations against Netanyahu and Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant include “causing extermination, causing starvation as a method of war, including the denial of humanitarian relief supplies, deliberately targeting civilians in conflict.” Netanyahu called Khan a “rogue prosecutor that has put false charges and created false symmetries.” Tara John reports for CNN.
Israeli tanks advanced to the edge of a crowded district in central Rafah today, in one of the most intense nights of bombardment of the city since Israel launched its offensive there this month. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
The Israeli government yesterday reversed its decision to seize broadcasting equipment from the Associated Press. The Israeli Ministry of Communications had decided earlier in the day to confiscate equipment used by the AP for a live shot of northern Gaza. U.S. officials spoke with Netanyahu’s office yesterday, expressing concerns about the crackdown and asking Israel to reverse its decision, two sources said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Josef Federman and Danica Kirka report for AP News.
Missiles hit the emergency room of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalia, northern Gaza yesterday. The strikes prompted medics to evacuate patients from the hospital compound. The Israeli military said it had seen reports of the incident, which it said was under review. Reuters reports.
The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees has halted food distribution in Rafah due to supply shortages and ongoing hostilities, the agency said yesterday. UNRWA warned that its distribution center and a World Food Programme warehouse were now inaccessible because of Israel’s ongoing military operation in eastern Rafah. David Gritten reports for BBC News; the New York Times reports.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — REGIONAL RESPONSE
Egyptian intelligence quietly changed the terms of a ceasefire proposal that Israel had already signed off on earlier this month, according to three people familiar with the discussions. The ceasefire agreement that Hamas announced on May 6 was not what the Qatar or the United States believed had been submitted for a potential final review, the sources said, adding that the changes had caused anger among U.S., Qatari, and Israeli officials and left ceasefire talks at an impasse. Alex Marquardt and Jeremy Diamond report for CNN.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — U.S. RESPONSE
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested he will cooperate with lawmakers on potential sanctions against the ICC as its prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials. Sam Cabral reports for BBC News.
None of the food and supplies that have entered Gaza through the U.S.-built temporary pier in its first five days of operation have been distributed to Palestinians, Pentagon spokesperson Gen. Patrick Ryder said yesterday. Ryder said while that 569 metric tons of aid had made it to shore, none of those supplies had yet to be parceled out by humanitarian organizations. Gaya Gupta reports for the New York Times.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Spain, Norway, and Ireland today announced they would recognize a Palestinian state. In their announcements, the leaders stressed that peace could only come through a two-state solution, so a Palestinian state is needed. In response, Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said he would summon the three countries’ ambassadors to watch a video of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Sophie Jeong, Zahid Mahmood, Al Goodman, and Niamh Kennedy report for CNN; William Booth reports for the Washington Post.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE DEVELOPMENTS
Russia released a video yesterday showing its forces conducting tactical nuclear drills. The Russian Defense Ministry said the exercise, carried out near Ukraine, was aimed at preparing Russian forces for the possibility of using nuclear weapons. The goal is to “unconditionally ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state in response to provocative statements and threats of individual Western officials,” the ministry said. Paul Sonne reports for the New York Times.
A former Russian army commander who blew the whistle on the country’s high military casualties in Ukraine has been detained on suspicion of large-scale fraud. Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, 49, will be held in custody for two months. His attorney has been quoted as denying all allegations. Jaroslav Lukiv reports for BBC News.
British defense minister Grant Shapps today accused China of providing or preparing to provide Russia with “lethal aid” for its war against Ukraine. Shapps told a conference in London that U.S. and British defense intelligence had evidence that “lethal aid is now, or will be, flowing from China to Russia and into Ukraine,” without providing evidence to support his assertion. China’s embassy in London has not commented at the time of writing. Reuters reports.
Fighting around Ukraine’s second largest city has so far displaced around 14,000 people, according to the World Health Organization. Tom McArthur reports for BBC News.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
A man charged by British police for allegedly spying for Hong Kong’s intelligence services has been found dead in a park outside of London. Police are investigating the “unexplained death” of Matthew Trickett, 37, whose body was found on Sunday by a member of the public. Trickett had been granted bail awaiting court proceedings after having been charged on May 13 with national security offenses. Sharon Braithwaite reports for CNN.
The United States yesterday said Russia likely launched an anti-satellite weapon last week. Russia dismissed the claim today, calling the U.S. assertion fake news. Jaroslav Lukiv reports for BBC News; Guy Faulconbridge reports for Reuters.
Kenyan officials arrived in Haiti ahead of the long-delayed arrival of a Kenyan-led multinational security support force. A delegation of Kenyan “command staff” are expected to assess this week whether equipment and facilities for the foreign police forces are ready. Caitlin Stephen Hu and David Culver report for CNN.
Chad’s prime minister and opposition leader Succès Masra resigned today after interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby was confirmed as the winner of the May 6 presidential election. Masra was appointed prime minister of the transitional government in January in a move to appease the opposition. Reuters reports.
TRUMP-LEGAL MATTERS
The jury in former President Trump’s criminal hush money trial has been dismissed until closing arguments next Tuesday, after Memorial Day weekend. The defense rested their case yesterday, with Trump deciding not to take the stand. The New York Times reports.
The FBI in a statement yesterday said that their search at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence followed standard protocol, which “includes a standard policy statement limiting the use of deadly force.” The statement came in response to a post by Trump on his Truth Social platform, in which he wrote that the Justice Department “authorized the FBI to use deadly (lethal) force.” The FBI added that “no one ordered additional steps to be taken and there was no departure from the norm in this matter.” Erin Doherty reports for Axios.
Court documents unsealed yesterday show that Trump’s attorneys found classified documents in his bedroom four months after the FBI raid. Sareen Habeshian reports for Axios.