For more than a week, an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza has seemed as if it might begin any day. Troops and tanks have crowded the border. Israel has ordered Gazans to evacuate south. The military has showered missiles on Hamas bunkers to weaken the group.
But no ground invasion has begun. Why the apparent delay?
One part of the answer is that Israel’s allies, led by President Biden, have encouraged a pause, as our colleagues reported yesterday. Biden spent much of yesterday on calls with Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of several European countries.
Western leaders have made clear that they support Israel invading Gaza to destroy Hamas, after an Oct. 7 terrorist attack that killed more than 1,400 people, but the leaders also hope to shape the coming invasion in four main ways:
Hostages: The U.S. wants more time for hostage negotiations. On Friday, the U.S. secured the release of two American hostages, with Qatar’s help. Israel believes Hamas may release about 50 hostages who are citizens of another country as well as Israel, but a ground invasion could make hostage releases less likely.
Defense: Biden is worried about a wider regional conflict, potentially including Iran. American officials want more time to prepare for attacks from Iran-backed groups, which they believe will intensify after the invasion. The State Department has ordered some government employees and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and the Pentagon is sending more missile defense systems to the region.
Aid: U.S. officials have stressed the importance of getting more food, water and medicine to Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza. Over the weekend, two aid convoys passed into the territory. On a call yesterday, Biden and Netanyahu agreed that “there will now be continued flow” of humanitarian aid into Gaza, according to the White House.
Strategy: Biden has advised Israel to avoid the mistakes that the U.S. made after 9/11 — when, enraged after an attack, American officials pursued a war in Afghanistan (and later one in Iraq) with flawed strategies. And urban warfare in Gaza’s streets is notoriously difficult. U.S. officials hope Israel first takes the time to weaken Hamas through airstrikes and plan a successful campaign that minimizes civilian casualties, as our colleague Steven Erlanger said.
“It’s been nearly a decade since ground troops went into Gaza in even a significant way,” Steven pointed out.
In the rest of today’s newsletter, we walk through the latest information on the hostages that Hamas is holding, last week’s explosion at a Gaza hospital and more.
Gaza Hospital Explosion
The Associated Press, CNN and The Wall Street Journal each published video analyses this weekend concluding that the cause of the hospital explosion last Tuesday was a misfired rocket from Gaza, not an Israeli airstrike.
Many details are still unknown. Channel 4, a public television station in Britain, published an audio analysis that suggested the source of the explosion came from a different direction than the other analyses found.
U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that Israel was not responsible for the explosion. The officials are still trying to determine whether the cause was an errant Palestinian rocket.
Canadian and French officials also say Israel was not responsible and a Palestinian rocket likely was.
Despite controlling the area where the explosion happened, Hamas has produced no evidence to support its claims.
The U.S. says Gaza officials appear to have exaggerated the explosion’s toll when they announced 500 or more deaths. The true toll was “probably at the low end of the 100-to-300 spectrum,” U.S. officials say.
Hostages
Rut Hodaya Perez, a 17-year-old Israeli girl held by Hamas, uses a wheelchair. Her sister worries she isn’t strong enough to survive captivity.
Other hostages require daily medicine. Their families don’t know if they are getting care, the BBC reports.
The families of the hostages in Gaza have set up a long Shabbat dinner table in Tel Aviv with challah, wine — and more than 200 empty chairs, CNN reports.
Haaretz has published a list of the hostages, with photos.
Other Stories
Israel intensified its airstrikes in the Gaza Strip and struck a Hezbollah position that Israeli officials said was planning to fire anti-tank missiles on a town in Israel’s north.
Weapons makers are thriving because of the war, as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the rise of China.
They wished to be buried in Israel, but they died on the eve of war.
“I love you. I am sorry”: The war has tested the friendship of a Muslim and a Jew who lead an interfaith community in L.A.
The Times published an editors’ note about its early coverage of the explosion at the Gaza hospital.
See maps of the intensifying clashes on the Israel-Lebanon border.
THE LATEST NEWS
Politics
House Republicans plan to meet today to hear from the candidates for speaker. Some representatives worry the turmoil is hurting their party’s reputation.
One of Australia’s wealthiest men is in Donald Trump’s inner circle. Prosecutors are interested in what he’s heard.
International
Ukraine has stepped up commando raids on Crimea, aiming to weaken both its defenses and the morale of Russians living there.
In Argentina’s presidential election, a far-right candidate who had led in the polls finished second. He will face the economy minister in a runoff.
In Spain, people are getting water from trucks during a drought. This could be a glimpse of the country’s future.
Olive oil prices have more than doubled after extreme weather in Europe. The next crop isn’t looking much better.
Health Care
Weight-loss drugs are making drug companies billions. But Ozempic and Wegovy likely cost less than you think they do.
Oregon has pioneered a therapeutic market for psychedelic mushrooms. Read about the treatment.
Anxiety about climate change is transforming the practice of psychotherapy.
Other Big Stories
Few poor students are getting top SAT scores, and new data highlights the inequalities in American education.
Despite talk of an A.I. revolution, scientists are still trying to discover how the technology works, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Opinions
Gershon Baskin, who negotiated Israel’s most complex hostage deal, says this time there are very few options — and none of the old rules apply.
Here’s a column by David French on Liberty University.
MORNING READS
Dog parade: Hundreds of dogs waved to their cheering subjects as they walked and rode on floats in New York City.
Halloween: Brace yourself for a lot of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift costumes.
Metropolitan Diary: A holiday invitation from a cabby.
Lives Lived: Betsy Rawls won eight major golf championships, including four U.S. Women’s Opens, then became a golf executive. She died at 95.
SPORTS
M.L.B.: The Texas Rangers forced a Game 7 in the A.L.C.S. with a 9-2 win over the Houston Astros. They play tonight to decide who goes to the World Series.
N.F.L.: The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Miami Dolphins, 31-17.
Sunday football: The Patriots scraped past the Bills, winning 29-25 with 12 seconds left. And after two penalties in the final minute, the Colts lost to the Browns, 38-39.
F1: Max Verstappen won the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, but his latest victory came with slight controversy: Two prominent drivers were disqualified.
ARTS AND IDEAS
Professional carver: Adam Bierton is allergic to pumpkins. Still, he carves them for a living. Using a tool that resembles a carrot peeler and a lemon-juice spritzer, Bierton whittles intricate faces, some snarling or wailing with bulging eyeballs. Unlike hollowed-out jack-o’-lanterns, most of his carvings have their guts intact and are not lit from within. See photos of his demonstrations at the New York Botanical Garden.
More on culture
Kansas City is enjoying Taylor Swift’s spotlight, The Cut reports.
Harry Houdini, Julia Child and other celebrities worked as spies, according to The Washington Post.
THE MORNING RECOMMENDS …
Add tahini butter to steamed sweet potato.
Pick an air mattress that won’t deflate.
Buy these gifts under $100.
Take our news quiz.
GAMES
Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was embanked.
And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku and Connections.
Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David and Lauren
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