Israel Escalates Violence & Just Ten Days Until Election Day; Buckle Up

Good Friday evening.

Conditions in northern Gaza are reportedly “beyond catastrophic,” according to the UN. Accounts from the enclave this evening echo the early horrors of the war.

• Local rescue services have shut down under the relentless bombardment; Israeli forces destroyed the only operational firetruck.
• On Monday, Israeli forces set fire to the Indonesian Hospital, damaging generators and displacing people to Kamal Adwan Hospital. However...
• Kamal Adwan Hospital, the last operating hospital in the north, has faced intense fire for three weeks. The director reports that Israeli forces have targeted the hospital and ambulances. Israeli strikes on the hospital's oxygen machine and ICU equipment led to two children’s deaths. As of Friday evening, communications at the hospital were cut off and witnesses reported IDF gunfire inside the hospital.

Lebanon

At least 41 people have been killed in Lebanon in the last 24 hours, according to Al Jazeera.

The New York Times reports that Israel has “ramped up its bombing campaign” in densely populated areas of Beirut and did not give residents warning. About 20% of Lebanon’s population has been displaced (~1.4 million people).

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has traveled through Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UK this week, seeking to revive ceasefire talks.

Negotiators from the U.S. and Israel will meet in Doha, Qatar this weekend. Expected attendees include Mossad chief David Barnea, CIA chief Bill Burns, and Qatari PM Mohammed al-Thani. Hamas’s participation remains uncertain.

With Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed, U.S. and Israeli leaders assert this creates new ceasefire opportunities, blaming Sinwar as the “major obstacle to peace.” Evidence to support this, however, remains scant. Instead, substantial evidence suggests that Netanyahu has been impeding talks, making late demands he knew Hamas would reject.

Protests continue across Israel this week, as thousands of Israelis accuse Netanyahu of using war as a calculated political strategy to extend his power. Netanyahu, who risks losing office if elections proceed after the war ends, also faces unresolved corruption charges from his time in office.

Another example of the U.S.-Israel disconnect, with emphasis added:

After Netanyahu met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister’s office released a readout of the talks saying Blinken 'expressed America’s deep shock at Iran’s attempt, through Hezbollah, to assassinate" Netanyahu, "emphasizing that this is an extreme and exceptional event.' It said Netanyahu thanked Blinken, 'noting that this is an issue with dramatic implications and should not be overlooked.'"

A senior State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, later said Blinken merely expressed concern. Blinken’s remarks about the incident were in the “context of Hezbollah actions” and he did not directly attribute the attack directly to Iran, said the official. Washington Post

The Not-so-Free Press

Israel targeted a building housing journalists in Lebanon this week, killing three, according to Lebanese media.

Local news station Al Jadeed aired footage from the scene — a collection of chalets that had been rented by various media outlets — showing collapsed buildings and cars marked PRESS covered in dust and rubble. The Israeli army did not issue a warning prior to the strike. - Associated Press

The New York Times reports that one of the killed worked for an organization run by Hezbollah and that the other two worked for another outlet “widely seen as aligned with Hezbollah.” Israel has not confirmed or denied the strike.

Last year, Israeli forces struck and killed Reuters journalism Issam Abdallah and maimed and wounded several others in southern Lebanon. The journalists were in a wide open area and had been there for hours, with Israel’s knowledge.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says at least 128 journalists have been killed while working in Gaza. Israel and Egypt do not allow international journalists into Gaza unless embedded with the IDF who control access.

In-Depth:

Reporters Without Borders on the unnerving threats Lebanese journalists have received along with reports of local mobs attacking reporters there.

And, more from The Committee to Protect on Israel’s killing of Abdallah as well as Israel’s history of “deliberately targeting journalists for their work” since October 7. At least four Palestinian journalists have been deliberately targeted by Israel, according to the CPJ, which is also investigating 10 other cases.

Israel recently accused six Al Jazeera journalists — the only ones still in northern Gaza — of ties to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. One journalist claims the documents Israel cites as evidence were fabricated.

In July, Israeli forces killed two Al Jazeera journalists who were some of the most prolific in north Gaza, Ismail al-Ghoul and Rami al-Rifi. Shabat noted that, after Israel killed al-Ghoul, Israeli officials claimed to release documentation of the journalist receiving a military ranking from Hamas in 2007, when he was only 10 years old... The targeting of journalists in north Gaza is especially alarming, as they provide some of the world’s only glimpses into Israel’s horrific siege.” Truthout

Blinken, while in Qatar, stated he’s unaware of the claims' veracity but agrees that the accusations “should be examined.”

More on Israel’s record on journalists.

Iran

Leaked intel on Israel’s potential strike plans against Iran emerged on an Iran-linked Telegram channel, reports The Washington Post. The documents contain U.S. intelligence assessments suggesting Israeli preparations for a major attack. Former DIA analyst Harrison Mann stated:

“The leaked assessment demonstrates how closely the intelligence community monitors Israeli military activity,” said Harrison Mann, a former analyst with the Defense Intelligence Agency who resigned to protest the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza. It’s ‘a reminder that the administration does not actually trust Israel to share plans and major operations ahead of time. It demonstrates that the U.S. government acknowledges and monitors Israel’s nuclear forces.”

Israel may be delaying or adjusting its strategy following this leak.

ICC Investigation

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan, who recently sought arrest warrants for war crimes against Netanyahu, faces accusations of misconduct. A female staffer alleges that Khan made unwanted advances, including groping her. The ICC conducted an inquiry, interviewing the staffer, who declined to file a formal complaint. The AP reports that she distrusts ICC investigators and requested an external review.

In May, upon announcing his intent to pursue warrants, including against Hamas members and Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Khan said:

“I insist that all attempts to impede, intimidate, or improperly influence the officials of this court must cease immediately.”

The AP has a more detailed report on the investigation, including this:

Those co-workers were shocked because Khan always seemed to show exemplary behavior around women and has been outspoken against gender-based crimes. They also weighed the accusations against the backdrop of well-publicized attempts by intelligence agents from Israel and elsewhere to penetrate the court, which created a work environment plagued by intrigue and mistrust.But in the wake of the #MeToo movement, no powerful man is above scrutiny, and the co-workers complied with court workplace guidelines that encouraged the reporting of misconduct by senior officials.

The Rabbit Hole:

• Anonymous X account coverage
• US lawmakers’ sudden interest in what the ICC does or doesn't do
• And if you haven’t read this, it’s important to know the extent to which some have gone to undermine the ICC’s credibility and to get ahead of their investigations.

ELECTION 2024

Real Fake News

The Pentagon denies rumors that it has authorized force against Americans in the event of post-election violence.

“The misinformation — spread online by former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn and former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., among others — suggests that a Defense Department policy revision released in late September was timed to interfere with the Nov. 5 presidential election.” - Associated Press

The Groundwork

Trump and his supporters are preparing to challenge election results if he loses, echoing tactics used in 2020. Before that election, Trump claimed early voting was rigged and accused Dominion Voting Systems — with support from FOX — of using faulty machines. (Dominion later sued for defamation, forcing a settlement.) Trump aims to create chaos, so you don’t know what to believe except that only he can save you.

This year, Trump has encouraged early voting but falsely claims Democrats are allowing “untold millions of illegals” to vote. The 19th details these narratives, including lawsuits challenging voter rolls. Mistakes are used to support the myth: that elections can't be trusted.

Fact Check: Bad actors are again pushing claims that Dominion is unreliable by claiming that Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has banned use of the machines. In fact, they will be used in 18 Florida counties this year.

“'There will always be slight inaccuracies in the voter rolls when states are processing millions of people and almost always these inaccuracies are benign... So, the public should recognize the claims for what they are: attempts to sow doubts about the election process when the reality is that noncitizens are not voting in massive numbers.'" - Joshua A. Douglas, University of Kentucky law professor

Related: North Carolina’s voter monitoring includes a tactic to flag "Hispanic-sounding last names."

"It defies logic to expect undocumented immigrants would take the risk of crossing the border and then place themselves in legal jeopardy by registering to vote and actually voting in an election." CBS News

Learn More:

• Trump’s rhetoric and its national security risks from Mother Jones
• How hundreds of Republicans — including almost half of the Republican candidates for office this year — have taken Trump’s lead to cast doubt on the elections from The Washington Post

ON THE BALLOT

Voting isn’t just about the presidency—there are 146 ballot initiatives across 41 states. Ballotpedia’s top initiatives include abortion rights (11 states) and electoral system reforms (eight states plus DC).

Related: Learn why two OB-GYNs are running for Congress this year from The 19th.

What's at Stake?

Social Security
Trump’s economic plan could make Social Security insolvent three years sooner, as analyzed by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. His proposals—including eliminating certain taxes and imposing high tariffs—could speed up Social Security's insolvency by 2031, reducing benefits by 23-33%.

More Partisan Governance
In 2020, Trump delayed disaster aid to Washington State following wildfires, allegedly due to disagreements with the governor. This wasn’t an isolated case. See Politico’s report here.

Party-Spoiler or Spoiled Party?
Concerns about third-party candidate Jill Stein's impact on the election have even spurred Democrats to run ads against her. The New York Times explains how Stein's 2016 votes in swing states affected the outcome.

SPEED ROUND

• North Korean troops are confirmed to be in Russia aiding its invasion of Ukraine, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The exact benefit to North Korea remains unclear, though an alliance has been building since Kim Jong Un and Putin signed a military aid pact in June. Read more from Politico.
• Gangs in Haiti fired on a UN helicopter in Port-au-Prince, complicating efforts to curb gang violence. Over 10,000 people were displaced in one week due to surging attacks.
• President Biden recently apologized to the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona for historic abuses in “boarding schools” that led to nearly 1,000 documented deaths of Native children. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American Cabinet member, has spearheaded investigations into these atrocities. Learn more in the Interior Department report.
• Erik and Lyle Menendez may be closer to release following new evidence and DA recommendations. They claim years of sexual abuse led to their parents' murder, a defense initially barred from their trial. With public attitudes shifting around sexual abuse, their case has seen renewed attention. Learn more about the case and new evidence from CNN and PEOPLE.
• Onions tainted with E. coli linked to McDonald’s have been pulled from menus after one death and nearly 75 illnesses. See Fortune's update here.
• Also: The CDC now recommends pneumonia vaccines for adults 50+, a shift from the previous age guideline of 65. Learn more from NBC News.

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