“There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at an event Sunday. “We enable humanitarian aid throughout the duration of the war to enter Gaza - otherwise, there would be no Gazans.”
The UN’s World Food Program said in a statement it has enough food stockpiled to feed all of Gaza for about three months, and would immediately begin to do so.
An aid drop in Gaza. Credit: AP
Humanitarian Pause in Gaza
Israel is instituting a limited “humanitarian pause” in Gaza in order to allow aid to enter, per a Sunday announcement. The pause will take place for a few hours a day in three areas of Gaza, with 120 aid trucks entering the strip Monday to be distributed by the UN.
It added, “all ships belonging to any company that deals with the ports of the Israeli enemy, regardless of the nationality of that company, and in any location within the reach of our armed forces.”
In a statement, the group said it has “decided to escalate their military support operations and begin implementing the fourth phase of the naval blockade” against Israel.
A map showing areas of control in Yemen. Credit: INSS
Houthis Will Attack Any Ship Which Does Business With Israel
Yemen’s Houthi rebel group has announced it will target any ships that do business with Israel, regardless of its nationality or ownership. This so-called fourth phase of operations will begin immediately.
“We need to look for this solution, we need to find this gunpowder, quickly master it and use it for a speedy victory. Because sooner or later, we are going to find that we simply don’t have enough people to fight.”
“The biggest risk of an attritional trench war is that it can drag on for years and wear down the Ukrainian state,” he said.
“The simple fact is that we see everything the enemy is doing and they see everything we are doing. In order for us to break this deadlock, we need something new, like the gunpowder which the Chinese invented and which we are still using to kill each other,” he added.
Zaluzhny said he has studied trench warfare from WWI, noting “that is exactly where we are because, just like then, the level of our technological development today has put both us and our enemies in a stupor.”
“There will most likely be no deep and beautiful breakthrough,” by Russia, he said. “Just like in the First World War we have reached the level of technology that puts us into a stalemate.”
The current areas of control in Ukraine and Russia. Credit listed in graphic.
Economist Interview with Ukraine’s Military Chief
The head of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, spoke to The Economist in a recent interview, warning that he believes the war is reaching a deadlock.
“Both President Trump and I remain engaged with our respective counterparts for each country and are monitoring the situation very closely,” he said late Sunday. “We want this conflict to end as soon as possible.”
The US, which pushed for a rapid peace deal, has threatened increased tariffs by 01 August if fighting did not case. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was involved in pushing for the ceasefire, speaking with top officials in both countries over the weekend.
Chinese diplomats attended the discussions as observers, Malaysia said.
Both nations have said they intend to hold to the ceasefire, but both have also noted that the conditions on the ground and actions by the other would dictate whether or not fighting resumes.
Representatives from Thailand and Cambodia meeting today in Malaysia. Credit: Mohd Rasfan/Pool
Ceasefire Between Thailand and Cambodia
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to a ceasefire starting at midnight Monday, officials from both countries have said. Discussions took place in Malaysia and were organized by Malaysian and American officials.
Meanwhile, the US and EU agreed to a 15% baseline tariff on most EU products over the weekend. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with US President Donald Trump in Scotland to finalize the deal.
"15% is not to be underestimated, but it is the best we could get,” she said.
The outlet wrote, “Beijing and Washington are expected to extend their tariff truce by another three months at trade talks in Stockholm beginning on Monday.” This has not been confirmed by the US or China.
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post has reported that tariffs are expected to be put on hold for another 90 days during the discussions, in order to buy more time for negotiations.
US trading partners, 2024. Credit listed in graphic.
Tariff Updates: China, EU
Negotiators from the United States and China are meeting in Stockholm, Sweden today to discuss trade and tariffs. A deadline of 12 August is in place for the two parties to reach an agreement, after a preliminary deal was reached in June.
Chinese authorities have threatened to block the deal if a Chinese firm does not have equal ownership with BlackRock and MSC, who initiated the deal with CKH.
The investor, multiple sources have said, is China’s COSCO Shipping Corporation.
"The company has stated on several occasions that it will not proceed with any transaction that does not have the approval of all relevant authorities," CK Hutchison said in a statement.
A graphic showing CK Hutchison ports globally. Credit: CK Hutchison
Update: Potential Sale of Ports by CK Hutchison
Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison said Monday that it is in discussions to add a Chinese “major strategic investor” to a proposed sale of its port business, which is being required by authorities in China.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on social media, “this reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”
‘’Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it.’'
‘’We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision,’' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Hussein Al Sheikh, the Palestinian Authority’s Vice President, said “this position reflects France’s commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination.’'
The decision will be formalized at the UN General Assembly in September, President Macron said. “The urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved,” he added.