Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed the war cabinet in October.Credit…Abir Sultan/EPA, via Shutterstock
Netanyahu disbanded his war cabinet
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, dissolved his war cabinet. The move was widely expected after two key members, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, resigned last week over disagreements about the direction of the fighting in Gaza.
An Israeli official suggested that Netanyahu’s decision to disband the five-member body was largely symbolic. Israeli news media reported yesterday that Netanyahu shut down the cabinet after the far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, the country’s minister of national security, demanded a seat.
For now, major decisions about the war — such as whether to agree to a cease-fire — will be put to a separate and broader security cabinet. Netanyahu will also rely on an informal group of advisers to make important military decisions, analysts said.
A pause in fighting: The Israeli military said that it had halted operations during daylight hours in parts of southern Gaza, a move that aid workers hoped would allow vital supplies to reach residents. The daily pause applies only to a stretch of road, and not to areas in central Gaza where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled since the invasion of Rafah.
Putin to visit North Korea
Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, was expected to start a two-day visit to North Korea today in a sign of the countries’ deepening military ties.
As Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on, both sides are firing thousands of artillery shells, missiles and rockets every day. That means that Russia needs ammunition — and North Korea has plenty to offer.
For Kim Jong-un, the North’s leader, things had looked grim until the war in Ukraine created opportunities for him. He traveled to Russia in September, touring sensitive space and military facilities during a visit that underscored Russia’s ability to provide the sort of technology North Korea has long coveted.
Background: Putin last visited North Korea in 2000, when he became the first Russian leader to travel there.
A call for a warning label for social media sites
Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, said he would push Congress to require a warning label on social media platforms, similar to those on tobacco and alcohol products. The labels would advise parents that social media could harm teenagers’ mental health.
