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Now to the ongoing war in the Middle East. The Israeli military issued sweeping evacuation orders this morning for most of the city of Rafa in the Gaza Strip, suggesting the military could soon launch a major ground operation there
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The move comes after Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza and renewed its air and ground war earlier this month, vowing to intensify its military operations until Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages it holds, 24 of whom are believed
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to be alive. Israel is also now demanding Hamas disarm and leave the Gaza strip entirely
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On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country will take charge of security
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in Gaza after the war and implement President Trump's proposal to resettle Gaza's Palestinian
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population in other countries. Meantime, the United States is continuing its bombardment of
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Houthi targets in Yemen. The Iran-backed militant group is an ally of Hamas and has regularly fired
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missiles at Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October of 2023, as well as attacked
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American and Israeli ships in the Red Sea. Houthi officials say at least one person was killed
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overnight, but the full extent of the damage is not yet clear. It follows a particularly
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intense round of U.S. air strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen on Friday. The Trump administration
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has said it's placing the blame for any attacks by Houthi rebels on Iran, though Iran denies
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having anything to do with them. Meantime, Iran's president said on Sunday, his country has
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officially informed the United States that it rejects direct negotiations with the U.S
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over its rapidly advancing nuclear program, but has left the door open for indirect negotiations
