The United States requested Qatar to expel Hamas after the group rejected a hostage release proposal, leading Qatar to tell Hamas to leave the country. Qatar, along with Egypt, has been facilitating negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a cease-fire and hostage deal in Gaza, but Hamas’ repeated refusal to release hostages led to the expulsion request from the US. The Biden administration officials are concerned that Hamas may relocate to Iran or Turkey following their expulsion from Qatar.
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Israel’s Newest Army Recruits: the Ultra-Orthodox
At Israel's founding in 1948, ultra-Orthodox men were exempt from military service in exchange for support of the secular state, but tensions escalated after a war in Gaza in 2023. The Supreme Court ruled that Haredi men were no longer exempt, leading to protests and draft orders for 10,000 Haredi men, with only 338 showing up. The story follows three Haredi teenagers - Chaim Krausz, Itamar Greenberg, and Yechiel Wais - who represent different perspectives...
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