US warns Israel not to fire on Gaza hospitals

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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Good morning. The US has warned Israel not to fire on hospitals in Gaza and endanger the lives of patients and sheltering civilians, as fighting rages between Israeli troops and Hamas militants close to the besieged enclave’s largest medical facilities.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CBS News yesterday that the US “does not want to see firefights in hospitals where innocent people — patients receiving medical care — are caught in the crossfire”.

His remarks reflect rising international alarm over the dire conditions in Gaza’s hospitals, particularly al-Shifa, where thousands of people have sought refuge from Israel’s bombardment.

Over the past 36 days, the World Health Organization has recorded at least 137 attacks on healthcare units in Gaza, resulting in 521 deaths and 686 injuries, including 16 deaths and 38 injuries of health workers on duty.

More than half of the hospitals in the Gaza Strip are closed. Those still functioning were under massive strain and could only provide very limited emergency services, the UN agency said. Here’s the latest on the conflict.

Plus, more coverage:

• More news: Benjamin Netanyahu said that he opposed the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, underscoring the growing divergence between his government and the US over what the enclave’s postwar governance should be.

• Gaza war reopens old wounds: The latest conflict has been especially distressing for Palestinians in Lebanon, a country whose own recent history is marred by war, political chaos and now a desperate economic crisis.

Here’s what else I’m keeping tabs on today:

• Economic data: India publishes October consumer price index inflation rate data.

• US-Indonesia relations: Joe Biden hosts Indonesia’s Joko Widodo for a meeting to discuss, among other issue, the green energy transition. In an interview with the FT last week, the Indonesian president questioned the west’s “commitment” to helping developing countries cut climate emissions.

• Asia-Pacific Climate Week: Malaysia hosts the event, one of four regional climate weeks aimed at preparing for next month’s United Nations climate summit in Dubai.

• Companies: Mizuho Financial Group reports second-quarter earnings.

Five more top stories

1. The US is directly targeting Russia’s ability to export liquefied natural gas for the first time, in a move that could cause disruptions in global energy markets. Until recently, the US has sought to avoid disrupting flows so as not to increase the pressure on allies battling a shortage.

2. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Spain yesterday to condemn prime minister Pedro Sánchez’s plan to offer an amnesty to Catalan separatists in order to stay in power. The anger on the streets is heightening concern about serious outbreaks of public disorder next week, when the proposed amnesty law is likely to be published.

3. China’s amended anti-espionage and data laws threaten to spur decoupling with Europe by making it difficult for foreign companies to invest, according to a European business lobby group. The remarks from BusinessEurope come after China sought to allay growing concerns over the foreign investment environment last week with a memo ordering local authorities to cease discriminatory practices.

4. US president Joe Biden is facing a growing cast of potential spoilers to his re-election bid from across the political spectrum, complicating his efforts to rebuild his coalition ahead of a likely rematch against Donald Trump. The retirement of Joe Manchin from the US Senate adds the centrist Democrat to the list of possible third-party and independent candidates running for president in 2024

5. Radical hard-right libertarian Javier Milei is seeking a less eccentric image as he competes with economy minister Sergio Massa for moderate voters in Argentina’s presidential election. The former tantric sex coach and cosplay enthusiast is trying to recalibrate his anti-establishment message into a blander promise of change ahead of the final run-off vote on November 19.

News in-depth

The US and South Korea’s inaugural joint space forum last week highlighted the two countries’ growing space alliance, in response to emerging threats from adversaries including North Korea and China. Their pledge to deepen co-operation in space comes as South Korea has raised its ambitions for independent launch and surveillance capacities, amid an intensifying Asian space race.

We’re also reading . . . 

• The Big Read: A rare look inside the covert Russian-led operation to get strategic technology protected by European export controls into the hands of the state.

• Uday Kotak interview: “It is better to be stupid now than sorry later”, the billionaire founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank said in this wide-ranging interview about his career.

• Free speech can’t flourish online: Social media is an outrage machine, not a forum for sharing ideas and getting at the truth, writes Jemima Kelly.

Map of the day

Iceland declared a state of emergency and evacuated all 4,000 residents of the south-western town of Grindavík after earthquakes raised fears that a volcanic eruption will damage residential areas in the Nordic country for the first time in 50 years.

Take a break from the news

India is now the sole superpower of world cricket, writes historian Ramachandra Guha, showcasing its leadership by hosting the Cricket World Cup. As the six-week tournament enters its concluding stages, Guha explores how prime minister Narendra Modi is shaping the sport in his image.