Monday Briefing

100 days of war in Gaza

The war in Gaza has entered its 100th day. Since Hamas led its deadly Oct. 7 assault on Israel, more than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and most of the enclave’s population has been displaced by the Israeli military’s war, according to Gazan health officials. More than 120 hostages are believed to be held by Hamas and other militant groups, according to Israeli officials.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has vowed to keep fighting until he has achieved all of Israel’s goals, despite growing uncertainty over the outcome, international alarm over the mounting death toll in Gaza and fears of a broader regional conflagration.

In Israel, there is a staunch commitment to eliminating Hamas and returning the hostages at almost any cost, even if that takes many months. Internationally, impatience is growing in the face of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the U.S. has urged Israel to scale down its campaign, while many other countries have called for an immediate cease-fire.

Quotable: “We are continuing the war until the end — until total victory, until we achieve all of our goals,” Netanyahu said on Saturday.

International Court of Justice: The U.N.’s top court last week heard accusations brought by South Africa that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. The judges will now decide whether to call for provisional measures, such as a stop to fighting, while they assess the claim. No date has been set, and the court has few means of enforcing its rulings.

In other news:

• After U.S.-led strikes against Houthi sites in Yemen last week, U.S. officials said that the militia had retained about three-quarters of its ability to target ships in the Red Sea. (Here’s a primer on the Houthis.)

• Since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, President Biden has endeavored to avoid a wider war in the Middle East. Now, the question seems to be: How wide will it get?