Tuesday briefing
Biden described progress in ceasefire negotiations in Gaza
President Biden said yesterday that he believed negotiators were nearing an agreement that would halt Israel’s military operations in Gaza within a week, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel had spoken of further military action earlier in the day.
Netanyahu said the Israeli army has presented a plan to the war cabinet to evacuate civilians from “combat zones” in Gaza. He might have been talking about Israel’s long-awaited invasion of Rafah, a southern city where more than half of Gaza’s population is sheltering, many in makeshift tents and without adequate food, water or medicine.
Many countries and international aid groups have warned that an invasion of Rafah could lead to mass casualties in the enclave.
Israeli negotiators indicated they might be open to the release of Palestinians jailed on terrorism charges in exchange for some Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, according to two officials with knowledge of the talks.
Hamas, which has called on Israel to withdraw from Gaza and adhere to a long-term ceasefire, has not responded to the offer. But according to one of the officials, Israeli intelligence officers believe that Hamas’ leader in Gaza has become more receptive in recent weeks to an agreement that would allow only a temporary ceasefire, with the hope that it would become permanent.
Related: The Palestinian Authority’s prime minister yesterday tendered the resignation of his cabinet after the US and Arab states made efforts to convince the authority to overhaul itself so it could potentially lead Gaza after the end of the war.
Hungary approved Sweden’s NATO offer
Hungary’s parliament voted yesterday to accept Sweden as NATO’s 32nd member, sealing a major shift in the balance of power between the West and Russia that was accelerated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s authoritarian prime minister, who enjoys cordial relations with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, took a standstill for 19 months before putting Sweden’s NATO membership to a vote. Hungary’s long delay in accepting Sweden had irritated the US and other NATO members, raising questions about Hungary’s reliability as a member of an alliance committed to the principle of collective defense.
Analysis: Finland and Sweden decided to join NATO after Russia started the war in Ukraine, and now Putin faces an expanded and motivated alliance that no longer dreams of permanent peace.
Strategic impact: Sweden and Finland will help bottle up Russia’s surface fleet in the Baltic Sea and could provide better monitoring of Russia’s military, including parts of its nuclear arsenal.
Macron did not rule out sending Western troops to Ukraine
President Emmanuel Macron of France said yesterday that “nothing should be ruled out” when asked about the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine.
Macron, speaking after a meeting of European leaders in Paris to boost support for Ukraine, emphasized that there was no consensus on sending troops to help the embattled country. But he stressed that “anything is possible if it is useful to achieve our goal,” which he said was to ensure that “Russia cannot win this war.”
Neither the US nor other European leaders immediately responded to Macron’s comments. But his statements were a marked departure from the caution typically exercised by Western leaders, including Macron himself, to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
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That’s it for today’s briefing. Thank you for spending part of your morning with us, and see you tomorrow. – Than
PS Carlotta Gall, a senior correspondent covering the war in Ukraine, described reporting from the Ukrainian front lines in winter.
You can reach Dan and the team at briefing@nytimes.com.