It’s morning in the Middle East. Here’s what you should know

It’s morning in the Middle East. Here’s what you should know

The US Senate has approved a $95 billion package that includes money for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.

The new legislation includes sanctions on Iran, frozen Russian sovereign asset seizures and measures that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok.

The bill next went to President Joe Biden, who said he would sign it into law on Wednesday.

“This critical legislation will make our country and the world safer as we support our friends who are defending themselves against terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like Putin,” Biden said.

The death toll continues to rise: After 200 days of war, Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the area’s health ministry. His counterpart in Ramallah said that 72% of those killed in Gaza were children, women and the elderly. CNN could not independently verify these numbers due to lack of international media access.
Hamas vows to fight on: The military wing of Hamas vows continued attacks on Israel. “We will continue to attack the enemy with different techniques as long as the invasion continues on our land,” said Abu Obaida, a spokesman for the Al Qassam Brigades. He also said Israel was “trying to abandon all its promises” in the ceasefire talks and wanted to “get more time.”
More bodies found in mass grave: Emergency workers recovered at least 35 more bodies from a mass grave at the Nasser medical complex in southern Gaza after Israeli forces withdrew from the neighborhood earlier this month. The total number of bodies found is now 310, according to a local official.
Humanitarian crisis: More than 270,000 tonnes of solid waste across Gaza remains uncollected, according to the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), as Israel’s military campaign has disrupted essential services. The agency also reported that more than 75% of the population had been displaced, that aid operations there had been “severely limited” by Israel, and that the health system in the enclave had been destroyed.
US urges Israel to avoid famine in Gaza: A top State Department official said that the risk of famine in Gaza is currently “very high, especially in the north.” Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues David Satterfield said “Israel must do everything possible to facilitate efforts to avoid starvation in Gaza.”
US campus protests: Pro-Palestinian protests rock America’s major universities, prompting school officials across the country to take extraordinary measures to confront the growing crisis.
Iran threat: Iran’s president says “there will be no more” Israel if it attacks Iran again. The warning came after Israel on Friday carried out a military strike inside Iran, a US official told CNN, although Israel did not officially claim the attack.
Latest from Lebanon: The Israeli army says it has killed two members of the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. In the southern Lebanese village of Hanine, an Israeli airstrike targeted a house killing at least two people and wounding six others, according to state-owned media NNA.
Qatari Hamas office: Qatar has refused to close the Hamas office in its capital “while mediation channels continue.” Qatar has yet to decide whether it will close the office, as it questions Palestinian militant groups and Israel’s commitment to reaching a hostage ceasefire deal in Gaza. Qatar, which led negotiations on the deal, is under pressure from Israeli and US politicians over its links to Hamas.