US rushes for Gaza cease-fire as clock ticks toward Ramadan

You’re reading an excerpt from The Takeaway, where we break down the latest in US-Middle East diplomacy. To read the full newsletter, sign up here.  

WASHINGTON — With Ramadan fast approaching, the Biden administration is racing to secure a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip amid fears the holy month could usher in what’s historically been a period of heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians.

Although White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Tuesday that negotiators are not “trying to beat the clock to Ramadan,” the date looms large as civilians wait desperately for a reprieve in the fighting the Gaza Health Ministry blames for the deaths of more than 30,000 people since early October. 

Adding to the urgency on Thursday, more than 100 people were reportedly killed and at least 760 injured when Israeli troops opened fire in northern Gaza as civilians gathered to receive humanitarian assistance, health authorities said. Israeli officials told media outlets troops were forced to fire because the crowds surrounding the aid trucks posed a threat to them.