Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a vote on the peace deal between Hamas and Israel scheduled for today will be delayed. It’s a blow to the hopes that an end to the fighting would take place Sunday, NPR reports.
President Biden and Qatar’s prime minister announced separately yesterday that Israel and Hamas reached a multiphase ceasefire agreement that commits them to end the war in Gaza. The past 15 months of conflict have killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza. The Israeli military says 405 soldiers have been killed in fighting since it invaded Gaza. Israelis have also remained distraught over the fate of family and friends who have been held hostage since the October 2023 attack by Hamas.
The agreement starts with a pause of airstrikes and a complex prisoner exchange. Hundreds of Palestinians held in Israel would be freed and crucially needed food, fuel and medical supplies would enter Gaza, NPR’s Aya Batrawy tells Up First. President-elect Donald Trump brought an incoming sense of urgency to complete the deal. The ceasefire agreement attempts to do a lot but leaves some questions, including: Who will govern Gaza from the Palestinian side? And how do you begin rebuilding? Ultimately, the deal doesn’t guarantee long-term security for either side because it doesn’t address a pathway to lasting peace and Palestinian statehood.
The deal is welcome news for Palestinians, but while there is some cautious hope, some say it’s too little, too late, NPR’s Hadeel Al-Shalchi says. Airstrikes have continued even with the announcement of the deal. The sentiment in Israel is similar. They are waiting to see the deal implemented, and there has been frustration with the government for taking so long to get to this point. Netanyahu is in a tricky political position when it comes to approving the deal, as his government might collapse because some right-wing ministers are against the agreement.
Even though Los Angeles has some of the toughest wildfire policies in the U.S., the fires currently burning are leading many to ask how prepared the region is. The county has strict building codes and limits new development in risky areas.
The building codes for fire-prone areas in California require the use of fire-resistant materials for things like roofs and siding, NPR’s Lauren Sommer says. But that’s only for houses built since 2008 and a majority of Los Angeles’ housing stock dates back to before then. There are also strict rules about vegetation around homes in risky areas. Starting next year, almost no vegetation will be allowed within five feet of a house. The new rule has received some pushback from homeowners who like greenery outside their property.
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