Friday Briefing: Many killed in Gaza as Israelis open fire

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March 1, 2024

By Justin Porter

Good morning. We’re covering the killing of scores of Palestinians near an aid convoy in Gaza and another chilling threat from Vladimir Putin.

Plus the woman challenging sailing’s elitist image.

The body of a Palestinian who was killed during the chaos. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Many people were killed in Gaza after Israel opened fire

Israeli forces opened fire yesterday as a crowd gathered near an aid convoy in Gaza City, leaving dozens killed or injured, according to the Palestinian Authority news agency and an Israeli official.

The details of what happened were unclear, and Palestinian and Israeli officials offered starkly different accounts. Here’s the latest.

The Gazan health authorities said that more than 100 people had been killed and more than 700 injured in a “massacre.” The official Palestinian Authority news agency, Wafa, reported that “Israeli tanks had opened fire with machine guns at thousands” waiting for aid to arrive.

The Israeli official acknowledged that troops had opened fire but said most of the people had been killed or injured in a stampede several hundred yards away. The Israeli military said that Gazans had surrounded aid trucks and “looted the supplies.” As a result, dozens were “killed and injured from pushing, trampling and being run over by the trucks.” It did not directly address the Palestinian claims of machine gun fire and said it was investigating.

A Hamas official warned that the killings might derail cease-fire talks. President Biden, after expressing hope earlier in the week that a deal could be reached by Monday, agreed that the shooting was likely to complicate negotiations.

A grim milestone: The death toll in Gaza passed 30,000 people since the war began on Oct. 7, roughly one person killed for every 73 Palestinians in the enclave. The figures, provided by the Gazan health ministry, are probably an undercount, experts said.

A live broadcast yesterday of President Vladimir Putin’s address. Maxim Shipenkov/EPA, via Shutterstock

Putin said the West is risking a nuclear conflict

President Vladimir Putin said in his annual state-of-the-nation speech that the West faced the prospect of a nuclear response if it intervened more directly in the war in Ukraine.

The Russian leader alluded to comments by President Emmanuel Macron of France this week raising the possibility of sending NATO troops to Ukraine. Putin said that NATO countries that might consider such a move “must, in the end, understand” that “all this truly threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and therefore the destruction of civilization.”

Background: Putin has repeatedly made veiled nuclear threats against the West since he invaded Ukraine two years ago. He had appeared to dial down that rhetoric in the past year. But yesterday, he returned to it, coupling his threats with a claim that he was ready to resume arms-control negotiations with the U.S.

Military aid: The Biden administration is considering providing Ukraine with arms by tapping into Pentagon stockpiles again, even though the government has run out of money to replace those munitions, according to officials.

Within Donald Trump’s camp, the court’s ruling was seen as a major victory. Kent Nishimura for The New York Times

Trump’s delay tactics pay off in immunity case

The Supreme Court tossed Donald Trump a legal lifeline on Wednesday when the justices decided to consider his claim that he is immune from prosecution on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. The court’s decision aided his efforts to delay the trial and increased the chances that he will not face a jury by Election Day in November.

The justices scheduled a hearing on the issue in late April. The legal calendar now suggests that if the justices issue a ruling by the end of the court’s term in June, and find that Trump is not immune from prosecution, the trial could start by late September or October.

What’s a stake: If Trump is elected president before he faces a trial, he could dismiss the case altogether.

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Americans have been citing immigration as one of their top concerns. Doug Mills/The New York Times

International

Doctors protesting near President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office in Seoul. Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA, via Shutterstock

A Deeper Look

A Morning Read

Cole Brauer only had a few months to get First Light, her boat, ready for the Global Solo Challenge. Samuel Hodges

Cole Brauer is the youngest competitor in the Global Solo Challenge, a nonstop solo sailing race around the world. While she might be alone on the waves, she’s bringing hundreds of thousands of people along through Instagram.

Brauer is using the social media platform to blow up sailing’s elitist image, posting tearful videos of boat failures and awestruck moments during fiery sunrises. Her reports have attracted an online following that has eclipsed that of any other sailors and sailing events.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.

Timothée Chalamet, left, as Paul Atreides and Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros.

Get ready for ‘Dune: Part Two’

“Dune: Part Two” is opening around the world this weekend. Our critic Manohla Dargis wrote that it wasted no time picking up where the first film left off — and in bold style. In short, she said, “it’s a blast.”

Adapting a novel that’s over 500 pages into a film is a feat only slightly less daunting than riding a monstrous sandworm across the desert. There’s a lot to cover. Luckily, my colleague Danielle Dowling is here to explain what to know before watching the film.

For a peek behind the screen, The Times had a chat with Timothée Chalamet, who plays the hero, and the director Denis Villeneuve. They discussed the impossible quest for onscreen perfection and a potential third film.

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Cook: This cauliflower and cashew curry is rooted in tradition but easy enough for a weeknight meal.

Watch: “Shayda,” which follows an Iranian woman and her daughter who are living in a shelter in Australia, is a critic’s pick.

Read: In her new memoir, “Grief Is for People,” Sloane Crosley works through the death of a beloved friend and mentor.

Listen: Here are five classical music albums you can listen to right now.

Reflect: How are you? No, really. Take our quiz and check in with yourself.

Play Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. Amelia will be back on Monday. — Justin

P.S. When our food critic learned that a renowned chef had died, he didn’t have his laptop. But he did have a stenographer’s pad.

We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.

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