What's Happening

International

One Year Later

What's going on: It’s been one year since Hamas launched its Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel — killing approximately 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250 others as it stormed kibbutzim, military posts, and a music festival in southern Israel. It was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. In response, Israel declared war on Hamas with the aim of destroying the militant group and bringing home the hundreds of hostages. Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. The conflict has also created a dire humanitarian crisis for the approximately 2 million Palestinians in Gaza — nearly half of whom are children — with many displaced and facing starvation. In November, Israel released Palestinian prisoners in exchange for more than 100 hostages as part of a temporary cease-fire agreement. Dozens of other hostages have either been rescued by the Israel Defense Forces, released by Hamas, found dead, or killed in the fighting. Around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with about a third feared dead, according to Israeli officials.

What it means: Experts have called the Israel-Hamas war one of the most destructive and deadly conflicts of the 21st century. With world leaders acknowledging that there is no end in sight, many fear the death toll will continue to rise and that the war could further destabilize the region. The fighting has already spread to neighboring Lebanon, where Hezbollah — the Iranian-backed militant group and ally of Hamas — has a stronghold, and tensions have intensified recently with Iran. As the conflict stretches into its second year, major questions remain: Will the rest of the hostages come home? What does the future hold for Palestinians in Gaza? Are the US’s goals of a two-state solution realistic? And will there be a wider regional war that pulls in Iran and the US? Meanwhile, tensions have spread around the world with reports of antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate crimes reaching record levels. International leaders, including the US, have called for a more permanent cease-fire and hostage release agreement, but peace and stability in the region seem further and further away.

Related:

• Families of the Hostages Speak of Their Anguish (The Guardian)

• Has the Israel-Hamas War Displaced Palestinian Refugees Forever? (DW)

• The Mental Health Toll of the Israel-Hamas War (Time)

Politics

The 2024 Presidential Election Enters Its Media Blitz Era

What's going on: We’re less than a month away from Election Day, and the candidates are showing it by showing off. VP Kamala Harris has scheduled a slew of high-profile interviews this week, with mostly friendly faces like Howard Stern and Stephen Colbert. Harris began her media blitz with Call Her Daddy and focused on abortion, saying former President Donald Trump “is the same guy that said women should be punished for having abortions.” As for Trump, he returned to Butler, Pennsylvania, nearly three months after the first assassination attempt on his life, and he brought Elon Musk with him. The tech billionaire told the crowd “this would be the last election” if Trump doesn’t win.

What it means: Ultimately, this week shows both campaigns are scrambling to reframe the race. Harris is striving to carve her own path while navigating the Biden administration’s baggage, such as inflation and tensions in the Middle East. Trump is doubling down on his false claims on Hurricane Helene aid and migrants to appeal to his far-right base. It’s not clear if a media or rally blitz from either campaign will be enough to sway undecided voters. Multiple polls show the two candidates are deadlocked — all within the margin of error. This historic election could come down to the wire.  

Related: Which Celebrities Have Endorsed Trump and Harris? (Axios)

Health

An Ovarian Cancer Vaccine Is (Finally) in the Works

What's going on: Scientists in the UK just got the green light (and the funding) to develop a vaccine that could one day help prevent ovarian cancer. Researchers at the University of Oxford will now begin developing OvarianVax, a first-of-its-kind and potentially groundbreaking vaccine. The plan? Researchers will analyze tissue samples from ovarian cancer patients to identify common mutations that produce abnormal proteins. They’ll use the vaccine to train the immune system to recognize and destroy the proteins on the ovarian cancer cells before they have a chance to grow.

What it means: If successful, OvarianVax could be a game-changer, potentially eliminating the need for ovary removal — and the early menopause that comes with it — for women at high risk. The vaccine aims to target a disease that often goes unnoticed, with over 12,000 women in the US dying from ovarian cancer each year, largely due to late-stage diagnoses. There is also no screening test for the disease, and only about half of those diagnosed survive beyond five years. While the funding for a vaccine holds promise, it will be several years before it can go through clinical trials and potentially becomes available.

Related: Two-Thirds of Women with Endometriosis Miss School and Work (The Conversation)