World roundup: October 30 2023

Stories from Myanmar, Niger, Russia, and elsewhere

TODAY IN HISTORY

October 30, 1270: The Eighth Crusade ends

October 30, 1340: The Battle of Río Salado

October 30, 1918: Ottoman leaders sign the Armistice of Mudros, ending the empire’s involvement in World War I and, eventually, its existence.

MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

The Israeli military’s (IDF) ground operation in Gaza continued to escalate on Monday, with IDF tank units reported on the outskirts of Gaza City and along Salah al-Din Street. Having repeatedly advised Gaza City residents to flee south, it’s unclear why the Israelis decided to cut that road—the Gaza Strip’s main north-south thoroughfare—for “over an hour” according to witnesses who spoke to AFP. Nor is it clear why an Israeli tank obliterated a car that appeared to be trying to make the trip south along that road, reportedly killing three people. Israeli jets also bombed the road, which again doesn’t seem to comport with the evacuation order. Reporting seems to indicate that this was another Israeli raid and that IDF forces had pulled back by the end of the day. At the very least, Israeli officials are refusing to call whatever they’re doing an “invasion.” Hamas has been suggesting that its fighters are forcing the Israelis to pull back but there’s no way to know whether that’s the case.