Our daily journey around the world

💥 Israel-Hamas war: Yesterday, Hamas accepted a cease-fire proposal that Israel said fell short of its demands. Hamas’ sudden acceptance of the Egyptian-Qatari brokered deal – which reportedly includes a weeks-long pause in fighting and the release of several dozen hostages – came hours after Israel ordered an evacuation of eastern Rafah, signaling an imminent invasion. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said the proposal was “far from Israel’s essential demands,” but agreed to send negotiators to continue talks. At the same time, Israel’s military said it was conducting “targeted strikes” against Hamas in eastern Rafah.

🇷🇺 Russia’s military is testing its readiness to use tactical nukes. The Kremlin said this initiative came in response to recent comments by Western officials, who suggested European powers could do more to help Ukraine fight against Moscow. Tactical nuclear weapons refer to short-range nuclear missiles that can’t hit targets further than ~400 miles away. And, unlike strategic nuclear weapons, which carry 20x-1000x more destructive power and can level entire cities, the use of tactical nuclear weapons has never been limited by any formal agreement.

🇹🇩 Chad held its first presidential election since a 2021 coup ushered in military rule. The oil-exporting country of ~18 million people hasn’t had a free-and-fair transfer of power since it became independent in 1960 following decades of French colonial rule. Analysts say President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who took over three years ago when rebels killed his long-ruling father, likely won yesterday’s election – though his chief opponent has an outside chance.