Morning Briefing: December 20, 2023

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here’s a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Wednesday, including the death of dozens of Palestinians in Israeli airstrikes, attempts to disqualify former President Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot, and the postponing of a vote on Gaza at the UN Security Council.

TOP STORIES

- Dozens killed, injured when Israeli jets strike residential building in Gaza City

Dozens of Palestinians were killed and injured when Israeli fighter jets struck a residential building in Gaza City Tuesday evening, according to eyewitnesses.

Several people remain trapped under the rubble following the attack in the al-Rimal neighborhood, witnesses said.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has yet to confirm the fatalities.

Israel's air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas have killed at least 19,667 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured 52,586 others, according to health authorities.

- Supreme Court in US state rules Trump disqualified from 2024 ballot

The Supreme Court in the Western US state of Colorado ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump is disqualified from holding the office of the president under the US Constitution’s so-called insurrection clause and so cannot appear on the state’s ballots for the 2024 election.

“A majority of the court holds that President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,” said the court ruling.

With its decision, the court reversed a lower court ruling. However, the US Supreme Court is likely to have the final word.

- UN Security Council vote on Gaza postponed for 2nd time

A vote on a UN Security Council resolution that seeks the suspension of hostilities in Gaza in order to deliver aid was postponed on Tuesday for the second time in a row.

The US has yet to be convinced to vote for the resolution, which had been scheduled for a vote late Tuesday, UN sources told Anadolu.

Now members of the Security Council are expected to vote on Wednesday on the resolution, which was drafted by the United Arab Emirates.

NEWS IN BRIEF

- Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, the last functioning hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, stopped operating on Tuesday due to Israeli bombardment and the arrest of medics, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

- Separately, Israel is ready for a second humanitarian pause and the delivery of additional humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, President Isaac Herzog said Tuesday.

- The French Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it is still awaiting an explanation from Israeli authorities about the killing of one of its staffers in Gaza last week.

- The UK and France expressed hope for an immediate cease-fire as French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said, in a joint news conference with her British counterpart David Cameron in Paris: "I believe our efforts converge to … wish for another immediate lasting truce."

- Israeli forces fired incendiary phosphorus shells at two border towns in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, according to Lebanese media, with the attack targeting the outskirts of the towns of Blida and Mhaibib near the countries’ shared border.

- The Yemeni Houthi group vowed on Tuesday to continue its attacks on Israeli ships passing through nearby waters, despite the announcement of a US-led international coalition against it in the Red Sea.

- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his US counterpart Joe Biden stated he will have the US Congress approve F-16 sales to Türkiye after the Turkish parliament ratifies Sweden's NATO bid.

- In a high-level meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday, the Turkish and Iraqi foreign ministers discussed steps to speed up implementation of the Development Road project between the two countries, said a joint statement issued after the meeting.

- Another Israeli soldier was killed in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, bringing the military death toll since Oct. 7 to 464, the army said.

- The Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) on Tuesday captured Huzeyfe Al Muri, the so-called administrative and financial head of the Daesh/ISIS terror group operating in Damascus, Syria.

- More than 2,800 Israeli soldiers have been receiving rehabilitation treatment in Israeli Defense Ministry facilities since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7, local media reported Tuesday.

SPORTS

- Manchester City beat Urawa Reds to reach Club World Cup final

Reigning English Premier League champions Manchester City beat Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0 on Tuesday to reach the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup final.

In the 46th minute, Urawa Red Diamonds' Norwegian defender Marius Hoibraten put the ball into his own team’s net.

Man City’s Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute. Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva scored the third goal.

- Istanbulspor-Trabzonspor Trendyol Super Lig match suspended

A Trendyol Super Lig match between Turkish teams Istanbulspor and Trabzonspor was suspended on Tuesday.

Trabzonspor was leading 2-1 when Istanbulspor’s President Ecmel Faik Sarialioglu decided to pull his team off the pitch to protest calls by the referee.

Despite attempts by Trabzonspor’s President Ertugrul Dogan and several Istanbulspor players to convince Sarıalioglu to resume the match, Istanbulspor abandoned the field.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

- Red Sea attacks by Houthis threaten global supply chain

Houthis stepped up their attacks on commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea, disrupting global maritime trade and forcing the world’s leading global shipping companies to reroute.

The world's largest container company, Italian- and Swiss-owned Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), plus Danish-based shipper Maersk, German shipper Hapag-Lloyd, and French-based shipper CMA CGM, were among the companies that suspended all transit in the Red Sea after security was compromised.

- Greece to grant temporary work permits to certain migrant categories

Greece, facing an acute labor shortage in critical sectors, including tourism and agriculture, moved to grant temporary work permits in certain migrant categories, local media Tuesday.

Under the new measure, migrants and asylum-seekers who have been living in Greece for at least three years as of Nov. 30, and have no criminal record, can apply by December 2024 for new residency permits of three years if they have been offered a job.