Gaza Deal Nears, Secret Spy Files, and Presidential Income

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Israel-Hamas Deal Nears

Hamas and Israel have agreed in principle to a Qatar-mediated ceasefire and hostage-release plan. If finalized—expected this week—the agreement will mark a step toward ending the 15-month-long war that began after Hamas attacked southwestern Israeli communities, killing roughly 1,200 people and abducting around 250. 

The current proposal (see terms) includes a 42-day ceasefire in Gaza and a three-part plan to release Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Under the first phase, Hamas would free 33 hostages, including women, children, and those over 50 years old. Israel would free 30 Palestinian prisoners for each civilian hostage and 50 prisoners for each female soldier. Israel would also increase humanitarian aid and withdraw from populated areas. Negotiations for subsequent phases would continue; it is unclear what will happen after the first 42-day phase. 

Nearly 100 hostages remain inside Gaza, with at least a third believed to be dead. The death toll in Gaza is around 46,000, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants. The death toll in Israel is around 1,900. See updates here (w/maps).

Gaia Mission Ends

Europe's Gaia space observatory will cease science operations today as its cold gas propellant runs out after over a decade of observations. First launched in 2013, the astrometry telescope precisely cataloged nearly 2 billion objects within our Milky Way galaxy as part of an effort to create a novel three-dimensional galactic map.

The observatory orbits at Lagrange Point 2 (with its neighbor the James Webb telescope) roughly 1 million miles from Earth. Its two telescopes continuously scan the galaxy, while an array of 106 credit card-sized detectors—making the largest focal plane used in space—collects data on the luminosity and motion of stars, quasars, exoplanets, asteroids, and more. Gaia has scanned more than a billion objects over 70 times at a resolution 400,000 times fainter than what the naked eye can detect.

Data from Gaia's observations—released in batches, with the fourth expected in 2026—have led to major discoveries, including starquakes and half a million new stars, as well as revealing the Milky Way merged with another galaxy early in its formation. 

Cambridge Five Confessions

Britain's intelligence agency MI5 released a trove of declassified documents yesterday, revealing new insights into the notorious Cambridge Five Soviet spy ring. The files show Queen Elizabeth II was not informed for nearly a decade that Anthony Blunt, her long-serving royal art adviser, had confessed to being a Russian spy in 1964, in an effort to avoid adding to her worries.

More than 100 documents were released, including partial confessions from other members of the spy ring, such as Kim Philby, one of the most successful double agents in British intelligence history, and John Cairncross, the "fifth man" who played a crucial role in passing sensitive information to the Soviets during World War II.

Additionally, the documents contained surveillance advice for new MI5 recruits—such as avoiding the use of fake hair, carrying spare change for public transportation, and being prepared with a convincing cover story.

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