03.19.2025

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Israel Renews Gaza Strikes

Over 400 Palestinians were killed and more than 500 wounded early Tuesday following Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, one of the deadliest bombardments of the 17-month war. The attack came amid stalled negotiations with Hamas to extend the war's two-month ceasefire into a second phase. 

Since the ceasefire began Jan. 19, more than 1,800 Palestinians have been exchanged for 33 Israelis abducted Oct. 7, including eight who were deceased. Israeli forces exited much of Gaza aside from some buffer zones, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced people to return to their homes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resumed the fighting amid pressure from his coalition not to proceed to a second phase, pointing to Hamas' unwillingness to release the remaining hostages as justification. He has long insisted the war would not end until Hamas is destroyed.

The Israeli military called for evacuations across Gaza's eastern border with Israel, prompting analysts to speculate that a new combat operation was imminent. Netanyahu also described the attacks as only the beginning. 

Astronauts Return Home

NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Butch Wilmore splashed down off the Florida coast yesterday, concluding an unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station. They returned on a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

Originally scheduled for a 10-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024, Williams and Wilmore remained on the ISS due to technical issues with the spacecraft, including helium leaks and propulsion problems. While awaiting their return, they integrated into the regular ISS crew rotation, contributing to scientific research and daily operations. See a timeline here.

During their extended stay, the pair completed 4,576 orbits of Earth, traveling more than 121 million miles. The mission brings Williams’ career cumulative total time in space to 608 days—the second most among US astronauts behind Peggy Whitson. The astronauts will undergo medical evaluations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to assess the effects of their prolonged spaceflight.

(Some) Federal Workers Reinstated

The Trump administration moved to reinstate around 24,500 probationary workers yesterday, who were previously terminated under broad reduction-in-force efforts in recent weeks. The decision spans 18 agencies and follows court decisions that found the administration violated procedural law in carrying out the firings. The long-term status of the group is unclear—the decisions have been appealed, and judges noted terminations are allowed if carried out according to law. See a tracker of federal firings here. 

In related news, a federal judge ruled yesterday that the government's dismantling of the US Agency for International Development—attributed to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency—was likely unconstitutional. The ruling stopped short of fully restarting the agency's operations.  

Separately, individual departments continue to formulate longer-term plans to reduce staff, including reports the Environmental Protection Agency will largely eliminate its 1,500-person research and development office. Among other efforts, the wing helped determine how the 2014 Flint water crisis unfolded. 

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