Monday morning news: June 10, 2024

SOUND: [Rescue gunfire]

KENT COVINGTON, NEWS ANCHOR: Hostages freed in Gaza » Israeli special forces engaged Hamas terrorists in a gun battle over the weekend during a daring hostage rescue mission in central Gaza.

Military spokesman Peter Lerner:

LERNER: The forces came under extensive attack in an attempt to kill both them and the hostages.

Israeli troops reportedly stormed two buildings in a refugee camp in broad daylight where they eventually rescued four hostages. Lerner said it was a high risk and complex mission based on precise intelligence.

One Israeli officer was killed during the operation.

The hostages, after more than 8 months in captivity, reunited with their loved ones at a Tel Aviv hospital.

The uncle of one of the freed Israelis says his nephew was able to communicate with two other hostages, and that helped keep his spirit strong.

MEIR:  They supported one [another] and they are very good friends now.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry reports that hundreds of Palestinian civilians were killed during the rescue mission.

Benny Gantz quitting Israeli war Cabinet » Meantime, Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s three-man war Cabinet, says he’s resigning. Gantz was the top political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before joining the war Cabinet.

GANTZ: [Speaking Hebrew]

He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of mismanaging the war effort and putting his own “political survival” over the country’s security needs.

GANTZ: [Speaking Hebrew]

Gantz previously said he would leave the government in early June if Netanyahu didn't formulate a plan for postwar Gaza.

On Sunday, he called on Netanyahu to set a date for the country’s next election, adding— “Don't let our people be torn apart.”

The Prime Minister reacted on X, asking Gantz in his words not to “give up” the battle.

SOUND: [WWI ceremony]

Biden WWI cemetery » President Joe Biden has closed out his trip to France by paying his respects at an American military cemetery.

Biden's stop Sunday at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery outside Paris was a solemn end to five days.

BIDEN:  Every Marine I know knows about the Battle of Yellow Woods. There are over 2, 229 buried here. Inside that chapel, there's names of a thousand missing. They never recovered the bodies.

Biden placed a wreath at the cemetery chapel before an expanse of white headstones.

On the trip, the president marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day and celebrated the alliance between the United States and France.

Trump Vegas rally/poll numbers » Meantime, former President Trump was on the campaign trail at the end of a swing through multiple Western states.

TRUMP: It’s great to be back in the beautiful state — you know the state, and you always have to say it correctly — Nevada!

He also campaigned in Arizona in recent days. An average of recent polls has him leading in both that state and Nevada by more than 4 points.

And if his recent conviction on business fraud charges in New York damaged him politically it’s not showing up in the polls. In surveys conducted since then, the numbers haven’t really budged. He still leads nationally by about 1 point and enjoys a lead in every major battleground state.

Border debate » During his Las Vegas campaign stop, Trump took aim at President Biden on the border crisis.

Democrats say there’s not much the president can do, because Republicans opposed a recent Senate border bill. Sen. Chris Coons:

COONS:  Former President Trump intervened to stop it because former President Trump actually wants a problem to solve through his election rather than a solution.

But Trump said if the president really wants to solve the problem.

TRUMP:  Right now, all he needs to do is say, I hereby immediately reinstate every single border policy of a gentleman named Donald J. Trump.

President Biden last week insisted that his new executive order would put an end to illegal migrants being released inside the country. However, Fox News reports that it has obtained a new border patrol memo … that instructs border patrol agents to continue mass releasing single adult migrants into the United States from all but six countries in the Eastern Hemisphere.

MODI: [Speaking Hindi]

Modi sworn in for another term » Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking the oath of office in New Delhi Sunday as he was sworn in for a rare third consecutive term.

He’s relying on his coalition partners in Parliament after his party — somewhat surprisingly — failed to win a majority for the first time in a decade. The 73-year-old popular but polarizing leader is only the second Indian prime minister to retain power for a third term.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: New challenges to Title IX protections for women and girls on Legal Docket. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat.

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