First Thing: Rafah crossing open to people for limited evacuation from Gaza

Border crossing open for first time in weeks to allow evacuation of injured Palestinian people and foreign passport-holders. Plus, one man’s search for the world’s greatest sandwich

Good morning.

The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has opened for the first time in more than three weeks of brutal conflict to allow the evacuation of dozens of injured Palestinian people requiring hospital treatment and hundreds of foreign passport holders.

What are Israel’s aims in launching Gaza ground invasion? Verifiable information is hard to come by but the limited evidence emerging from the combat zone suggests the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is seeking to encircle Gaza City, probably as a prelude to trying to capture what was the capital of the strip. Ben Barry, an analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Israel’s military had been set contradictory political goals by the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

What has Netanyahu said about the death of Israeli soldiers during the IDF campaign against Hamas in Gaza? The prime minister has issued a statement. “Our soldiers have fallen in the most just of wars, the war for our home,” he said.

Judge Arthur Engoron previously ruled that Trump and his family business committed fraud. Engoron is using this trial – focused on remaining claims of conspiracy, insurance fraud and falsifying business records – to decide on punishment.