A Mental Health Hotline In Israel Has Been Overwhelmed Since The War Started

The violence between Israel and Gaza is entering its third week.

As the number of dead and wounded continues to rise, survivors of the October 7th attack by Hamas are still reeling from shock.

And thousands of friends and family are left mourning loved ones and wondering how they’ll pick up the pieces of their lives.

The Natal helpline has existed for 25 years to help people experiencing PTSD from war. But for the last two weeks they have been in “emergency mode” and calls are surging.

NPR’s Ari Shapiro speaks with Emi Palmor, chair of Natal, the Israeli helpline.

With Jim Jordan Out, What Does The Latest Failed Speaker Bid Mean For Republicans?

Ever since Kevin McCarthy was ousted as Speaker of the House by only eight members of Congress, things have been pretty messy in the chamber.

Ohio Republican Jim Jordan tried and failed to rally support for his nomination. After losing three ballots on the House floor and a secret Republican-only vote, he’s out.

Not having a speaker has essentially shut down the business of governing, and House Republicans have no consensus on a candidate.

Host Scott Detrow speaks with NPR’s Congressional Correspondent Deirdre Walsh and Political Correspondent Susan Davis about the ongoing speaker battle and what comes next.

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Will War Between Israel And Hamas End Hopes For Two-State Solution?

During his visit to Tel Aviv this week, President Biden reiterated a desire for peace between Israelis and Palestinians through the implementation of a two-state solution.

For years, the idea of establishing a state for the Palestinian people and a state for the Israeli people has been a strategy that presidents – on both sides of the political aisle – have evoked as a framework for peace in the Middle East.

With the unprecedented violence playing out between Israel and Hamas for many political analysts, a peaceful, two-state agreement seems impossible.

But a little over two decades ago there was hope that it could be achieved.

NPR’s Scott Detrow talks with ambassador Dennis Ross about how 23 years ago Palestinian leaders and Israel’s prime minister came close to an agreement.

Palestinians In Jordan Fear For Family Members In Gaza

Israel’s military has ordered all residents of Gaza City and northern Gaza to evacuate to the southern end of the territory ahead of an expected ground invasion.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians are struggling to evacuate – as closed borders hamper those efforts. Others refuse to leave the areas Israeli military forces say they will target.

For Jordanian Palestinians who have family in the Gaza Strip their loved ones are just 90 miles away. But that distance can feel painfully close AND impossibly far.

NPR’s Ari Shapiro traveled to Amman, Jordan. He spoke with two Jordanian Palestinians who have family in the Gaza Strip about their hopes and fears.

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The Emotional Impact of the Israel-Gaza Conflict on Jewish and Palestinian Americans

It’s been more than a week of war in Israel and Gaza, following Hamas attacks in southern Israel that left more than 1,300 Israelis dead. In response, Israeli air strikes in Gaza have killed more than 2,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The intense violence — and the prospect of more to come — is having a deep emotional impact on people who care about both Israelis and Palestinians.

NPR’s Scott Detrow speaks with Aziza Hasan, executive director of NewGround: A Muslim Jewish Partnership for Change, and Alyson Freedman, a member of Sisterhood Salaam Shalom.

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Israel’s Evacuation Order in Gaza

How do you evacuate more than a million people across a cramped, urban bombed out territory and get them to safety — in just one day?

In the lead up to a likely ground war invasion, Israel on Friday gave residents of Gaza an ultimatum: move to the southern end of the territory, or face the full force of the Israeli military as it plans to go after Hamas militants on the ground.

Israel’s government is intent on stamping out the Hamas militants who planned and carried out last week’s attack that killed 1,300 Israelis. Since then, Israel has launched a wave of airstrikes into Gaza that Palestinian health officials say have killed at least 1,500 civilians.

NPR’s Leila Fadel speaks with Mark Regev, Senior Advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ari Shapiro speaks to Dr. Mustafa Barghouti a member of the Palestinian National Initiative in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

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What Happened the Last Time Israel Invaded Gaza and What to Expect Now

Following the surprise attack launched by Hamas militants, hundreds of thousands of Israeli forces are gathering along the border of Gaza.

All signs suggest an Israeli ground invasion of the Palestinian territory is imminent. The last time this happened was in 2014.

NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly speaks with reporter Gregg Carlstrom, who covered that conflict, to hear what we might expect if Israel invades Gaza again in the coming days.

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