The Evening: Pure Evil, Hamas’ Crypto, Shelter From the Storm, and More

Pure Evil

President Biden, in a televised address to the American people on Tuesday afternoon, said that 14 U.S. citizens—three more than previously known—had been killed, along with more than 1,000 others, in the Hamas attack on Israel, actions he called “pure unadulterated evil.” He also confirmed that some Americans were among those being held hostage. “This is terrorism,” he said, as the NYT reports.

Israel Has Secured Gaza Border, Will Now Go on Offensive

Israeli commanders said Tuesday they had gained control of the border around the Gaza Strip and were preparing military action “to change the reality” there, as The Washington Post reports.

Hamas Raised Millions in Crypto

Hamas’ lightning strike on Israel last weekend has raised the question how the group financed the surprise operation. One answer: cryptocurrency, as the WSJ reports.

Executive Education

Beyond the Battlefield: Global Implications of Russia's War in Ukraine breaks down how the February 2022 invasion and concomitant sanctions have been altering national and regional security in Russia, on the European continent, and the United States.

Audio Briefs

CSIS experts give short, spoken-word summaries on the biggest takeaways from their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries—in their own words.

Listen here: “The Waterfall’s Shadow in the Mekong Region” with CSIS's Benjamin Jensen.

In That Number

150

At least 150 Israelis were taken hostage by Hamas.
Source: NYT

Critical Quote

"Our hearts may be broken but our resolve is clear. Let there be no doubt. The United States has Israel’s back. We’ll make sure the Jewish and democratic state of Israel can defend itself today, tomorrow as we always have."

— President Joe Biden

iDeas Lab

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Photo: CSIS

New satellite imagery analysis shows an unprecedented number of freight railcars at North Korea’s Tumangang Rail Facility at the border with Russia.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

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Photo credit: Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images

Photo credit: Eyad Baba/AFP/Getty Images

Rockets fired from Gaza City are intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, on October 10, 2023.

Recommended Reading

"This Debacle Will Transform Israel" by CSIS's Eliot A. Cohen in The Atlantic.

This Town Tomorrow

At 9:30 a.m., the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program presents the Energy Information Administration's International Energy Outlook 2023. 

Then, at 10:00 a.m., the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies discusses how Beijing is assessing the implications of U.S. and allied de-risking efforts for China’s technological and economic development. 

Later, at 3:30 p.m., The Atlantic Council unpacks what federal agencies can do to maximize the value of data through AI and establish an AI-ready data infrastructure. 

Video

This afternoon, the CSIS Aerospace Security Project hosted Major General Gregory J. Gagnon and Brigadier General Brian D. Sidari for a discussion on how intelligence is fundamental to the Space Force theory of success. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

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Truth of the Matter

CSIS’s Max Bergmann joins the podcast to discuss congressional funding for Ukraine and what it means for Ukraine’s war against Russia. 

Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

On the darkest of days, it is hard to smile. But it’s important that we try to

I invite you to email me at aschwartz@csis.org and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz