News Wrap: Israel, Hamas cast doubt on Biden’s hope for cease-fire deal

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• Amna Nawaz:

  In the day's other headlines: The people of Michigan took their turn weighing in on this year's presidential field. They cast ballots in the last primaries before the Super Tuesday contests next week.

  President Biden and former President Trump were expected to win again. Still, the president faced a protest vote over the war in Gaza, and Mr. Trump faced questions about broadening his base.

  Israel and Hamas cast doubt today on President Biden's suggestion that a Gaza cease-fire deal could be reached by Monday. Israeli officials said the remarks came as a surprise. Hamas insisted it has not backed off its demands.

  But, at the White House, national security spokesman John Kirby defended the president's statement.

• John Kirby, NSC Coordinator For Strategic Communications:

  He certainly shared with you his optimism that we can get there in hopefully a short order. But he also said it's not all done yet. And you don't have a deal until you have a deal. We don't have one right now. But we believe that we are getting closer.

  And while we don't want to sound too sanguine or Pollyannish about it, we do think that there's been some serious negotiations.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Meanwhile, more food, medical supplies and other relief were airdropped into Gaza. The packages floated down to the Mediterranean shore as crowds of Palestinians ran along the beach to grab them.

  Communities across Israel held local elections today, despite the ongoing war. Voters chose mayors and city council members in most places. But evacuated towns near Gaza and Lebanon had to postpone their elections until November.

  In Ukraine, the military has retreated from more territory in the east after intense battles overnight. Government troops withdrew from two villages outside of Avdiivka, a larger city captured by Russian forces earlier this month. The Russians have stepped up their push as Ukraine runs short of weapons and ammunition.

  A veteran human rights activist in Russia was sentenced today to 2.5 years in prison for criticizing the war in Ukraine. Oleg Orlov co-chaired the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group Memorial. In his closing statement, he said he did not regret speaking out against the Kremlin and he denounced the war again before being led away.

• Oleg Orlov, Russian Human Rights Activist (through interpreter):

  We live in the 21st century. Those guys are going backwards to 20th, 17th and even 16th. Unfortunately, they are dragging our country with them, but we will win anyway.

• Amna Nawaz:

  Orlov's sentence is the latest in Russia's efforts to quash dissent over the war.

  Back in this country, a federal jury in New York convicted two men of murdering hip-hop deejay Jam Master Jay 22 years ago. Born Jason Mizell, Jay helped propel the group Run-D.M.C. to stardom and into the pop music mainstream in the 1980s. He was shot and killed in his music studio in 2002. Prosecutor said the motive was a drug deal gone bad.

  San Francisco's Board of Supervisors apologized today to Black residents and their descendants for racist laws and policies over the years. It was seen as a first step in the process of considering financial reparations. San Francisco joins Boston in apologizing for its past treatment of Black citizens.

  And on Wall Street, stocks mostly searched for direction. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 96 points to close at 38972. The Nasdaq rose 59 points and the S&P 500 added eight.

  Still to come on the "NewsHour": an IDF soldier's video diaries offer a unique perspective on Israel's war in Gaza; skepticism grows over tech billionaires' plans to ease the Bay Area's housing crunch by building a new city; the story of an African American woman who helped take down one of America's most notorious mob bosses; plus much more.

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