The details of a proposed plan to release hostages and pause the fighting in Gaza have been unveiled. And — a historic donation allows students at one medical school to attend tuition-free. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.

Hamas considers 40-day cease-fire as Biden addresses war pause

New details have emerged on a proposal for a temporary cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Sources have informed Reuters that Hamas has received a draft of the ceasefire proposal, which has been brokered by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar. This proposal aims for a 40-day pause in all military operations.

The cease-fire agreement includes the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. According to Reuters, the the draft outlines the first phase which would see Hamas release 40 hostages, including women, children under the age of 19, the elderly over 50, and the sick. In return, Israel would release 400 Palestinian prisoners.

Additionally, the proposed deal would allow 500 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza daily, with repairs to be made to hospitals.

During an appearance on NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” President Joe Biden mentioned that Israel has agreed to halt its operations in Gaza during the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan, expected to start around March 10.

Speaking at an ice cream shop in New York City after the late-night taping, the president expressed his hope that the temporary ceasefire could be implemented by early next week.

Biden, Trump to visit U.S.-Mexico border on same day

As Michigan voters cast their ballots in Tuesday’s primary elections, with immigration at the forefront of their minds, the upcoming simultaneous border visits by President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump later this week highlight the pressing nature of immigration issues in today’s political landscape.

President Biden is set to travel to Brownsville, Texas, where the White House has announced he will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents and law enforcement officials on Thursday. He plans to urge Congress to pass bipartisan border security measures during his visit.

Meanwhile, Trump plans to visit the border town of Eagle Pass, where his campaign has stated he will deliver remarks.

A Monmouth University poll released on Monday, Feb. 26, highlights the national concern over illegal immigration, with six in ten Americans viewing it as a very serious problem. Furthermore, 53 percent of Americans are in favor of building a wall along the southern border, indicating significant public interest in border security measures.

Hungary approves Sweden’s bid to join NATO

Sweden has successfully cleared the final obstacle to becoming a member of NATO, after months of negotiations.

On Monday, Feb. 26, Hungary’s parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden’s bid to join the alliance, with only six of the nearly 200 members of parliament opposing the bid.

Today is a historic day. The parliaments of all NATO member states have now voted in favour of Swedish accession to NATO. Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.

— SwedishPM (@SwedishPM) February 26, 2024

The Swedish Prime Minister hailed the approval as a historic day. With Sweden’s addition, NATO will expand to include 32 countries as members. This follows Finland’s accession last year as the 31st member of NATO.

“Sweden is leaving behind 200 years of neutrality and non-alignment. It’s a big step and something to take seriously but it is also a very natural step that we take,” said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. “Membership in NATO means that we now come home to a large number of democracies’ cooperation for peace and freedom. A very successful cooperation.”

I welcome the Hungarian parliament’s vote to ratify #Sweden’s membership in NATO. Now that all Allies have approved, Sweden will become the 32nd #NATO Ally. Sweden’s membership will make us all stronger and safer.

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) February 26, 2024

In a social media post, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg mentioned that adding Sweden to the alliance will make it “safer and stronger.”

American couple likely dead after disappearing in Grenada

Authorities in the Caribbean report that an American couple is “presumed dead” after they went missing following a yacht hijacking last week.

Officials in Grenada said Monday that they believe a Virginia couple who disappeared in the Caribbean after being hijacked by three escaped prisoners were killed and thrown overboard.https://t.co/MO5qY8uYDA

— News 5 WCYB (@news5wcyb) February 26, 2024

Officials state that three escaped prisoners boarded the yacht owned by Ralph Hendry and his wife Kathy Brandel off the coast of Grenada. The Royal Grenada Police Force said in a statement that the escapees likely hijacked the yacht and killed Hendry and Brandel in St. George as they fled to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Brandel’s son, Nick Buro, told CNN he’s hopeful the couple will be found.

“The boat itself was ransacked and everything was strewn about in the entire cabin, so clearly there was an altercation of some type that took place on the boat,” Buro said. “We are concerned for their safety overall because it does appear that they were likely injured.”

The police successfully recaptured the trio of inmates three days after their escape from a Grenada prison.

FTC sues to block  $25 billion Kroger-Albertsons deal

The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit Monday, Feb. 26, to block Kroger’s $25 billion bid to acquire Albertsons, arguing that the merger would eliminate competition, raise prices for consumers and lower wages for workers.  A group of nine attorneys general from different states has joined the FTC’s complaint, indicating broad opposition to the merger.

“This supermarket mega merger comes as American consumers have seen the cost of groceries rise steadily over the past few years, said Henry Liu, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today. Essential grocery store workers would also suffer under this deal, facing the threat of their wages dwindling, benefits diminishing, and their working conditions deteriorating.”

Here's the complaint in the Kroger-Albertsons matter: https://t.co/SFSW5K4Zu6 https://t.co/RZIIgVZ4gy

— FTC (@FTC) February 26, 2024

Albertsons stated that federal regulators are overlooking the increasing dominance of larger retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, and Costco, arguing that this oversight will only serve to strengthen these competitors.

Kroger runs thousands of stores in 36 states under brands like Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, and QFC. Albertsons operates a similar number in 35 states, with names like Haggen, Jewel-Osco, Pavilions, Safeway, and Vons. If merged, they would have over 5,000 stores, around 4,000 pharmacies, and nearly 700,000 employees across 48 states.

Free tuition at New York medical school after historic gift

Exciting news for students aspiring to attend a medical school in New York City: they will no longer have to worry about tuition costs.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine Announces Free Tuition in Perpetuity for All Medical School Students. Learn more at https://t.co/5BbAt7JQ9D. #MedicalSchool #MedEd #giving pic.twitter.com/jr8h8lbCVc

— Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Official (@EinsteinMed) February 26, 2024

This comes after the Albert Einstein College of Medicine received a historic $1 billion donation from Ruth Gottesman, the chairperson of the board of trustees. Gottesman made the announcement to the student body, revealing that starting in August this year, the college will offer tuition-free education.

The generous donation comes from the estate of her late husband, David Gottesman, an investor and friend of Warren Buffet. This donation marks the largest ever made to any medical school in the United States.

Ruth Gottesman expressed her joy and gratitude for being able to support the college, stating she feels blessed to provide such a meaningful gift to a worthy cause.