UK prison breaker guilty of spying for Iran

Hello. In September last year, a 22-year-old man named Daniel Khalife escaped a London prison by strapping himself under a food truck. Today he's been found guilty of spying for Iran. My colleague Daniel Sandford has the definitive story on the former soldier's escape and his eventual downfall. We're also reporting on Gaza, where satellite images suggest Israel is building a new military dividing line. Also in your newsletter: narco-subs, Notre-Dame, and a parade anniversary.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Israel builds new dividing line in Gaza, satellite images suggest

Some analysts believe the IDF’s presence could indicate a permanent military partition. Credit: EPA

Israel is creating a new military dividing line in Gaza, cutting off the far north of the strip from the rest of the territory, satellite images studied by BBC Verify appear to show. An IDF spokesperson told the BBC it was "targeting terrorist operatives and infrastructure" in north Gaza.

What are satellite images and videos suggesting?

That Israeli troops are in control of, and are clearing, an area across the width of north Gaza. Hundreds of buildings have been demolished between the Mediterranean sea and the Israel border, mostly through controlled explosions. This partition stretches about 5.6 miles (9km) across Gaza, from east to west, dividing Gaza City and the towns of Jabalia, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia in north Gaza.

What could be the purpose of that partition?

Dr H A Hellyer, a Middle East security expert from the Rusi think tank, said the satellite images suggested Israel was preparing to block Palestinian civilians from returning to the north Gaza governorate. More than 100,000 people have already been displaced from the far north of Gaza, according to the UN. Dr Eado Hecht from the Begin–Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (Besa), an Israeli think tank, agreed that the data showed a new dividing line, but questioned whether it was designed to be permanent.

What is the Israeli military saying?

An IDF spokesperson told the BBC that it had no intention of destroying civilian infrastructure "without operational necessity" to neutralise Hamas. Israel has also denied that it is implementing the "General’s Plan". Under the strategy, devised by former general Giora EIland, civilians would be told to leave the north, supplies would be blocked and the area would become a military zone. "The claim that the IDF is implementing this specific plan is incorrect," the spokesperson said.

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THE BIG PICTURE

Notre-Dame reopens five years after fire

Notre-Dame's re-vamped interior has been kept a closely guarded secret. Credit: Getty Images

Five-and-a-half years after the devastating fire of 2019, Paris's Notre-Dame cathedral has been rescued, renovated and refurbished. The world will soon get a first look inside the Gothic jewel, whose €700m (£582m) renovation included replacing the massive roof timbers that had been consumed in the fire.

And finally... in New York City

The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, one of the most-watched entertainment show in the US, is celebrating 100 years. The event this year featured more than 30 balloons and 20 floats, 11 marching bands, and 10 performance groups. We took a look at the preparations.