Columbia University says that it is making “important progress” with pro-Palestinian student protesters who set up a tent encampment and that the university has extended a deadline to clear out. The university said early Wednesday that student protesters “have committed to dismantling and removing a significant number of tents." A smaller encampment remained on campus Wednesday morning. The university says that there was “constructive dialogue” and that it will continue conversations for 48 hours. The protest is one of many at schools across the U.S. against Israel's war with Hamas. Many have been arrested.

Germany says that it plans to follow several other countries in resuming cooperation with the U.N. relief agency for Palestinians in Gaza after the publication of an independent review of its neutrality. The Israeli military meanwhile said Wednesday that it was redeploying two reserve brigades from Israel’s northern border to Gaza for “defensive and tactical missions” as it prepares for an offensive in Rafah. Israel describes Rafah as Hamas’ last stronghold in the territory. More than half of the territory’s population of 2.3 million have sought refuge in Rafah.