Geopolitical Risk & Market Impact - Israeli Prime Minister instructed military for powerful strikes in Gaza Strip, testing US-brokered ceasefire [1] - Hamas allegedly violated ceasefire by failing to return all hostage remains, while Hamas claims difficulty due to Israeli destruction [2] - Uncertainty surrounds Gaza reconstruction and Hamas disarmament [3] - Israeli shekel lost 0.2% of its value against the US dollar following the announcement [4] US-Japan Alliance & Countering China - US and Japan aim to bolster alliance and counter China [5] - Japan pledged to increase US military supply imports [6] - US and Japan signed a critical minerals deal and a shipbuilding memorandum of understanding to counter China's market grip [6] - US aims to focus on energy, AI, and car manufacturing sectors to counter China [6]