The Israeli army has told Palestinians to begin evacuating eastern Rafah, according to an Israeli Defense Force statement on Monday, signaling that a ground invasion is imminent. People were told to move to Muwasi, an Israeli-declared humanitarian area near the coast. The army said it had expanded assistance into the area, including field hospitals, tents, food and water. The announcement comes amid fragile cease-fire talks and ahead of a highly anticipated ground offensive that Israel has been vowing to undertake for months to weed out the remaining Hamas militants. On Sunday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant claimed Hamas wasn’t serious about a deal and warned of “a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah.”

In a historic and tumultuous election in Panama, José Raúl Mulino has landed in the role of president-elect despite not even expecting to be the candidate a few months ago. Now, he will lead the normally sleepy Central American nation through a moment of political tension, historic migration and a struggling economy. Who is Mulino and what can voters expect from his upcoming presidency? Panamanian political analyst Rodrigo Noriega says, “There are a lot of unknowns about him." Preliminary results put Mulino nine points ahead of his nearest rival.

Mexican authorities say relatives have positively identified three bodies found in a well as those of two Australian surfers and one American who went missing last weekend. Baja California state prosecutors said relatives from the two countries had viewed the corpses recovered from a remote well and recognized them as their loved ones. Thieves apparently killed the three, who were on a surfing trip to Mexico’s Baja peninsula, to steal their truck because they wanted the tires. They then allegedly got rid of the bodies by dumping them in a well near the coast. Three suspects are being held in connection with the case.

José Raúl Mulino, the stand-in for former President Ricardo Martinelli in Panama's presidential election, is on his way to becoming the new leader of the Central American nation. With nearly 90% of the votes counted Sunday night, the 64-year-old former security minister’s top three competitors conceded as he led the race with nearly 35% of the vote. He had a nine-point lead over other candidates. Mulino replaced Martinelli as candidate when the firebrand former leader was banned from running after being sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering. The new president will face pressing challenges. Those include deep political discontent, historic migration and a lagging economy exacerbated by mass protests last year and a drought that has slashed transit in the Panama Canal.