A Democratic strategist got booed at a party gathering for arguing that Democrats should avoid calling Israel's war in Gaza a "genocide," exposing a growing split inside the party over Israel.

• A Democratic operative with ties to past progressive campaigns told a room of party insiders that candidates who used the word "genocide" during the war in Gaza underperformed in their races, and argued Democrats should steer clear of the term to win swing states.
• The crowd, made up of center-left party staffers and operatives, turned on him immediately, booing and pushing back before he finished talking.
• Critics say blaming word choice ignores that the two candidates he named were facing unusually strong opponents and heavy spending against them, not punished by voters for their stance on Gaza.
• Conditions in Gaza are also getting worse: flooding, raw sewage, and a growing rat problem are hitting displaced families living in tents through a fourth winter, while aid groups say they've had to cut back food deliveries due to funding shortfalls.
• Israel is still restricting tents and rebuilding supplies from entering, even under a ceasefire, which critics say is worsening the humanitarian crisis.

Outlook: Expect the fight over how Democrats talk about Israel and Gaza to keep splitting the party heading into future elections, while conditions for Palestinians in Gaza remain dire this winter.