Page 124 - Israel-palestine

Joe Biden calls Hamas attacks deadliest day for Jews since Holocaust

President Joe Biden on Wednesday condemned the weekend attack by Hamas militants on Israel as the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust as the number of U.S. citizens killed in the fighting ticked up to at least 22. This attack was a campaign of pure cruelty not just hate, but pure cruelty against the Jewish people, Biden told Jewish leaders gathered at the White House. Beyond the 22 known to have been killed, the State Department said at least 17 more Americans remain unaccounted for in a war that has already claimed more than 2,200 lives on both sides. A handful of U.S. citizens are among the estimated 150 hostages captured by Hamas militants during their shocking weekend assault on Israel, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. Signs of U.S. support for Israel were seen across the administration, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelling there for meetings, Biden denouncing antisemitism in America and the U.S. military moving a second ..

Netanyahu speaks with Biden again amid ongoing war, thanks him for support

Notably, it is the fourth time the two have spoken since Saturday's attack, The Times of Israel reported

UK foreign secretary runs for cover as siren goes off during Israel visit

UK foreign secretary James Cleverly, who is currently in Israel, ran for cover as sirens go off in the Jewish nation, according to the foreign ministry here on Wednesday. Cleverly is in Israel to meet survivors of the Hamas attacks and senior Israeli leaders. Posting a video on X, the Israeli foreign ministry said, "Watch: while UK FM @JamesCleverly visits Ofakim in southern Israel, a siren goes off warning of incoming Hamas rocket fire." "This is the reality Israelis live with every day," it said. Talking about the experience, Cleverly on X wrote that the threat of Hamas rockets lingers over every Israeli man, woman and child. "Today I've seen a glimpse of what millions experience every day...This is why we are standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel," he said. Israel, which mobilised 360,000 reservists, has vowed an unprecedented offensive against Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, after its fighters broke through the border fence and stormed into the country's south through

IMF projects inflation, growth risks if Israel-Hamas conflict widens

It's a bit early to know the full implications of the conflict, and much will depend on whether it draws in other countries, Gita Gopinath said

LIVE updates: 11 UN staff, 30 pupils at UN schools, killed in Gaza

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Social media riddled with misinformation on Israel-Hamas war, say experts

While Twitter has always struggled with combatting misinformation about major news events, it was still the go-to place to find out what's happening in the world. But the Israel-Hamas war has underscored how the platform now transformed into X has become not only unreliable but is actively promoting falsehoods. Experts say that under Elon Musk the platform has deteriorated to the point that it's not just failing to clamp down on misinformation but is favouring posts by accounts that pay for its blue-check subscription service, regardless of who runs them. If such posts go viral, their blue-checked creators can be eligible for payments from X, creating a financial incentive to post whatever gets the most reaction including misinformation. Ian Bremmer, a prominent foreign policy expert, posted on X that the level of disinformation on the Israel-Hamas war being algorithmically promoted" on the platform "is unlike anything I've ever been exposed to in my career as a political ...

How Deif, secretive Hamas commander masterminded attack on Israel

His wife, 7-month-old son, and 3-year-old daughter were killed by an Israeli air strike in 2014

Lights out in Gaza: Israeli strikes destroy only power plant in territory

Palestinians in the sealed-off Gaza Strip struggled to find any safe area on Wednesday, as Israeli strikes demolished entire neighbourhoods, hospitals ran low on supplies and the territory's only power plant ran out of fuel, deepening the misery of a war sparked by a stunning and deadly assault by Hamas militants. Airstrikes smashed entire city blocks to rubble in the tiny coastal enclave and left unknown numbers of bodies beneath mounds of debris. The bombardment raged on even though militants are holding an estimated 150 people snatched from Israel soldiers, men, women, children and older adults. Israel has vowed unprecedented retaliation against the Hamas militant group ruling the Palestinian territory after its fighters stormed through the border fence on Saturday and gunned down hundreds of Israelis in their homes, on the streets and at an outdoor music festival. Since then, militants have continued to fire rockets at Israel, including a heavy barrage at the southern town of .

Israel claims 'hostile aircraft' entered country from Lebanon, alarms north

The Israeli military said Wednesday night that hostile aircraft had entered the country from Lebanon, setting sirens blaring across northern Israel as it urged citizens there to shelter. The military did not specify the kind of aircraft. But Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Palestinian militants are known to have drones and gliders. The news came after Hezbollah fired anti-tank missiles at an Israeli military position earlier Wednesday, claiming to have killed and wounded troops. The Israeli military confirmed the attack but did not comment on possible casualties. The Israeli army shelled the area in southern Lebanon where the attack was launched.

India launches 'Operation Ajay' for return of citizens from war-torn Israel

India is launching 'Operation Ajay' to facilitate the return from Israel of those Indians who wish to come back home, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on Wednesday. The announcement comes as the military conflict between Hamas militants and Israel continued for the fifth day. "Launching #OperationAjay to facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return," Jaishankar posted on X. "Special charter flights and other arrangements being put in place. Fully committed to the safety and well-being of our nationals abroad," he said.

Netanyahu, opposition agree to form wartime unity govt after Hamas attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a leading opposition figure on Wednesday created a war-time Cabinet to oversee the fight against Hamas militants after their stunning weekend attack. In the sealed-off Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas, Palestinians struggled to find safety as Israeli bombardment demolished entire neighbourhoods and the territory's only power plant ran out of fuel. The new war-time Cabinet will consist of Netanyahu, Benny Gantz a senior opposition figure and former defense minister and current Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, a statement released by Gantz said. The Cabinet will focus only on issues of the war. It appeared that the rest of Netanyahu's existing government partners, a collection of far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties, would remain in place to handle other issues. The unusual arrangement cobbles together a degree of unity after years of bitterly divisive politics, as the military appears increasingly likely to launch a ground offensive into Gaza.

Israel-Palestine conflict not likely to impact gem, jewellery sector: GJEPC

Rising tension between Israel and Palestine is not likely to have any adverse impact on the gem and jewellery industry's exports, GJEPC has said. India has witnessed substantial exports of gem and jewellery to Israel, amounting to USD 1,279.76 million in 2022-23, according to data by the Gem Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). It is significant to note that Israel being a very important trading centre exports rough diamonds to the tune of USD 1,782.80 million, it added. "Israel primarily serves as a re-export market. While the ongoing situation in Israel is of grave concern to us, we express our solidarity with the Israeli diamond trade during this hour of crisis for their nation. It is too early to definitively assess the impact and we are keeping a strict watch on the situation. "We have not witnessed any disruption in the regular dealings and believe it is unlikely to significantly impact India's gem and jewellery trade with Israel. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful for a

MEA sets up 24-hour control room, helpline amid Israel-Palestine conflicts

The Ministry of External Affairs has asked Indian citizens to remain vigilant and reach out to its control room for any assistance in light of the ongoing developments in Israel and Palestine

Initial shipment of US weapons lands in Israel as Biden vows support

The first shipment of advanced US weapons and equipment have landed in Israel to boost the US ally in its war with Hamas, the Israel Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday. The video footage and images released by Israel's Ministry of Defence showed the landing of a cargo plane that delivered the initial shipment of equipment procured and brought to the country through a joint operation. The Ministry of Defence's Directorate of Production and Procurement, the US Procurement Mission, and the International Transportation Unit within the Israel Defence Ministry in the operation oversaw the mobilisation of the cargo plane, ensuring the direct transport of armaments from the US, Mayan Lazarovich from the Ministry of Defence Spokesperson's Office, said in a statement. Washington on Tuesday said it had already begun delivering critically needed munitions and military equipment to Israel, and the Pentagon was reviewing inventories to see what else could be sent quickly to boost its ally. A

Israel strikes neighbourhoods in Gaza Strip as war appears to escalate

Residents of the Gaza Strip scrambled to find safety Wednesday, as Israeli warplanes hammered neighbourhood after neighbourhood in the tiny coastal enclave, retaliating for the deadly weekend attack by Hamas militants. As Gazans crowded into UN schools and a shrinking number of safe neighbourhoods, humanitarian groups pleaded for the creation of corridors to get aid into Gaza, warning that hospitals overwhelmed with wounded people were running out of supplies. Israel has stopped entry of food, fuel and medicine into Gaza, and the sole remaining access from Egypt shut down Tuesday after airstrikes hit near the border crossing. The war, which has claimed at least 2,100 lives on both sides, is expected to escalate. Israel appears determined to crush Hamas' hold on Gaza, following an unprecedented attack in which militants gunned down civilians in their homes, on streets and at a mass outdoor music festival, while dragging men, women and children into captivity. Hamas and other milita

Gaza power authority warns that electricity will run out within hours

Gaza's power authority says its sole power plant will fun out of fuel within hours, leaving the territory without electricity after Israel cut off supplies. Israel said it would cut off all electricity to the territory after Hamas' bloody rampage over the weekend. All of Gaza's crossings are closed, making it impossible to bring in fuel for the power plant or the generators on which residents and hospitals have long relied. The power authority said Wednesday that the plant would shut down in the afternoon.

Israel-Gaza war: Death toll up as conflict expands to bordering nations

Israel has reported attacks from other bordering nations as well as internal conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in neighbouring countries as death toll rises and supplied diminish in Gaza

We need to destroy Hamas, says Israeli Consul General to South India

Tammy Ben-Haim also emphasised that the Hamas' goal is to harm Jews and Israelis and said that the terror group uses the civilian buildings and schools for hiding their commanders and weaponry

Turkey ready for any kind of mediation: Erdogan on Israel-Hamas conflict

Erdogan said, "I would like to state that Turkey is ready for any kind of mediation, including prisoner exchanges, if the parties request it"

4 Andhra Pradesh women stranded in Israel are safe: APNRT society

The Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS), a government entity, said it was in touch with four woman migrants from the state, who are currently stranded in war-torn Israel. APNRTS chief executive P. Hemalatha Rani said they are currently in a safe place in Kiryat Onu in the country, which is waging a war against Palestinian armed group Hamas. APNRTS' 24/7 helpline is in continuous contact with the four women migrants from Andhra Pradesh, updating them with the latest information and instructions from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Embassy of India. Shared with them the advisory released by EOI, Israel, Rani told PTI on Tuesday. She noted that Telugu speaking people from the southern state are in safe places and following the instructions of the Israeli government. APNRTS is prepared for emergency repatriations of Telugu migrants from Andhra Pradesh in Israel if need arises. She said the NRT society is closely monitoring the international and local med