Page 99 - Israel

Deeply concerned about prospective Israeli operation in Rafah: Biden

US President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah on the lines of those in Gaza City and Khan Younis, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said. During his telephonic conversation with Biden on Monday, Netanyahu agreed to send an inter-agency team of Israeli officials to Washington to hold discussions on an alternative approach to target key Hamas elements in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion, Sullivan said at his daily press conference on Monday. This was the first time in a month that the two leaders spoke on phone. Sullivan said Biden and Netanyahu spoke at length about Rafah. "The President explained why he is so deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah of the kind it conducted in Gaza City and Khan Younis," the NSA said. More than a

Netanyahu to send officials to Washington to discuss prospective Rafah ops

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss with Biden administration officials a prospective Rafah operation, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. We've arrived at a point where each side has been making clear to the other its perspective, Sullivan said. The White House has been sceptical of Netanyahu's plan to carry out an operation in the southern city of Rafah, where about 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, as Israel looks to eliminate Hamas following Hamas' deadly Oct 7 attack. The development comes as President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke, their first interaction in more than a month, as the divide has grown between allies over the food crisis in Gaza and Israel's conduct during the war, according to the White House. The call comes after Republicans in Washington and Israeli officials were quick to express outrage after Senate Majority Leader Chuck

Famine imminent in Gaza as Israel launches another raid on hospital: UN

The UN food agency said Monday that famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where 70% of the remaining population is experiencing catastrophic hunger, and that a further escalation of the war could push around half of Gaza's total population to the brink of starvation. The alarming report came as Israel faces mounting pressure from even its closest allies to streamline the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and open more crossings. The European Union's top diplomat said the impending famine was entirely man-made as "starvation is used as a weapon of war. Israeli forces meanwhile launched another raid on the Gaza Strip's largest hospital early Monday, saying Hamas militants had regrouped there and had fired on them from inside the compound, where Palestinian officials say tens of thousands of people have been sheltering. The military said it killed a Hamas commander who was armed and hiding inside the medical centre, and that one of its own soldiers was killed in the operation. The army

Israel launches raid on Gaza hospital, alleges presence of Hamas' militants

Israeli forces launched another raid on the Gaza Strip's largest hospital early Monday, saying Hamas militants had regrouped there and had fired on them from inside the compound, where Palestinian officials say tens of thousands of people were sheltering. The army last raided Shifa Hospital in November after claiming that Hamas maintained an elaborate command centre within and beneath the facility. The military revealed a tunnel leading to a bunker, as well as weapons it said were found inside the hospital, but the evidence fell short of the earlier claims, and critics accused the army of recklessly endangering the lives of civilians. People sheltering in the hospital said Israeli forces backed by tanks and artillery had surrounded the medical complex early Monday and that snipers were shooting at people inside. They said the army raided a number of buildings and detained dozens of people. We're trapped inside, said Abdel-Hady Sayed, who has been sheltering in the medical facility f

Israel PM Netanyahu hits back against growing criticism from top ally US

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed Sunday against growing criticism from top ally the United States against his leadership amid the devastating war with Hamas, describing calls for a new election as wholly inappropriate. In recent days, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the country and a strong Israel supporter, called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had lost his way. President Joe Biden expressed support for Schumer's good speech," and earlier accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel because of the huge civilian death toll in Gaza. Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel never would have called for a new U.S. election after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, and denounced Schumer's comments as inappropriate. We're not a banana republic," he said. The people of Israel will choose when they will have elections, and who they'll elect, and it's not something that will be foisted on us. When asked by CNN whether he would

Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel to press on with Rafah assault plan

He later said after meeting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Jerusalem that Israel would not leave civilians trapped in Rafah when its forces begin their assault

Netanyahu says Israel won't stop until 'total victory' is achieved

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed on Sunday against growing criticism from the United States against his leadership amid the devasting war with Hamas, saying the pressure won't stop Israel from achieving total victory. In recent days, top officials from the US, Israel's staunchest ally which has provided key military and diplomatic support during the war, have publicly voiced their frustration with Netanyahu and his government. US President Joe Biden accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel because of the huge civilian death toll in Gaza. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the country and a strong Israel supporter, then called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had lost his way. Biden then expressed support for what he called Schumer's good speech. The US also has expressed concerns about a planned Israeli assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering,

Suspected attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targets a ship in Gulf of Aden

A suspected attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a ship early Sunday in the Gulf of Aden, potentially marking their latest assault on shipping through the crucial waterway leading to the Red Sea. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre offered few details in an announcement about the attack, saying only it happened off the coast of Aden, the port city in southern Yemen home to the country's exiled government. The Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile attacks in the same area, disrupting energy and cargo shipments through the Gulf of Aden. The rebels did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack, though it typically takes the Houthis several hours before acknowledging their assaults. Separately, the US military's Central Command said it carried out a series of strikes targeting the Houthis. It said it destroyed five drone boats and one drone before takeoff from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen on Saturday. It was an unusual

Israeli airstrikes hit several sites in southern Syria, soldier wounded

Israeli airstrikes hit several sites in southern Syria early Sunday wounding a soldier, Syrian state media reported. State news agency SANA, citing an unnamed military official, said air defences shot down some of the missiles, which came from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights at around 12:42 a.m. local time. The strikes led to material losses and the wounding of a soldier, the statement said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Israeli strikes also hit two military sites in the Qalamoun mountains northeast of Damascus, an area where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has operations. One of the targets was a weapons shipment, the observatory said. The observatory said the strikes represented the 24th time Israel has struck inside Syria since the beginning of 2024. They have killed 43 fighters with various groups including Hezbollah and Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and nine civilians. There was no .

Ship carrying 200 tonnes of aid approaches Gaza through new sea route

The ship, manned by the Spanish aid group Open Arms, left Cyprus on Tuesday towing a barge laden with food sent by World Central Kitchen, the charity founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres

Ahead of anticipated offensive, Israel to direct Palestinians out of Rafah

The Israeli military said Wednesday it plans to direct a significant portion of the 1.4 million displaced Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip's southernmost town of Rafah toward humanitarian islands in the centre of the territory ahead of its planned offensive in the area. The fate of the people in Rafah has been a major area of concern of Israel's allies including the United States and humanitarian groups, worried an offensive in the region densely crowded with so many displaced people would be a catastrophe. Rafah is also Gaza's main entry point for desperately needed aid. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a Rafah offensive is crucial to achieve Israel's stated aim of destroying Hamas following the militants' Oct 7 attack in which about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and around 250 taken hostage and brought into Gaza. Israel's invasion of Gaza has killed more than 31,000, according to Gaza health officials, left much of the enclave in ruins and ...

BP, ADNOC suspend $2 bn deal to acquire 50% stake in Israel's NewMed

NewMed said all parties had agreed to pause negotiations, although Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) and BP have reaffirmed their interest in the deal

ISMC Analog asks govt to block Tower Semiconductor's chip fab application

ISMC had tied up with Tower, and an agreement was signed on December 31, 2020, for setting up a 300-millimetre manufacturing analogue/mix fab project in India

Biden warns Netanyahu not to attack Rafah as Ramadan festivities begin

The US hoped for a breakthrough before Islam's holy month, which began after sundown on Sunday

Oscars 2024: Poor Things, Da'Vine Joy Randloph win where Gaza protests rage

An election-year Academy Awards got underway Sunday with protests for Gaza raging outside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, a few cutting remarks from host Jimmy Kimmel and an Oscar for Da'Vine Joy Randolph for her performance in The Holdovers. Kimmel, emceeing the ABC telecast for the fourth time, opened the 96th Academy Awards with an opening monologue that drew a few cold looks (from Robert Downey Jr., Sandra Hller and Messi, the dog from best-picture nominee Anatomy of a Fall). But Kimmel, emphasizing Hollywood as a union town following 2023's actor and writer strikes, drew a standing ovation for bringing out teamsters and behind-the-scenes workers who are now entering their own labor negotiations. Accepting the night's first award, an emotional Randolph was accompanied to the stage by her Holdovers co-star Paul Giamatti. For so long I've always wanted to be different, said Randolph. "And now I realize I just need to be myself." Though Randolph's win was widely expected, an up

Protests over Israel's war in Gaza snarl traffic outside Oscars in LA

Protests over over Israel's war in Gaza snarled traffic around the Academy Awards on Sunday, slowing stars' arrival at the red carpet and turning the Oscar spotlight toward the ongoing conflict. Scattered demonstrations were held in the vicinity around the Oscars on Sunday. Los Angeles police, which had expected protests, beefed up their already extensive presence. The Dolby Theatre and the red carpet leading into it are cordoned off for several blocks in every direction. But protesters carrying signs and chanting for ceasefire disrupted traffic near security checkpoints on Sunset Blvd. Some arrivals were slowed by as much as an hour. Some protesters shouted Shame! at those trying to reach the Oscars. Police in helmets and wielding batons declared an unlawful assembly and threatened arrest. Several attendees, including Billie Eilish and Finneas, best song nominees for What Was I Made For? from Barbie, wore pins for Gaza. Ava DuVernay and Ramy Youssef were also among those wearing ..

Biden cajoles Netanyahu with tough talk but Israeli PM remains dug in

US President Joe Biden has stepped up public pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, warning he's hurting Israel and speaking candidly about come to Jesus conversations with the leader over the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Despite Biden's increased displays of frustration, Israeli officials and Middle East analysts say no signs are emerging that Biden can push Israel, at least in the short term, to fundamentally alter how it's prosecuting the conflict that is entering a new dangerous phase. He has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas, Biden said of Netanyahu in an MSNBC interview. But he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken. He's hurting...in my view, he's hurting Israel more than helping Israel. The president had hoped to have an extended cease-fire in place by the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is set to begin Monday. Biden ...

Effort to get aid to Gaza by sea halted as first ship still waits in Cyprus

A US Army vessel carrying equipment to build a temporary pier in Gaza was heading to the Mediterranean on Sunday, after US President Joe Biden announced plans to increase aid deliveries by sea to the besieged enclave where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are going hungry. The new push for aid came as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan was set to begin Monday in much of the world after officials in Saudi Arabia saw the crescent moon. Hopes for a new cease-fire by Ramadan faded days ago with negotiations apparently stalled. The opening of the sea corridor, along with airdrops by the US, Jordan and others, reflected growing alarm over Gaza's deadly humanitarian crisis and a new willingness to bypass Israeli control over land shipments. But aid officials say that air and sea deliveries can't make up for a shortage of land routes. Aid trucks entering Gaza daily are far below the 500 entering before the war. A ship belonging to Spanish aid group Open Arms and carrying 200 tons of food

Netanyahu hurting Israel by not preventing more deaths in Gaza: Biden

US President Joe Biden said Saturday that he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hurting Israel more than helping Israel in how he is approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza. The US leader expressed support for Israel's right to pursue Hamas after the October 7 attack, but said of Netanyahu that he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken. Biden has for months warned that Israel risks losing international support over mounting civilian casualties in Gaza, and the latest remarks in an interview with MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart pointed to the increasingly strained relationship between the two leaders. Biden said of the death toll in Gaza, it's contrary to what Israel stands for. And I think it's a big mistake. Biden said a potential Israeli invasion of the Gaza city of Rafah, where more than 1.3 million Palestinians are sheltering, is a red line for him, but said he would not cut off weapons like the Iron Dome ...

'Singapore will do everything to extend help to those affected in Gaza'

Singapore's Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said on Saturday that his country would do whatever best possible to extend help to those affected in Gaza amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Speaking at Soka Kindergarten in Tampines on the east coast of the prosperous city-state, where volunteers had gathered to pack supplies for children in Gaza, Shanmugam said that the continued efforts to those affected in Gaza showed who exactly Singapore is as a society, the Channel News Asia reported. "The continued efforts to raise funds and send aid to Gaza are a demonstration of who we are as a society, coming together across different religious groups to try and help," said Shanmugam. Interfaith non-profit group Humanity Matters organised the event, ahead of a possible ceasefire in Gaza. The group aimed to assemble 5,000 comfort packs, each comprising a backpack, an inflatable pillow, vitamin gummies, snack treats, a water bottle, a stress ball and a stuffed toy, according to the .