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☆ 10 Israeli soldiers hospitalized for wasp stings after their tank ran over a swarm's nest in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A swarm of wasps in the southern Gaza Strip injured twelve IDF soldiers. Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv treated the wounded soldiers, with one requiring intensive care. AdvertisementTwelve IDF soldiers were injured after being attacked by a swarm of wasps in the southern Gaza Strip, the Times of Israel reports. Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer admitted 10 of the wounded soldiers for treatment, with one requiring intensive care, said the report. In the wasp incident, the swarm was provoked by a tank rolling over its nest.

Persons: —, Efrat Katz Organizations: Gaza, Gaza Division's Southern Brigade, Sheba Medical, Service, Gaza Division's, Brigade, Sheba Medical Center, IDF, US Marine, Business Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, Tel Hashomer, Kentucky, Nirim, Hamas

☆ How the Israeli Air Force once destroyed over 60 enemy jets and dozens of Soviet missile systems in battle without losing a single fighter
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Israeli Air Force achieved an unmatched air combat victory in the 1982 Lebanon War. The battle, known as Operation Mole Cricket 19, saw over 60 enemy aircraft eliminated without a single Israeli loss. The fourth-generation Israeli jets were also made much more lethal by the AIM-9L Sidewinder missile that could be fired from any angle. This allowed Israeli jets, with targeting assistance from UAVs, to destroy the SAMs using anti-radiation missiles. A picture taken on June 28, 2016 shows an Israeli Air Force F-16 fighter jet preparing to take off at the Ramat David Air Force Base located in the Jezreel Valley, southeast of the Israeli port city of Haifa JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty ImagesAdditionally, Israel had superior Command, Control, and Communications (C3) capabilities.

Persons: —, SAMs, Haifa JACK GUEZ, hadn't, Israel, Organizations: Israeli Air Force, Mole, Service, Palestinian Liberation Organization, Soviet Union, Soviet, Syrian Air Force, IAF, AIM, 9L, Ramat David Air Force Base, Getty, Syrian SAM, Kippur, Command, Communications, Grumman, RAND Corporation Locations: Lebanon, Beqaa, Israel, Syria, Soviet, Vietnam, Jezreel, Haifa, AFP, Syrian

☆ Joost Klein: Eurovision disqualifies Dutch act over incident involving female crew member
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Matt Wells | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Malmo CNN —The Eurovision Song Contest was thrown into fresh turmoil Saturday when organizers disqualified the Dutch entrant hours before the grand final for a backstage incident involving a female crew member. “Swedish police have investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production crew after an incident following his performance in Thursday night’s Semi Final. While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the Contest,” the EBU said. The EBU said the disqualification of Klein did not involve any other performer or member another country’s delegation. Tensions brew in Malmo ahead of finalThe alleged incident involving Klein happened on Thursday evening after the second semi-final, the EBU said.

Persons: Joost Klein, ”, Klein’s, AVROTROS, Klein, Eden Golan, Israel, Switzerland’s Nemo, France’s, Alyona, Jerry Heil, Golan Organizations: Malmo CNN, European Broadcasting Union, Swedish Police Authority, CNN, Malmo Arena, EBU, Security, RAI, Croatia, Israel Locations: Malmo, Sweden, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Gaza

☆ Anti-government protests demand release of Gaza hostages ahead of Israel’s Memorial Day
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Eugenia Yosef | Mohammed Tawfeeq | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Protesters took to the streets of several cities across Israel on Saturday, demanding the release of all hostages held in Gaza ahead of Israel’s Memorial Day. Families of hostages held in Gaza also took part in anti-government protests, including in Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Rehovot, and Haifa. Many waved Israeli flags and held up signs with images of the Israeli hostages, calling on the government to bring them home alive. Israeli mounted police deploy during a rally calling for the release of hostages held in Gaza outside the defense ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv on May 11, 2024. “The UK government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yael Adar, Tamir Adar, Tamir, ” Adar, Jack Guez, Hagit Chen, Itay Chen, “, ” Chen, Abu Obaida, Popplewell, ” Obaida, Kibbutz, Channah Peri, brother Roi Organizations: CNN — Protesters, Israel Defense Forces, Getty, Al, Brigades, Minister’s, CNN, United Locations: Israel, Gaza, Israel’s, Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Rehovot, Haifa, AFP, Kibbutz Nirim, Israeli

☆ Isolated and Defiant, Israel Vows to ‘Stand Alone’ in War on Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Damien Cave | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ireland and Spain say they will recognize Palestine as a state by the end of the month. Even the United States — long Israel’s closest ally and benefactor — is threatening for the first time since the war began to withhold certain arms shipments. Seven months after much of the world pledged its support to Israel following a Hamas-led terrorist attack, the country finds itself increasingly isolated. Of greatest concern to Israel: splintering relations with the United States. This week, Mr. Biden said the United States was withholding delivery of 3,500 high-payload bombs.

Persons: —, Israel, Biden Organizations: Palestine Locations: Turkey, Israel, Ireland, Spain, States, Gaza, United States

☆ Opinion | A Failure of Leadership at American Universities
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Protesting the world’s wrongs has been a rite of passage for generations of American youth, buoyed by our strong laws protecting free speech and free assembly. The highest calling of a university is to craft a culture of open inquiry, one where both free speech and academic freedom are held as ideals. The Constitutional right to free speech is the protection against government interference restricting speech. In the real world, though, this can get messy, and nuance is required when free speech comes into tension with protecting academic freedom. The earliest universities to adopt the principle of academic freedom did so to thwart interference and influence from totalitarian states and religious zealotry.

Organizations: don’t, American Association of University Locations: Israel

☆ Switzerland Wins Eurovision, as Protests Give Way to Spectacle
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Alex Marshall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The run-up to this Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest final in Malmo, Sweden, was unusually tense and anguished, with months of protests over Israel’s involvement in the competition, a contestant suspended just hours before the show began and confrontations between the police and pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the arena on the night. But when the final began, the uproar swiftly disappeared. Instead of protests and outrage, there was the usual high-camp spectacle, featuring singers emoting about lost loves, near-naked dancers and, at one point, a performer climbing out of a giant egg. At the end of the four-hour show, Nemo, representing Switzerland, won with “The Code,” a catchy track in which the nonbinary performer rapped and sang operatically about their journey to realizing their identity. “I went to hell and back / To get myself on track,” Nemo sang in the chorus: “Now, I found paradise / I broke the code.”

Persons: emoting, “, ” Nemo Locations: Malmo, Sweden, Switzerland

☆ US Marine officer claims 40% of drones the IDF has shot down were their own, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A US Marine officer said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been shooting down some of its own drones. The officer said the IDF had been taking out 40% of their own UAVs, per The War Zone. AdvertisementThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been shooting down almost half of their own drones, a US Marine Corps officer has said. The Marine Corps told Business Insider that The War Zone report was accurately contextualized but declined to provide additional information. Reports have also emerged suggesting that the IDF had likely accidentally killed Israeli citizens during Hamas' attacks on October 7.

Persons: —, Michael Pruden, it's, Pruden, Efrat Katz Organizations: US, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Service, US Marine Corps, Marine Corps, Royal United Services Institute, Haaretz, Israel Air Force Locations: Gaza, Israel

☆ Eurovision Final Eurovision 2024 Live Updates: Competition Set to Start Amid Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Alex Marshall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

PinnedTo its millions of devoted fans, the Eurovision Song Contest is a cultural juggernaut, an exciting competition in which singers and rappers represent their countries and perform for votes. To more casual observers, it’s simply a fun, camp — and often bewildering — night of TV, with extravagant songs and outrageous outfits. This year, as always, the contest features songs that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Eden Golan, a 20-year-old pop star, will represent Israel with “Hurricane,” a ballad that obliquely references Israeli grief over the Oct. 7 attacks last year. Will Golan win over the audience and the tens of millions watching live on TV and YouTube?

Persons: it’s, Angelina Mango, Tagi, Eden Golan, Will Golan Organizations: “, Eurovision, Palestinian, Malmo Arena, Israel Locations: France, Malmo, Sweden, Gaza, Israel, U.S, Peacock

☆ Opinion | Reading and Protesting on Campus
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Yet Mr. Douthat somehow suggests that a handful of anticolonial texts read in the yearlong course are fueling widespread antisemitism. Mr. Douthat fails to explain how students go from Gandhi’s passive resistance or Bhimrao Ambedkar’s civic liberalism to condoning Hamas’s terrorism. Even a course as expansive as “Contemporary Civilization” cannot cover everything. “Contemporary Civilization” requires that students think critically about a wide range of ideological commitments, including classical liberalism, civic republicanism and Judeo-Christian-Islamic thought. Mr. Douthat should know better.

Persons: Ross Douthat, Douthat, condoning, Frantz, Hannah Arendt’s, Douthat’s, “ Locations: Gaza

☆ Israeli guards strapped wounded Palestinian detainees to their beds wearing diapers and fed them through straws, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewAn Israeli detention center is subjecting Palestinians to abuse, strapping detainees down to their beds, blindfolding them, and holding them in diapers, a new CNN report alleges. It has been the site of abusive conduct against some of the 70 Palestinian detainees, three Israeli whistleblowers told CNN. One whistleblower told CNN that beatings were "not done to gather intelligence. In a field hospital, wounded detainees were strapped to beds, dressed in diapers, and fed through straws, CNN reported. In November, Business Insider's Alia Shoaib reported on graphic videos appearing to show IDF soldiers abusing Palestinian detainees in the West Bank.

Persons: —, Mohammed Al, Insider's Alia Shoaib, Adnan Al Organizations: Service, CNN, Business, Medical, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, of Health, Guards, Shifa, Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Anadolu, Getty, West Bank, BBC, Military Locations: Israel, Gaza, Aqsa, Deir Al Balah, Negev, al

☆ A Brief History of the 2,000-Pound Bombs Central to U.S.-Israeli Tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( John Ismay | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

When President Biden threatened to pause some weapons shipments to Israel if it invaded the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the devastating effects of one weapon were of particular concern to him. “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs,” Mr. Biden said in remarks to CNN this week. He was referring to U.S.-made 2,000-pound aerial weapons, the largest in the Pentagon’s Mark 80 series of bombs. In the military’s banal lexicon, the Mark 80s are “general purpose” bombs, meaning that they can be used on almost any target the military typically expects to encounter in war. In addition to the 2,000-pound Mk-84, they also come in 250-pound, 500-pound and 1,000-pound versions — the Mk-81, Mk-82 and Mk-83.

Persons: Biden, Mr Organizations: “, CNN Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rafah, U.S

☆ Opinion | The Limits of Moralism in Israel and Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Ross Douthat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Foreign policy can make a mockery of moral certitude. It’s why the “good war” of World War II involved a partnership with a monster in Moscow and the subjection of half of Europe to totalitarian oppression. But in active controversies the tragic vision can seem like a cold way of looking at the world. A “realist” foreign policy can slide from describing power to excusing depredations. It can underestimate the power of a righteous cause — as I underestimated, for instance, Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself in 2022.

Locations: Moscow, Europe, Vietnam, Beijing

☆ The Long, Tortured Road to Biden’s Clash With Netanyahu Over Gaza War
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Peter Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden laid it out for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel long before letting the public know. For the first time, the president who had so strongly backed Israel’s war against Hamas was essentially threatening to change course. Six days later, on Feb. 17, Mr. Biden heard from Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. Despite the president’s warning, Mr. Blinken reported that momentum for an invasion of Rafah was building. Mr. Netanyahu responded defiantly, vowing to act even “if we need to stand alone.”

Persons: Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Antony J, Blinken, Netanyahu, ” Organizations: Hamas Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Munich, United States, Israel

Around 300,000 Palestinians in southern and northern Gaza are being forced to flee once again, the United Nations says, as Israel issued new and expanded evacuation orders on Saturday. But many are unsure where to find secure shelter in a place devastated by war. The expanded evacuation orders apply to the city of Rafah at Gaza’s southernmost tip, where more than a million Gazans have gathered after fleeing Israeli bombardment elsewhere over the past seven months. Some 150,000 people have already fled Rafah over the past six days, according to UNRWA, the United Nations agency that aids Palestinians. “Fear, confusion, oppression, anxiety is eating away at people.”

Persons: “, ”, Mohammad al, Masri Organizations: Nations, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Israel, Rafah

Orleck and Tamari are among at least 50 professors arrested at campus protests across the country, according to a CNN review of police records, court filings, and news reports. (Since April 18, more than 2,400 students have been arrested amid protests on more than 50 campuses.) Officials from several universities where professors were arrested in connection with recent protests declined to comment on individual cases. All the professors, Blair said, were “expecting to get arrested.” Though Blair himself was not arrested, at least four other UCLA professors were that day. “I want to say some of my colleagues, particularly at Emory and Washington University, were treated much more brutally.

Persons: Orleck, whiplash, Steve Tamari, Louis, Tamari, “, Caroline Fohlin’s, Fohlin, Gregory Pflugfelder, Isaac Kamola, Alex Kent, ”, Kamola, “ There’s, Gregory Fenves, Fenves, Emory, Carol Folt, Andrew Guzman, Minouche Shafik, Joseph Howley, Graeme Blair, Blair, ‘, ” Orleck, she’d “, they’re, Sian Leah Beilock, WMUR, ” Tamari, Mo, Christine Tannous, Andrew Martin, hasn’t, ‘ Don’t, “ Don’t, ” Michael Allen, ” Allen, Allen, I’m, St . Louis, Michael Allen “, Chancellor Martin, Bikrum Gill, Gill, ” Gill, it’s Organizations: CNN, Dartmouth College, Washington University, Palestinian, Emory University, Columbia University, New York Times, American Association of University, ’ Center, Defense, Faculty of Columbia University, Getty, Emory, University of Southern, USC, Columbia, UCLA, Justice, Green, Hanover Police Department, Police, Louis Post, AP Protesters, Boeing Company, Israel Defense Forces, University, Desirée, Virginia Tech Locations: New Hampshire, St, Palestinian American, Atlanta, New York, Columbia’s, Palestine, Gaza, Los, Los Angeles, Dartmouth, Emory, Palestinian, American, Louis , Missouri, Missouri, Illinois, Louis, Washington, Israel, St .

☆ Switzerland wins Eurovision after politically charged song contest upstaged by Israel controversy
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Switzerland’s Nemo won a chaotic and politically fraught Eurovision Song Contest, triumphing in a competition in Sweden that was upstaged by controversy over the presence of Israel. But organizers the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) sharply defended Israel’s presence, and insisted the contest is non-political – a line that became increasingly untenable as artists, broadcasters and fans clashed over the presence of Israel’s singer Eden Golan. Ultimately a competitor was disqualified, just hours before the event – the Dutch contestant Joost Klein, who was kicked out of the final after an “incident” backstage. Ireland’s Bambie Thug told CNN in the build-up to the event that it was “the wrong decision” not to exclude Israel, as Russia had been two years ago. But for all the celebratory scenes that closed the show, the EBU will be relieved to see a rocky week conclude.

Persons: Switzerland’s Nemo, Eden Golan, Joost Klein, Ireland’s Bambie Thug, ”, … Organizations: CNN, Israel’s, Malmo, Eurovision, Protesters, European Broadcasting Union Locations: Sweden, Israel, Gaza, Russia, Swedish

☆ Can Your Investment Portfolio Reflect Your Values?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Ron Lieber | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The protests roiling college campuses are filled with all sorts of demands, but many of them have one thing in common: money. Many pro-Palestinian protesters want their school’s endowments to pull money from investments in companies that have financial ties to Israel. We all want to live our values and have our colleges, employers and communities do so, too. We saw similar protests in the 1970s and ’80s with South Africa and in the continuing debate over climate change. Students, especially, can learn a lot about investing, governance and complexity through trying to influence their schools.

Organizations: South Locations: Israel, South Africa, Gaza

☆ A Rising Democrat Leans Into the Campus Fight Over Antisemitism
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-11 | by ( Katie Glueck | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A few hours after Columbia University canceled its main commencement ceremony following weeks of pro-Palestinian student protests, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania was in his office in Harrisburg, taking stock of the ways he sees universities letting students down. “Our colleges, in many cases, are failing young people,” he said in an interview this week. “Failing to teach information that is necessary to form thoughtful perspectives. They are willing to let certain forms of hate pass by and condemn others more strongly.”Mr. Shapiro — the leader of a pre-eminent battleground state, a rising Democrat and a proudly observant Jew — has also emerged as one of his party’s most visible figures denouncing the rise in documented antisemitism after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Persons: Josh Shapiro, ”, “, Mr, Shapiro —, —, Shapiro Organizations: Columbia University, Gov, Pennsylvania, Israel Locations: Harrisburg, “, Israel

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, looming Rafah invasion, Israel Eurovision participation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Police face pro-Palestinian protesters in central Malmo during the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Malmo Arena, Sweden, on May 9. More than 150 million people around the world will watch Saturday's Eurovision final on TV, and around 15,000 fans will gather inside the Malmo Arena. Those protesting or boycotting the song contest say it is “artwashing” the conflict; others defend Israel’s inclusion, insisting the contest should not be dragged into geopolitics. And they are leading to perhaps the tensest three minutes in the contest’s history, when Israel’s competitor, Eden Golan, performs live. “I would imagine the scale of it in Malmo would be bigger than anything we’ve ever seen before.”Read the full analysis.

Persons: Johan Nilsson, ” Paul Jordan, ”, Weeks, Eden Golan, ” Jordan, “ Organizations: Malmo Arena, Getty, Music, Malmo, Eurovision, CNN Locations: Malmo, Sweden, AFP, Swedish, Gaza, Israel

CNN spoke to three Israeli whistleblowers who worked at the Sde Teiman desert camp, which holds Palestinians detained during Israel’s invasion of Gaza. Reports of abuse at Sde Teiman have already surfaced in Israeli and Arab media after an outcry from Israeli and Palestinian rights groups over conditions there. CNN has requested permission from the Israeli military to access the Sde Teiman base. The account tallied with details of a letter authored by a doctor working at Sde Teiman published by Ha’aretz in April. The structure, which resembles an animal pen, is located in the central area of the Sde Teiman compound.

Persons: Sde Teiman, ”, “, –, Ofer, Patrick Gallagher, Adnan al, Bursh –, Mohammed al, Ran, ” Dr, Mohammed Al, Shawish, abasement, “ You’d, Teiman, Ha’aretz, Israel, Ray, Tal Steiner, ” Steiner, – Ofer, West Bank –, Ibrahim Yassine, Abu Salah, Al, Barbara Arvanitidis, Tamara Qiblawi, Matthew Chance OSINT, Allegra Goodwin, Alex Platt, Abeer Salman, Ami Kaufman, Kareem Khadder, Mohammad Al Sawalhi, Carlotta Dotto, Lou Robinson, Mark Oliver, Tom James, Sarah Tilotta, Mark Baron, Julie Zink, Augusta Anthony Motion, Yukari Schrickel, Laura Smith, Eliza Mackintosh, Dan Wright, Matt Wells Editor’s, Matthew Chance, Al Hilou Organizations: Israel CNN —, CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Military, IDF, West Bank, Bosnian, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Social Media, CNN Al, “, Ha’aretz, for Human Rights, Nasser Hospital, Planet Labs PBC Planet, Planet Labs, Palestinian Red Crescent Society Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Al, Ahli, Israel’s, “, London, Sde, Jerusalem

☆ Oil prices up on stronger Chinese data, Middle East conflict
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Oil prices rose on Friday, continuing upwards trend on the signs of improving economy in China and as negotiations to halt hostilities in the stand-off between Israel and Hamas yielded no results. In the previous session, oil prices edged up to a one-week high on data of rising crude oil imports in China in April and as investors saw the cooling U.S. job market as an indication of possible interest rate cuts. China's exports and imports returned to growth in April after contracting in the previous month, signaling an improvement in demand. "Ongoing signs of strength in demand in China should see commodity market remain well supported," ANZ Research said in a note. Daly did not say if she felt the U.S. central bank was likely or not to cut interest rates this year.

Persons: Brent, Mary Daly, Daly, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden's Organizations: U.S, West Texas, ANZ Research, San Francisco Federal, Financial Locations: China, Israel, U.S, Rafah, Gaza, Cairo

☆ Biden admin says it’s ‘reasonable to assess’ Israel used American weapons in Gaza in ways ‘inconsistent’ with international law
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | Kylie Atwood | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Biden administration said Friday that it is “reasonable to assess” that US weapons have been used by Israeli forces in Gaza in ways that are “inconsistent” with international humanitarian law but stopped short of officially saying Israel violated the law. Although the report does not find Israel in violation of either of the terms of the memorandum, it is sharply critical of the toll of Israel’s military campaign. The findings of the report mark another stark moment in US-Israeli relations in the same week President Joe Biden threatened to restrict weapons transfers if Israel goes ahead with a major offensive in Rafah. The administration was required to make a determination on those two matters under a February national security memorandum, which Biden issued under pressure from Democratic lawmakers. That official said the report would be shared with the Israeli government.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, “, Joe Biden, Israel, ” Organizations: CNN, State Department, USG, Hamas, Capitol, Democratic Locations: Gaza, Israel, Rafah

☆ People Leaving Rafah Describe Fearful Flight From Israeli Assaults
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Raja Abdulrahim | Bilal Shbair | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Displaced from their home in Gaza City months ago, Ms. al-Wakeel and relatives began packing their bags on Monday and preparing to dismantle their tent in Rafah, at the southern edge of the Gaza Strip. Hamas had announced that it had accepted a cease-fire proposal from Qatar and Egypt, leaving many Gazans thinking that a truce was imminent. Instead, Israeli warplanes dropped leaflets in eastern Rafah telling people to flee and move to what Israel called a humanitarian zone to the north, as the Israeli military bombarded the area. Gazan health officials say that dozens have been killed since Israel’s incursion into parts of Rafah this week. “We thought that day a cease-fire was possible,” said Ms. al-Wakeel, 48, who helped the aid group World Central Kitchen prepare hot meals.

Persons: Manal, Israel, ”, Abu Yousef al, Marwan al Organizations: Hamas, Najjar Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Qatar, Egypt, Israel, Hams

☆ UNRWA to close East Jerusalem headquarters after arson attack by ‘Israeli extremists’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Hande Atay Alam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The United Nations’ agency for Palestinian refugees will shutter its East Jerusalem headquarters after the compound was set on fire by “Israeli extremists” while staff were inside, its chief said Thursday. “This evening, Israeli residents set fire twice to the perimeter of the UNRWA Headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem. This took place while UNRWA and other UN Agencies’ staff were on the compound,” Lazzarini said. Israeli officials have long criticized UNRWA, which plays a central role in feeding and sheltering hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees. Anything less will set a new dangerous standard.”CNN has reached out to the Israeli government for comment.

Persons: ”, Philippe Lazzarini, ” Lazzarini, Lazzarini, “, UNWRA, Israel Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UNRWA, ’, UN Locations: Jerusalem, East Jerusalem, Gaza, Israel

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