Israeli strikes kill 146 Palestinians in Gaza in 24 hours, says local health authorities
Israel's airforce killed at least 146 Palestinians in new attacks on Gaza over the past 24 hours and injured many more, local health authorities said on Saturday, as the country appeared set to press ahead with a new ground offensive.
Israeli strikes since Thursday have seen one of the deadliest phases of bombardment since a truce collapsed in March. The latest strikes came as U.S. President Donald Trump ended his Middle East tour on Friday with no apparent progress towards a new ceasefire.
"Since midnight, we have received 58 martyrs, while a large number of victims remain under the rubble. The situation inside the hospital is catastrophic," said the director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, Marwan Al-Sultan.
Israel's military said on Saturday it was conducting extensive strikes and mobilizing troops as part of preparations to expand operations in the Gaza Strip and achieve "operational control" in areas of the Palestinian enclave.
The Gaza health system is barely operational with hospitals hit repeatedly by the Israeli military during the 19-month war and medical supplies drying up as Israel tightened its blockade since March.
The escalation, which includes the build-up of armoured forces along the border, is part of the initial stages of 'Operation Gideon's Wagons', which Israel says is aimed at defeating Hamas and getting its hostages back.
An Israeli defence official said earlier this month the operation would not be launched before Trump concluded his visit to the Middle East.
"We are gradually increasing forces; Hamas remains defiant," the military said on Saturday.
United Nations experts warn that famine looms in Gaza after Israel blocked aid deliveries to the strip 76 days ago, with UN aid chief Tom Fletcher asking the Security Council this week if it would act to "prevent genocide".
Trump on Friday acknowledged Gaza's growing hunger crisis and the need for aid deliveries, as international pressure grows on Israel to resume ceasefire talks and end its blockade of Gaza.
A U.S.-backed foundation aims to start distributing aid to Gazans by the end of May, using private U.S. security and logistics firms, but the U.N. has said it won't work with the foundation because it is not impartial, neutral or independent.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 5 that Israel was planning an expanded, intensive offensive against Hamas as his security cabinet approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid.
On Friday Israel's military ordered Gazans to move south after heavy strikes in the northern town of Beit Lahia and the Jabalia refugee camp. Residents, however, said tanks were advancing towards the southern city of Khan Younis.
Israel's declared goal in Gaza is the elimination of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas, which attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing about 250 hostages.
Its military campaign has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, pushing nearly all its 2 million inhabitants from their homes and killing more than 53,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.
NBC News reported on Friday, citing five people with knowledge of the matter, that the Trump administration is working on a plan to permanently relocate as many as one million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Libya.
Palestinians, including Hamas, and the rival authority of President Mahmoud Abbas reject any displacement of people outside their land.
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Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
NIH scientists go public to criticize Trump's deep cuts in public health research
Cardboard tombstones symbolizing canceled research grants at the NIH Visitors Center in Bethesda (AP) WASHINGTON: In his confirmation hearings to lead the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya pledged his openness to views that might conflict with his own. "Dissent, he said, "is the very essence of science. " That commitment is being put to the test. On Monday, scores of scientists at the agency sent their Trump-appointed leader a letter titled the Bethesda Declaration, a frontal challenge to "policies that undermine the NIH mission, waste public resources, and harm the health of Americans and people across the globe." It says: "We dissent." In a capital where insiders often insist on anonymity to say such things publicly, more than 90 NIH researchers, program directors, branch chiefs and scientific review officers put their signatures on the letter - and their careers on the line. Confronting a 'culture of fear' They went public in the face of a "culture of fear and suppression" they say President Donald Trump 's administration has spread through the federal civil service. "We are compelled to speak up when our leadership prioritizes political momentum over human safety and faithful stewardship of public resources," the declaration says. Named for the agency's headquarters location in Maryland, the Bethesda Declaration details upheaval in the world's premier public health research institution over the course of mere months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo It addresses the abrupt termination of 2,100 research grants valued at more than $12 billion and some of the human costs that have resulted, such as cutting off medication regimens to participants in clinical trials or leaving them with unmonitored device implants. In one case, an NIH-supported study of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis in Haiti had to be stopped, ceasing antibiotic treatment mid-course for patients. In a number of cases, trials that were mostly completed were rendered useless without the money to finish and analyze the work, the letter says. "Ending a $5 million research study when it is 80% complete does not save $1 million," it says, "it wastes $4 million." The mask comes off The four-page letter, addressed to Bhattacharya but also sent to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and members of Congress who oversee the NIH, was endorsed by 250 anonymous employees of the agency besides the 92 who signed. Jenna Norton, who oversees health disparity research at the agency's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, recently appeared at a forum by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., to talk about what's happening at the NIH. At the event, she masked to conceal her identity. Now the mask is off. She was a lead organizer of the declaration. "I want people to know how bad things are at NIH," Norton told The Associated Press. The signers said they modeled their indictment after Bhattacharya's own Great Barrington Declaration of October 2020, when he was a professor at Stanford University Medical School. His declaration drew together likeminded infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists who dissented from what they saw as excessive COVID-19 lockdown policies and felt ostracized by the larger public health community that pushed those policies, including the NIH. "He is proud of his statement, and we are proud of ours," said Sarah Kobrin, a branch chief at the NIH's National Cancer Institute who signed the Bethesda Declaration. Cancer research is sidelined As chief of the Health Systems and Interventions Research Branch, Kobrin provides scientific oversight of researchers across the country who've been funded by the cancer institute or want to be. But sudden cuts in personnel and money have shifted her work from improving cancer care research to what she sees as minimizing its destruction. "So much of it is gone - my work," she said. The 21-year NIH veteran said she signed because "I don't want to be a collaborator" in the political manipulation of biomedical science. Ian Morgan, a postdoctoral fellow with the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, also signed the declaration. "We have a saying in basic science," he said. "You go and become a physician if you want to treat thousands of patients. You go and become a researcher if you want to save billions of patients. "We are doing the research that is going to go and create the cures of the future," he added. But that won't happen, he said, if Trump's Republican administration prevails with its searing cuts to grants. The NIH employees interviewed by the AP emphasized they were speaking for themselves and not for their institutes or the NIH. Dissenters range across the breadth of NIH Employees from all 27 NIH institutes and centers gave their support to the declaration. Most who signed are intimately involved with evaluating and overseeing extramural research grants. The letter asserts that "NIH trials are being halted without regard to participant safety" and that the agency is shirking commitments to trial participants who "braved personal risk to give the incredible gift of biological samples, understanding that their generosity would fuel scientific discovery and improve health." The Trump administration has gone at public health research on several fronts, both directly, as part of its broad effort to root out diversity, equity and inclusion values throughout the bureaucracy, and as part of its drive to starve some universities of federal money. A blunt ax swings This has forced "indiscriminate grant terminations, payment freezes for ongoing research, and blanket holds on awards regardless of the quality, progress, or impact of the science," the declaration says. Some NIH employees have previously come forward in televised protests to air grievances, and many walked out of Bhattacharya's town hall with staff. The declaration is the first cohesive effort to register agency-wide dismay with the NIH's direction. A Signal group became the place for participants to sort through NIH chatter on Reddit, discern rumor from reality and offer mutual support. The declaration took shape in that group and as word spread neighbor to neighbor in NIH offices. The dissenters remind Bhattacharya in their letter of his oft-stated ethic that academic freedom must be a lynchpin in science. With that in place, he said in a statement in April, "NIH scientists can be certain they are afforded the ability to engage in open, academic discourse as part of their official duties and in their personal capacities without risk of official interference, professional disadvantage or workplace retaliation." Now it will be seen whether that's enough to protect those NIH employees challenging the Trump administration and him. "There's a book I read to my kids, and it talks about how you can't be brave if you're not scared," said Norton, who has three young children. "I am so scared about doing this, but I am trying to be brave for my kids because it's only going to get harder to speak up. "Maybe I'm putting my kids at risk by doing this," she added. "And I'm doing it anyway because I couldn't live with myself otherwise."
Hans India
10 hours ago
- Hans India
Yoga leads to healthy lifestyle
Ongole: Prakasam district joint collector Ronanki Gopala Krishna emphasised that yoga leads to mental development and a healthy lifestyle. He attended the special yoga programme held as part of the Yogandhra- 2025 campaign at Kothapatanam Beach on Sunday. Speaking at the event, he highlighted the state government's proactive steps toward achieving Healthy Andhra Pradesh and ensuring health security for all citizens. He said that recognising the significance of yoga as India's heritage treasure, the United Nations declared June 21 as International Yoga Day in 2014, and the country has since celebrated ten International Yoga Days. He said that as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a yoga programme in Visakhapatnam, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has called for the participation of two crore people across the state. In Prakasam district, the JC announced that yoga events have already been held at tourist destinations like Mallavaram and Tripurantakam. He announced that the programme at Kothapatanam Beach witnessed participation from approximately 2,000 people. He informed that upcoming events include a special Yogandhra programme at Pakala Beach in Singarayakonda mandal on next Sunday, June 15th, and another programme on the 20th featuring around 10,000 self-help group members. Gopala Krishna said that the district aims to involve at least ten lakh people in yoga practice programmes, with extensive yoga training sessions being conducted by special trainers within the jurisdiction of village and ward secretariats. He emphasised that incorporating 45 minutes of daily yoga practice into one's routine can lead to a lifetime of health and happiness, improving overall health indicators. Cultural programmes organised during the event provided excellent entertainment to the participants. Ongole RDO Lakshmi Prasanna, DPO Venkata Naidu, DMHO Dr Venkateswara Rao, Animal Husbandry DD Ravi Kumar, BC Corporation ED Venkateswara Rao, SETNAL CEO Srimannarayana, Tahsildar Madhusudan Rao, various departmental officers, public representatives, and community members participated in the programme.
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Business Standard
14 hours ago
- Business Standard
Israel claims warning shots fired after 12 killed in fire in Palestine
At least 108 bodies were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours. Israel's military said it struck dozens of militant targets throughout Gaza over the past day AP Deir al-Balah (Gaza Strip) Israeli fire killed at least 12 people and wounded others as they headed toward two aid distribution points in the Gaza Strip run by an Israeli and US-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said Sunday. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces. The past two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians desperate after 20 months of war are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials. In all, at least 108 bodies were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the territory's Health Ministry said. Israel's military said it struck dozens of militant targets throughout Gaza over the past day. Eleven of the latest bodies were brought to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces fired on some at a roundabout around a kilometre from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, in nearby Rafah. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at approaching suspects who ignored warnings to turn away. It said the shooting happened in an area that is considered an active combat zone at night. Al-Awda Hospital said it received the body of a man and 29 people who were wounded near another GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza. The military said it fired warning shots in the area at around 6:40 am, but didn't see any casualties. A GHF official said there was no violence in or around its distribution sites, all three of which delivered aid on Sunday. The group closed them temporarily last week to discuss safety measures with Israel's military and has warned people to stay on designated access routes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The new aid hubs are set up inside Israeli military zones where independent media have no access. The GHF also said it was piloting direct delivery to a community north of Rafah. Witnesses fear for their safety Witnesses said the first shootings in southern Gaza took place at around 6 a.m., when they were told the site would open. Many headed toward it early, seeking desperately needed food before crowds arrived. Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed. Adham Dahman, who was at Nasser Hospital with a bandage on his chin, said a tank fired toward them. We didn't know how to escape," he said. "This is trap for us, not aid. Zahed Ben Hassan said someone next to him was shot in the head. They said it was a safe area from 6 am until 6 pm... So why did they start shooting at us? he said. There was light out, and they have their cameras and can clearly see us. The military announced on Friday that the sites would be open during those hours, and the areas would be a closed military zone the rest of the time. Children cried over their father's body at the hospital. I can't see you like this, Dad! one girl said. Aid distributed inside Israeli military zones The new aid hubs are run by GHF, a new group of mainly American contractors. Israel wants it to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups. Israel and the United States accuse the Hamas militant group of stealing aid. The UN denies there is systematic diversion. The UN says the new system is unable to meet mounting needs, allows Israel to use aid as a weapon by determining who can receive it and forces people to relocate to where aid sites are positioned. The UN system has struggled to deliver aid, even after Israel eased its blockade of Gaza last month. UN officials say their efforts are hindered by Israeli military restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting. Experts warned earlier this year that Gaza was at critical risk of famine, if Israel didn't lift its blockade and halt its military campaign. Both were renewed in March. Israeli officials have said the offensive will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile. On Sunday, Israel's military invited journalists into Khan Younis to show a tunnel under the European Hospital, saying they found the body of Mohammed Sinwar, the head of Hamas' armed wing, there after he was killed last month. Israel has barred international journalists from entering Gaza independently since the war began. (Israeli forces) would prefer not to hit or target hospitals, army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. Sinwar's body was found in a room under the hospital's emergency room, Defrin said. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Talks mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar have been deadlocked for months. Hamas started the war with its attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251 hostage. They still hold 55 hostages, fewer than half of them alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It says women and children make up most of the dead, but doesn't say how many civilians or combatants were killed. Israel says it has killed more than 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
