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Foreseeable flaws in Gaza aid project led to shooting of Palestinians

Foreseeable flaws in Gaza aid project led to shooting of Palestinians

Washington Post13 hours ago
JERUSALEM — The repeated fatal shootings of Palestinians seeking food at distribution centers in Gaza since late May are an outcome of the aid project's flawed design, which drew enormous crowds and brought them in proximity to Israeli troops, who opened fire on multiple occasions, according to experts in humanitarian aid programs, witness testimony and visual evidence.
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Top Iranian cleric calls for Trump's execution
Top Iranian cleric calls for Trump's execution

Fox News

time36 minutes ago

  • Fox News

Top Iranian cleric calls for Trump's execution

A top Iranian cleric called for the executions of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in accordance with Sharia law while speaking during a sermon on Friday. Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami accused the two leaders of murdering tens of thousands of people in Gaza and the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, according to a translation of the remarks by Memri TV. "You are murderers, and you need to be punished," Khatami said, per the translation. The crowd responded with chants of "Death to America," "Death to England" and "Death to Israel." Khatami is a member of the Iranian regime's Guardian Council and a senior member of the Assembly of Experts. Tensions between Iran and Israel escalated to a 12-day war last month, amid an ongoing war between Israel and the regime's Gaza-based proxy Hamas, which started when the group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Trump has made clear that following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, he would like to see the Gaza conflict end soon. Relations between the U.S. and Iran were also tense after the U.S. launched a surprise strike on three of Iran's key nuclear sites last month. Trump recently took a swipe at Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying that the U.S. knew where the Iranian leader was hiding. "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding," Trump wrote at the time. "He is an easy target, but is safe there — we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin." Iranian officials have since launched a war of words against Trump, demanding he respect Khamenei or else risk facing the regime's "real capabilities."

U.S. envoy receives the Lebanese government's response to Hezbollah disarmament proposal
U.S. envoy receives the Lebanese government's response to Hezbollah disarmament proposal

Los Angeles Times

timean hour ago

  • Los Angeles Times

U.S. envoy receives the Lebanese government's response to Hezbollah disarmament proposal

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Iran Carries Out Mass Expulsion of Afghan Refugees
Iran Carries Out Mass Expulsion of Afghan Refugees

New York Times

timean hour ago

  • New York Times

Iran Carries Out Mass Expulsion of Afghan Refugees

Hundreds of thousands of hungry, exhausted and often battered Afghans have been expelled from Iran in recent weeks, under a harsh deportation drive that accelerated sharply last month, international aid workers say. Since March, when Iranian authorities ordered undocumented residents to leave the country, about 800,000 Afghans have poured across the border, Babar Baloch, a spokesman for the United Nations' refugee agency, said on Monday. Almost 600,000 of them have been forced out since June 1. During and since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran last month, Iranian officials have repeatedly cast suspicion on Afghans as possible spies for Israel, amplifying longstanding rumors and tensions. In that environment, and with the approach of a July 6 deadline set by the Iranian government, the pace of migrations soared to an average of about 30,000 per day recently, peaking on Friday at more than 50,000 people crossing into Afghanistan, Mr. Baloch said. Iran has ranked as the world's biggest host country for refugees, with nearly 3.5 million according to the United Nations, primarily people who fled decades of war and violence in Afghanistan. Aid groups estimate that in reality, the Afghan population in Iran is much larger — including about two million refugees who are undocumented — and Iran's patience with them appears to have run out. Iranian authorities say that Afghans with proper documents are still accepted, but U.N. officials say that the reality is harsher — some of those returning to Afghanistan in recent weeks had received visas from Iran's consulate in the western town of Herat, but still were compelled to leave. 'The gloves are off,' Arafat Jamal, the U.N. refugee agency representative in Kabul said in a phone interview. 'There's a bit of a frenzy at the moment, no one is going to oppose deportations of Afghans right now so those who wish to deport them have been ramping it up.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

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