Hamas launches rockets toward Israel
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seems to be breaking down as Hamas launched rockets at Israel, which previously launched a series of airstrikes in Gaza. Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove joins "Elizabeth Vargas Reports" to talk about the latest developments and what they means for negotiations over the remaining Hamas hostages.
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Hamilton Spectator
42 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
UN votes overwhelmingly to demand Gaza ceasefire, hostage release and aid access
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. member nations voted overwhelmingly Thursday to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and unrestricted access for the delivery of desperately needed food to 2 million Palestinians. The vote in the 193-member General Assembly was 149-12 with 19 abstentions. It was adopted with a burst of applause. The resolution, drafted by Spain, 'strongly condemns any use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare.' Speaking before the vote, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon vehemently opposed the resolution. He denied that Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war, calling the accusation 'blood libel,' and insisted that aid is being delivered. Experts and human rights workers say hunger is widespread in Gaza and some 2 million Palestinians are at risk of famine if Israel does not fully lift its blockade and halt its military campaign, which it renewed in March after ending a ceasefire with Hamas . At the start of Thursday's meeting, Spain's U.N. Ambassador Héctor José Gómez Hernández urged members to vote in favor of the resolution in light of 'the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.' The Palestinian U.N. ambassador, Riyad Mansour, also pleaded with U.N. members to vote in favor. 'The actions you take today to stop the killing, displacement and the famine will determine how many more Palestinian children die a horrible death,' he said. Last week, the U.N. Security Council failed to pass a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and calling on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid. The United States vetoed the resolution because it was not linked to the release of the hostages, while all 14 other members of the council voted in favor. There are no vetoes in the 193-member General Assembly. But unlike in the Security Council, assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they are seen as a barometer of world opinion. After a 10-week blockade that barred all aid to Gaza, Israel is allowing the United Nations to deliver a trickle of food assistance and is backing a newly created U.S. aid group, which has opened several sites in the center and south of the territory to deliver food parcels. But the aid system rolled out last month by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been troubled by near-daily shootings as crowds make their way to aid sites, while the longstanding U.N.-run system has struggled to deliver food because of Israeli restrictions and a breakdown of law and order. Like the failed Security Council resolution, the resolution passed on Thursday does not condemn Hamas' deadly attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which ignited the war, or say the militant group must disarm and withdraw from Gaza. Both are U.S. demands. Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea told the assembly before the vote that the resolution 'sends an unacceptable message to Hamas and other Iran-backed terrorist proxies, and that message is, you will be rewarded for taking hostages, diverting aid and launching attacks from civilian areas.' The resolution references a March 28 legally binding order by the top United Nations court for Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza for food, water, fuel and other supplies. The International Court of Justice issued the order in a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of acts of genocide in its war in Gaza, charges Israel strongly denies. The resolution stresses that Israel, as an occupying power, has an obligation under international law to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need. It reiterates the assembly's commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the Gaza Strip as part of a Palestinian state. The assembly is holding a high-level meeting next week to push for a two-state solution, which Israel has rejected. The resolution supports mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States aimed at implementing a January ceasefire agreement. The Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages. About 55 hostages are still being held. Israel's military campaign has killed over 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It says women and children make up most of the dead, but doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed more than 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
As Houthis Warn of ‘War' Amid Israel-Iran Tensions, Red Sea Shipping Still Stagnant
Reports of potential military escalations in the Middle East have struck a chord with the Houthis, who are warning both Israel and the U.S. to stand down from any attacks on Iran that would 'drag the entire region into the abyss of war.' A spokesperson for the Yemen-based militia, which gained global notoriety for its ongoing attacks on shipping in the Red Sea since the months after the Israel-Hamas war started, told Newsweek 'we are also at the highest level of preparedness for any possible American escalation against us.' More from Sourcing Journal USTR Eases Port Fees for Foreign Vehicle Carriers, Scraps LNG Export Mandate Hapag-Lloyd Bookings Double on China-US Route in Weeks After Tariff Truce Panama Canal Sees Post-Drought Spike in Container Shipping Transits As nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran appear to have stalled—with the latter refusing to abandon its uranium enrichment capabilities and President Donald Trump exhibiting frustration with the negotiations—several news reports have tied Israel to a possible attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in the coming days. During a press conference Thursday, President Trump stopped short of calling an attack 'imminent,' but said 'it looks like it's something that could very well happen.' Such a move could see Iran retaliate with strikes of its own on Israeli and American interests throughout the Middle East. With the Iran-aligned Houthis joining the rhetoric, it takes away incentive of shipping companies that may have considered returning to the Red Sea. Despite the Yemeni group's cessation of attacks in the waterway in 2025, only CMA CGM has routinely tested the waters with multiple services. While that carrier has the assistance of the French Navy to help escort ships through the Red Sea when necessary, other major container shipping firms have continually reiterated they will not return unless there are safety guarantees. Both the U.S. and U.K. have acknowledged the possibility of another skirmish in the Middle East, and have since ordered a heightened state of preparedness. On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department ordered the departure of all non-essential personnel from the American embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as staff and family members in embassies in Bahrain and Kuwait. On Thursday morning, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem restricted employees and family from traveling outside Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Be'er Sheva until further notice. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office of the Royal Navy issued a warning to seafarers, saying that increased tensions in the region could 'lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.' The UKMTO advised vessels to transit the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Straits of Hormuz with caution, and report incidents or suspicious activity. While UKMTO did not mention the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait or the Gulf of Aden in its advisory, there has been military engagement in the Red Sea that could ward shipping companies off from passing through the area. Ahead of the reports, Israel's navy launched missiles at the Houthi-controlled Port of Hodeidah in Yemen, which resides on the Red Sea. In response, the Houthis launched long-range missile attacks against Israel. Both Israel and the Houthis have engaged in a series of strikes against the other in recent months as the former's military campaign in the Gaza Strip rages on. U.S. military airstrikes against the Houthis lasted roughly 50 days before a ceasefire was called in May, with the Pentagon claiming to hit more than 1,000 Houthi targets in the period. While the White House's intent of the campaign was the restore freedom of navigation to the Red Sea, shipping routes have largely strayed from the area. Even as the Suez Canal Authority has tried to incentivize carriers to bring back shipping routes through the trade artery in the wake of the conflict, vessels have largely remained the same in the area since last summer. Data from PortWatch, a maritime traffic portal backed by the International Monetary Fund and Oxford University, said the seven-day moving average of Bab el-Mandeb crossings in June was 30 vessels per day. This mirrors numbers seen in both January and August 2024. Figures from container shipping research firm Clarksons indicate a similar story. According to Clarksons, the rolling, seven-day average of daily Suez Canal crossings stood at 30 vessels per day so far in June, down from 32 in May and 33 in March and April. In August 2024, the figure stood at 35 daily crossings.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Israel recovers bodies of two Hamas hostages in Gaza, including 59-year-old dad
The Israeli military recovered the bodies of two dead hostages in southern Gaza Wednesday night, including a 59-year-old dad who was killed during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack. The Israel Defense Forces swept through an area of Khan Younis flagged by the Shin Bet intelligence agency, with soldiers finding the bodies of Yair Yaakov, 59, and another hostage who has yet to be publicly identified. 'Alongside the pain and mourning, we feel a measure of relief knowing that the two will be laid to rest with dignity — and that the unbearable suffering their loved ones have endured for 614 days may now be eased, if only slightly,' the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement. 3 The body of Yair Yaakov, 59, was recovered from southern Gaza Wednesday night. Instagram/@remember_yaya_7.10 3 Yaakov was killed during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, with Islamic Jihad gunmen ransacking his home. Instagram/@remember_yaya_7.10 Yaakov was killed by the Islamic Jihad terror group in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Oct. 7 attack, with the gunmen taking his body back to Gaza. Yaakov's partner, Meirav Tal, and his sons, Or and Yagil, were also kidnapped in the terrorist attack, but they were eventually released during the November 2023 hostage exchange. While officials did not identify the other victim recovered from Khan Younis, they said the captive had been kidnapped from Nir Oz. Kibbutz Nir Oz was one of the worst-hit communities of the Oct. 7 attack, with Hamas terrorists killing 47 people and kidnapping another 76. 3 Yaakov's two sons were also kidnapped during the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Instagram/@remember_yaya_7.10 'Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their dearest,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. The operation came less than a week after the IDF recovered the bodies of Americans Judy Weinstein-Haggai, 70, and Gadi Haggai, 72, who were also killed during the attack in Nir Oz. The Israeli military has also located the body of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta, who was working in an Israeli field when he was killed and kidnapped by Hamas. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz touted his military's expanded operation in Gaza for the recovery efforts, saying one of the goals of occupying the enclave was to return the bodies of the slain hostages. Israel estimates that there are still 53 hostages remaining in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
