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‘No Food, Handcuffed, Treated Like Cattle': Newlywed Bride Recounts US Detention Ordeal

‘No Food, Handcuffed, Treated Like Cattle': Newlywed Bride Recounts US Detention Ordeal

News1805-07-2025
In her first remarks since being released earlier this week from US immigration detention after spending over four months in custody, a 22-year-old Palestinian woman, who was married to a US citizen, said that she was denied basic rights and subjected to harsh treatment while in custody.
Ward Sakeik (22), was born in Saudi Arabia but doesn't hold citizenship in any country. She has lived in the United States since the age of 8, but was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in February at the Miami International Airport after returning from her honeymoon in the US Virgin Islands with her husband, Taahir Shaikh, a US citizen.
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Israeli forces push into parts of central Gaza city that war largely spared
Israeli forces push into parts of central Gaza city that war largely spared

News18

time33 minutes ago

  • News18

Israeli forces push into parts of central Gaza city that war largely spared

Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip), Jul 21 (AP) Israeli ground troops for the first time Monday pushed into areas of a central Gaza city where several aid groups are based, in what appeared to be the latest effort to carve up the Palestinian territory with military corridors. Deir al-Balah is the only Gaza city that hasn't seen major ground operations or suffered widespread devastation in 21 months of war, leading to speculation that the Hamas militant group holds large numbers of hostages there. The main group representing hostages' families said it was 'shocked and alarmed" by the incursion, which was confirmed by an Israeli military official, and demanded answers from Israeli leaders. Israel says the seizure of territory in Gaza is aimed at pressuring Hamas to release hostages, but it is a major point of contention in ongoing ceasefire talks. The UN food agency, meanwhile, accused Israeli forces of firing on a crowd of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid over the weekend. Gaza's Health Ministry called it one of the deadliest attacks on aid-seekers in the war that has driven the territory to the brink of famine. In the latest sign of international frustration, the United Kingdom, France and 23 other Western-aligned countries issued a statement saying 'the war in Gaza must end now." They harshly criticised Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid and called for the release of the 50 hostages remaining in Gaza. Evacuation orders dropped at dawn Tens of thousands of people have sought refuge in Deir al-Balah during repeated waves of mass displacement in Gaza. Associated Press reporters heard explosions and saw smoke rising from parts of the city that were ordered evacuated on Sunday. The Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said it was the first time ground troops had operated in the area. A man living in the evacuation zone, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said Israel dropped pamphlets at dawn ordering people to evacuate. Two hours later, tanks rolled into the area. He said his 62-year-old father, who had spent the night elsewhere, fled from house to house as Israeli forces moved in and saw them flattening structures with bulldozers and tanks. Both men managed to leave the evacuation zone. The military declined to say if it had ordered the evacuation of aid groups based in the city, saying only that it maintains continuous contact with them and facilitates their relocation when necessary. Israel has taken over large areas of Gaza and split the territory with corridors stretching from the border to the sea as it seeks to pressure Hamas to release more hostages. In response to the Deir al-Balah incursion, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum warned in its statement that 'the people of Israel will not forgive anyone who knowingly endangered the hostages — both the living and the deceased. No one will be able to claim they didn't know what was at stake." Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war and killed around 1,200 people. Less than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive. Rare condemnation from UN food agency The World Food Programme, in a rare condemnation, said the crowd surrounding its convoy in northern Gaza on Sunday 'came under fire from Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire." It said 'countless lives" were lost. A photographer working with The Associated Press counted 51 bodies at two hospitals. Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 80 people were killed. Israel's military said it fired warning shots 'to remove an immediate threat" and questioned the death toll reported by the Palestinians. It declined to comment on the WFP statement. Hundreds of people have been killed while seeking food in recent weeks, both from UN convoys and separate aid sites run by an Israeli-backed group that has been mired in controversy. The Palestinian death toll from the war has climbed to more than 59,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians but the ministry says more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas government, but the UN and other international organisations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. Strikes across Gaza kill 18 Gaza health officials said at least 18 people, including three women and five children, were killed in Israeli strikes overnight and into Monday. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the strikes. It blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the group operates from populated areas. At least three people were killed when crowds of Palestinians waiting for aid trucks were shot at in the area of Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, according to two hospitals that received the bodies. Gaza's Health Ministry meanwhile said Israeli forces detained Dr. Marwan al-Hams, acting director of the strip's field hospitals and the ministry's spokesman. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Israel again strikes rebel-held port in Yemen The fighting in Gaza has triggered conflicts elsewhere in region, including between Israel and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have fired missiles and drones at Israel in what they say is in solidarity with Palestinians. The Israeli military said it struck the Hodeidah port in Yemen early Monday. Israel has struck the port before, including two weeks ago, accusing the Houthis of using it to import arms from Iran. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the targets included areas of the port that Israel had destroyed in previous strikes. 'The Houthis will pay heavy prices for launching missiles towards the state of Israel," Katz said. (AP) GRS GRS (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 21:30 IST News agency-feeds Israeli forces push into parts of central Gaza city that war largely spared Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Israel controls 75% of Gaza, it's now moving into the other part
Israel controls 75% of Gaza, it's now moving into the other part

First Post

timean hour ago

  • First Post

Israel controls 75% of Gaza, it's now moving into the other part

Deir al-Balah, one of Gaza's few areas with standing buildings, was spared by the IDF so far due to intelligence suggesting hostages were held there read more The Ansar Mosque and an adjacent cemetery in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza. Source: AFP Israel on Sunday (July 20) announced its first military operation into Deir al-Balah, a central Gaza town previously avoided due to concerns for hostages, as it accused Palestinian militant group Hamas of obstructing US-mediated ceasefire talks. The Israeli military ordered Palestinians in parts of Deir al-Balah to evacuate south to a tent city for civilians displaced by the 21-month war. The fighting in the besieged territory has intensified after a truce collapsed in early May. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel's control over flow of humanitarian aid Tensions have escalated over the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel shifted from traditional aid channels to the US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which it claimed would weaken Hamas. The UN has labelled the GHF discriminatory and inadequate to prevent famine for many Gazans. Concurrently, Israel launched operations to seize Palestinian territory, aiming to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages from its October 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. That assault killed 1,200 Israelis and saw 250 abducted, with about 50 hostages remaining, 20 believed alive. Hamas has not disclosed their locations, threatening executions if Israeli forces approach. Israel now controls roughly 75 per cent of Gaza, but Hamas insists on a full Israeli withdrawal for any ceasefire or hostage release, a demand Israel rejects. Why has Israel avoided Deir al-Balah so far? Deir al-Balah, one of Gaza's few areas with standing buildings, was spared due to intelligence suggesting hostages were held there, though it's uncertain if this still holds. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed alarm over the Deir al-Balah operation, stating, 'For the hostages, this is not a negotiating 'bargaining chip,' but a clear and present danger to their fates. Enough! A sweeping majority of the nation of Israel wants the war ended in a comprehensive deal that returns all of the hostages.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Talks on to secure release of hostages On July 6, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispatched negotiators to Qatar, a Hamas intermediary, before a White House visit where he and US President Donald Trump expressed optimism for a diplomatic resolution to free 10 living and 18 deceased hostages. Minister Gila Gamliel accused Hamas of stalling, anticipating progress once Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, joins talks. 'The moment he runs things in Doha, we will see what the ramifications are,' she told Israel's Army Radio. Hamas, designated a terrorist group by much of the West, warned that the deadlock threatens hostages. 'We have sustained their survival as much as possible, until now,' said Abu Obeida, Hamas's armed wing spokesperson, on Friday. 'If the criminal enemy obstructs or withdraws from this round, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals or to the proposal for the release of 10 captives.'

10-year-old Punjab boy emerges as India's youngest civilian warrior in border conflict
10-year-old Punjab boy emerges as India's youngest civilian warrior in border conflict

Time of India

time4 hours ago

  • Time of India

10-year-old Punjab boy emerges as India's youngest civilian warrior in border conflict

Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Recognition and ceremony Background and personal aspirations Context of Operation Sindoor The Indian Army has announced it will cover the education expenses of Shvan Singh, a ten-year-old boy who supplied food and drinks to soldiers engaged in a gunfight during Operation Sindoor in Tara Wali village, Punjab. The boy provided water, ice, tea, milk, and lassi to soldiers as they faced firing from the Pakistan Golden Arrow Division of the Indian Army pledged full sponsorship of Shvan's education in recognition of his courage and enthusiasm. During a ceremony at Ferozepur Cantonment on Saturday, Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Command, felicitated the boy. The army described Shvan's actions as emblematic of the "quiet heroes" across India who merit recognition and a class 4 student from Tara Wali village near the international border in the Mamdot area of Ferozepur district, expressed a desire to join the army in the future. He stated in May, "I want to become a 'fauji' when I grow up. I want to serve the country." His father added, "We are proud of him. Even soldiers loved him," noting that Shvan independently supplied the ration without Sindoor involved pre-dawn missile strikes on May 7 targeting nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including strongholds of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke. The operation was a response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which caused 26 casualties. Following these Indian strikes, Pakistan launched an offensive against Indian military installations and shelled border areas for three days.(With inputs from PTI)

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