Israel Accused of Using US Munitions to Attack Gaza School Shelters, Killing Hundreds
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
9 minutes ago
- CBS News
London police brace for another day of protests over Israel-Gaza conflict
Police in London braced for another day of demonstrations on Sunday as the war in Gaza continues to inflame tensions across the United Kingdom. The latest protests, demanding the release of hostages that remain in Gaza, come one day after hundreds were arrested in London for supporting a banned pro-Palestinian group. Demonstrators calling for the release of hostages plan to march through central London to the prime minister's residence at No. 10 Downing Street on Sunday afternoon. The march comes a day after police arrested 474 people at a protest in support of a banned pro-Palestinian organization. Among those expected to attend the rally is Noga Guttman, a cousin of 24-year-old hostage Evyatar David, who was featured in a video that enraged Israelis when it was released by Hamas militants last week. The video showed an emaciated David saying he is digging his own grave inside a tunnel in Gaza. Hamas-led militants kidnapped 251 people when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Some 50 of the hostages still haven't been released, of whom 20 are thought to be alive. Israel last week announced its intention to occupy Gaza City as part of a plan to end the war and bring the captives home. Family members and many international leaders have condemned the plan, saying it would lead to more bloodshed and endanger the hostages. United Nations Human Rights chief Volker Türk and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer were among them. Türk, in a statement issued after Israel's announcement, said the government's "plan for a complete military takeover of the occupied Gaza strip must be immediately halted." He added that "further escalation will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more unbearable suffering, senseless destruction and atrocity crimes." Meanwhile, Starmer called Israel's plan "wrong" and said it would "do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages." Stop the Hate, a coalition of groups organizing the march through London on Sunday, said in a statement that they "are united in one clear and urgent demand: the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages." "Regardless of our diverse political views, this is not a political issue — it is a human one," the coalition said. On Saturday, police arrested hundreds of people in central London as demonstrators sought to pressure the government to overturn its decision to ban the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Legislation passed last month makes it a crime to publicly support the group. The Metropolitan Police Service said it arrested 466 people for supporting Palestine Action. A further eight were arrested on other charges, including assaults on police officers. Police said that was the highest number of arrests made on a single day in the last 10 years, CBS News partner BBC News reported. The government banned Palestine Action after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged two tanker planes to protest British support for the war in Gaza. Palestine Action had previously targeted Israeli defense contractors and other sites in Britain that they believe have links with the Israeli military. Supporters of Palestine Action are challenging the ban in court, saying the government has gone too far in declaring a direct action group a terrorist organization.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Arab media claims hostage deal mediators are rushing to reach agreement before Gaza City takeover
Other talks for a ceasefire plan include White House special envoy Steve Witkoff meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani. Mediators for a hostage and ceasefire deal are rushing to reach an agreement ahead of Israel's operation that would take over Gaza City, Asharq News reported on Saturday, citing informed sources. The Saudi-based news source cited sources claiming there are talks discussing a package of proposals to end the war, which includes the release of the remaining 50 hostages and a complete IDF withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The discussions also mentioned the exile of some Hamas military wing leaders and the establishment of a technocratic government to manage the Strip, supported by a police force. The sources claimed that the mediators, who comprise US, Egyptian, and Qatari officials, have begun discussing these proposals with each other before conveying them to the two sides. The sources claimed there's a possibility of an agreement. The sources made additional claims, such as Hamas showing flexibility to reach an agreement. Witkoff, Qatar PM to discuss new Gaza ceasefire plan White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani on Saturday to discuss comprehensive plans for the end of the Gaza war and the return of all the hostages, a source familiar with the details confirmed to The Jerusalem Post. Axios first reported the meeting and said that an Israeli official stressed that Jerusalem would have no issue making a new deal, but expressed skepticism that Hamas would accept an agreement. The source said that 'the gap between Israel and Hamas regarding ending the war is huge, so talking of a comprehensive deal is likely to be pointless at this stage.' The source added that Witkoff and al-Thani would take at least a week to formulate a new outline. Those talks were just one of the diplomatic attempts in motion trying to head off Israel's plan to expand its Gaza offensive and occupy Gaza City. Hamas's disarmament holds up Qatar-Egypt proposal The meeting between Witkoff and al-Thani followed discussions between Qatar and Egypt on a new ceasefire-hostage deal proposal. The new proposal would see the release of all hostages at once, both living and deceased, in return for an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, The Associated Press reported on Friday, citing two Arab officials. One of the issues holding up the Egypt-Qatar plan is reportedly Hamas's disarmament. Current discussions center around 'freezing' Hamas's weaponry so that it can hold on to it but not use it. It also calls for Hamas to relinquish its power over Gaza. The new framework proposes having a Palestinian-Arab committee run Gaza and oversee reconstruction efforts until a new Palestinian administration with a police force is established. Hamas said on Thursday that the terror group would treat any force formed to govern Gaza as an 'occupying' force linked to Israel. The international community has expressed its opposition to the security cabinet's plans, as did many in Israel, who held demonstrations urging a deal for the return of all the hostages and an end to the war. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a lengthy statement on Saturday night that following the Security Cabinet meeting on Friday, he has lost confidence that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to lead the IDF to victory. He called on the prime minister to reconvene the cabinet and announce that there will be no more pauses in the war, and no more partial deals. 'This time we proceed with a clear, sharp move toward a decisive outcome and victory – ending with Hamas's complete surrender and the return of all the hostages at once, or with its defeat and total destruction. Annex large parts of the Gaza Strip and open its gates to voluntary emigration,' Smotrich said. 'The prime minister and the cabinet succumbed to weaknesses, let emotion defeat reason, and once again chose more of the same: to launch a military move whose purpose is not a decisive outcome, but only to pressure Hamas into a partial hostage deal, stating clearly that if Hamas agrees to a deal, we too will agree to stop again, withdraw again, and allow it to recover and rearm again. And so on and so forth,' the finance minister said. He said that sending tens of thousands of soldiers to risk their lives to operate in Gaza City, and 'to pay heavy political and international costs solely to pressure Hamas to release hostages and then to retreat' is immoral and illogical. Until this time, 'for the sake of unity, I stood behind moves that in my view were less correct. I remained in the government despite terrible decisions such as releasing terrorist murderers with blood on their hands and painful withdrawals from areas captured at great cost – so long as I assessed we were striving for a decisive outcome and victory,' he said. 'A war should be fought to win, to the end – even if it carries heavy costs. But a partial move meant only to push Hamas back into the negotiating room, in national humiliation and capitulation to terror – absolutely not.' Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Palestinian-American who mediated Edan Alexander's release separates from Witkoff team
"Ceasefire negotiations are currently stalled. I am not a mediator in the true sense of the word, but I share your suffering," Bahbah wrote on Facebook. Palestinian-American businessman Bishara Bahbah, who was a key mediator for the release of former Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, will no longer be working with the US negotiating team for a ceasefire and hostage deal, N12 reported Saturday. "Dear people of Gaza, all I can say now is that aid trucks will continue to enter the Strip on a regular basis. Unfortunately, most of the aid trucks are stolen as soon as they enter the Strip," Bahbah said on Facebook Friday night. "Ceasefire negotiations are currently stalled. I am not a mediator in the true sense of the word, but I share your suffering. My role is to convey your voices to all officials, high and low. As I said before, I have not and will not forget you." Bahbah is now expected to work separately from US Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, according to N12. "I can achieve more with Hamas when I conduct myself freely," he said, according to the report. Bahbah said that he was never an official member of the US negotiating team. "I have played the role of a mediator whenever Steve Witkoff asked me to do so. I have tremendous respect for Mr. Witkoff. I believe that President Trump wants to end the tragedy in Gaza," he added. In late July, Bahbah criticized Hamas for not providing a quick response to an Israeli proposal. "The delay is costing the Palestinian people dozens of victims every day, and there is no convincing reason to delay the response or to demand amendments that are not essential," he wrote on Facebook. Bahbah's deal proposal months ago Bahbah proposed a plan in May for a 70-day ceasefire and the release of 10 hostages in two stages, Ynet reported. Bahbah's plan "is something that no Israeli government would agree to accept. Hamas is setting impossible conditions that mean a complete failure to meet the goals of the war, and an inability to release the hostages," an Israeli official told the Israeli news site. Solve the daily Crossword
