Israeli undercover force detains senior Gaza health official, ministry says
Hams, in charge of field hospitals in the enclave, was on his way to visit the ICRC field hospital in northern Rafah when an Israeli force "abducted" him after opening fire, killing one person and wounding another civilian nearby, according to the ministry.
Medics said the person killed was a local journalist who was filming an interview with Hams when the incident happened.
The Israeli military and the Red Cross did not immediately respond following separate requests by Reuters for comment.
Israel has raided and attacked hospitals across the Gaza Strip during the 21-month war in Gaza, accusing Hamas of using them for military purposes, an accusation the group denies. But sending undercover forces to carry out arrests has been rare. REUTERS
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Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Cambodia-Thailand truce a ‘very significant' Asean breakthrough, says Prabowo at meeting with Anwar
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at a dinner in Mr Prabowo's residence in South Jakarta, on July 28. JAKARTA – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto hailed the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand as a 'very significant' breakthrough for Asean diplomacy, as he met Asean chair and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on July 29 for their long-delayed bilateral consultation in Jakarta. In a closed-door meeting at the presidential palace, the two leaders discussed a wide range of strategic issues, from regional security to bilateral disputes. Both agreed that dialogue and consensus must remain the foundation of Asean cooperation. The last such consultation took place in 2017, and further meet-ups were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as political transitions in Malaysia. Indonesia's foreign ministry described the revived meeting as 'a timely opportunity for both leaders to provide direction for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the future'. Mr Prabowo opened the meeting by commending Datuk Seri Anwar's leadership, particularly Malaysia's role in mediating a truce on July 28 between Cambodia and Thailand following deadly clashes along their shared border. 'First of all, I would like to extend my congratulations on the leadership of Datuk Seri (Anwar) in leading Asean. You succeeded in mediating and securing a ceasefire in the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. This is something we are grateful for,' Mr Prabowo said. At least 38 people – most of them civilians – have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced since violence broke out on July 24 . Mr Prabowo added that Indonesia stood ready to support Malaysia's efforts. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD Singapore 3 taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help Life Alone but not lonely: Tips from seniors who live solo and like it Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Asia India road crash kills 18 Hindu pilgrims Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang 'Thank you. This is a breakthrough, a very significant one. We want Asean to always resolve conflicts through peaceful means, through consultation, deliberation and negotiation,' he said. Mr Anwar, who is in Jakarta for the 13th Annual Consultation between the two countries, underlined that maintaining peace in the region is a shared responsibility. He said Asean member countries – especially Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines – will be 'responsible for monitoring the peace process'. A statement from the Indonesian presidential secretariat described the meeting as a milestone in strengthening bilateral ties and reaffirming the two countries' commitment to regional peace and prosperity. The Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire, which took effect at midnight on July 29, followed talks in Putrajaya, Malaysia, between Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Both sides agreed to halt hostilities, restore direct communication and create a mechanism to monitor the truce. More on this topic Cambodia says immediate ceasefire is purpose of talks; Thailand questions its sincerity Despite the ongoing tensions to the north, the meeting between Mr Prabowo and Mr Anwar largely focused on bilateral priorities between the two countries. These included longstanding issues such as maritime boundaries and labour rights, which both leaders said should be resolved through peaceful means. 'In essence, we want to resolve all issues through consultation, negotiation and consensus,' said Mr Prabowo. 'I believe that is our principle -– especially since we are countries with similar backgrounds, cultures, religion and shared roots.' Mr Anwar is also scheduled to deliver a policy address at the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta on July 29, where he will outline Malaysia's key priorities for its Asean chairmanship in 2025.
AsiaOne
26 minutes ago
- AsiaOne
Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — A volatile global landscape arising from developments like the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to drive the high terrorism threat in Singapore, said the Internal Security Department (ISD). It released its annual report on terrorism on July 29, saying terrorist organisations have exploited situations like the one in Gaza to spread their propaganda, using them to reinforce their violent narratives. ISD said ISIS and Al-Qaeda have incited attacks against Israeli and Jewish interests, and those of countries seen as supporting Israel. This has corresponded with an increase in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide and in Islamophobia overseas, it added. ISD said there is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore. But the country continues to be viewed as an attractive target by terrorists because of its friendly relations with Western nations and Israel, and its status as a secular and multicultural state. Since its last report in July 2024, ISD has dealt with eight self-radicalised Singaporeans: six males and two females aged 15 to 56. Four of them had been influenced by the re-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people. Of the other four cases, two were radicalised by pro-ISIS extremist ideologies and two by violent far-right extremism. ISD warned that ISIS is resilient and remains one of the world's largest Islamist terrorist organisations. It has cash reserves of around $12.9 million and has between 1,500 and 3,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria. The department added that far-right extremism ideologies has gained ground in Singapore, especially among the youth. Since 2020, there have been four youths who have been dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for subscribing to such ideologies. Two of them, aged 18 and 17, had been self-radicalised separately after becoming inspired by the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019. The shooter, Brenton Tarrant, murdered 51 Muslims and livestreamed the killings. Both teens idolised Tarrant and identified as East Asian supremacists, believing in the superiority of Chinese, Korean and Japanese ethnicities. The 17-year-old had identified five mosques in Jurong West, Clementi, Margaret Drive, Admiralty Road and Beach Road as potential targets and planned to kill at least 100 Muslims as they were leaving after Friday prayers. He had been influenced by anti-Semitic content online and fantasised about killing Jews, but did not have any concrete attack plans. An increasing variety of online platforms used by youth in self-radicalisation cases here is also of concern, said ISD. It added that self-radicalisation remains a key domestic terrorism threat, with 60 self-radicalised people issued orders under the ISA since 2015. Of these, 48 were Singaporeans. Singapore adopts a whole-of-society approach to counter extremism, combining preventive measures such as public outreach with rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. ISD works with government agencies and grassroots and community partners to conduct outreach across different segments of society, to raise public awareness on the threat of terrorism and online radicalisation. It stressed the importance of knowing how to spot signs of radicalisation and the need to report at-risk individuals early. Some of these signs include expressing support for terrorist groups online, frequent surfing of radical websites and making remarks that promote ill-will or hatred towards people of other races, religions or communities. ISD said public vigilance is critical to combating the terrorism threat, and early reporting enables the person to receive timely help. This maximises the chances of the individual's successful rehabilitation before he or she becomes more deeply rooted in radical ideologies. Since 2002, ISD has issued ISA orders against 148 Singaporeans for terrorism-related conduct. Of these, 102 were issued orders of detention, while 46 were issued restriction orders. Of those detained, about four out of five detainees had made good progress in their rehabilitation, leading to 85 of them being released. Of those issued with restriction orders, 39 have had their orders lapse. ISD said most of these Singaporeans have found stable jobs since their release. It said countering terrorism is everyone's responsibility. 'The ever-evolving threat of terrorism is real and demands unwavering vigilance, cooperation and resilience from every sector of society,' said ISD. It added that 'every action taken, every report made and every initiative launched' bring Singapore one step closer to a safer, more united nation. Members of the public are encouraged to take part in the SGSecure movement and learn how to spot suspicious behaviours and signs of radicalisation, and how to respond if caught in a terror attack. Anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised should contact the ISD hotline on 1800-2626-473 or e-mail isd@ [[nid:714509]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
India road crash kills 18 Hindu pilgrims
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Visuals from the site in Jharkhand state showed the mangled wreckage of the bus, with its rear portion almost entirely burnt. NEW DELHI - At least 18 people were killed in eastern India on July 29 after a bus ferrying Hindu pilgrims collided with a truck loaded with cooking gas cylinders, officials said. Visuals from the site in Jharkhand state showed the mangled wreckage of the bus, with its rear portion almost entirely burnt. Local lawmaker Nishikant Dubey said the pilgrims were travelling to a Hindu shrine to celebrate the sacred month of Shravan, coinciding with the onset of the monsoons in the subcontinent. '18 devotees lost their lives due to a bus and truck accident,' Dr Dubey said on social media. The pilgrims were carrying holy water from the Ganges to offer to the Hindu god of destruction Lord Shiva. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his 'deepest condolences to the families of the devotees who lost their lives'. 'The road accident in Jharkhand's Deoghar is extremely tragic,' his office said on social media. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore Online platforms have halved time it takes for Singaporeans to be self-radicalised: ISD Singapore 3 taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Life Alone but not lonely: Tips from seniors who live solo and like it Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help Asia Extreme weather turns Beijing into rain trap; 30 killed, over 80,000 evacuated Asia Cambodia-Thailand border calm as military commanders hold talks Singapore NDP 2025: Enhanced security measures to be put in place around the Padang Tens of thousands of people die in road accidents in India every year, according to official data. More than 172,000 died in road crashes in 2023, transport minister Nitin Gadkari told Parliament. Last November, a bus plunged into a deep Himalayan ravine in the northern state of Uttarakhand, killing at least 36 passengers and injuring several others. AFP
