Category Archives: Hamas

Hamas releases first hostage video as senior figure says it has ‘what it needs’ to free all Palestinian prisoners

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Footage appears to show an injured 21-year-old Israeli woman who was abducted from Supernova festival

Hamas has released a video apparently showing an injured Israeli hostage, as a senior Hamas leader said the militant group “has what it needs” to free all Palestinians in Israel’s jails.

On Monday night, Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam brigades, released for the first time footage of a hostage, who identifies herself as 21-year-old Mia Schem from Shoham, in central Israel.

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China and Russia harden positions on Gaza as war stirs geopolitical tensions

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Conflict highlights growing gulf with west, as other big developing powers face difficult diplomatic choices

China and Russia have hardened their positions towards the conflict in Gaza in recent days, as the war between Israel and Hamas aggravates existing geopolitical tensions and underscores the growing gulf between the cold war allies and western powers such as the US, UK and France.

The Chinese foreign minister said over the weekend that Israel’s bombing campaign had gone “beyond the scope of self-defence” and that it “should stop collective punishment of the people of Gaza”.

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Iran warns of ‘pre-emptive action’ as Gaza ground assault looms

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This blog is low closed. The latest live updates are here.

Here are some of the latest pictures from Gaza sent through on the wires:

A few hours ago, Israel Defence Forces spokesperson Jonathan Conricus gave an update on the conflict in which he denied that Israel was targeting civilians in Gaza.

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Tory MP Peter Bone should be suspended for six weeks for bullying and sexual misconduct, says report – UK politics live

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Commons will vote on suspension recommended by independent expert panel after investigation

Peter Bone has issued a statement saying that the bullying and sexual misconduct claims about him made by a former employed, that have led to the IEP recommending a six-week suspension, are false and without foundation. He says the complainant did not raise them at the time and only submitted a complaint years after they had left.

As I have maintained throughout these proceedings, none of the misconduct allegations against me ever took place. They are false and untrue claims. They are without foundation.

The allegations by an ex-employee refer to events of more than 10 years ago that spanned no more than a few months. The complainant first made the allegations years after they left my employment. They did not raise them at any time during their employment, either in writing or verbally with me, nor with their line managers …

I am also firmly of the opinion that on this occasion the independent complaints and grievance scheme investigation was flawed, procedurally unfair and didn’t comply with its own rules and regulations. It is my belief that they have operated outside of the powers given to them by parliament and I am currently discussing with lawyers what action could and should be taken.

The commissioner found the following allegations proved:

Allegation 1: Mr Bone “verbally belittled, ridiculed, abused and humiliated” the complainant, and this was bullying.

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Israel denies report of ceasefire in southern Gaza

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Hamas official also reportedly denies temporary ceasefire is in place – and says border crossing to Egypt remains closed

The Israeli government has denied having agreed a ceasefire in southern Gaza to allow humanitarian aid in and for some people to leave.

The office of the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued a one-line statement on Monday morning, saying: “There is no ceasefire.” A Hamas official, Izzat El Reshiq, also told the Reuters news agency the border crossing at Rafah between Egypt and Gaza remained closed and denied a temporary ceasefire was in place.

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Friends of woman killed in Israeli kibbutz pledge to rebuild community

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‘Peace and love are more powerful than terror,’ say friends of 23-year-old Dorin Atias

The friends of a 23-year-old killed in a kibbutz after seeking refuge from the massacre at a music festival last Saturday plan to rebuild the community as a sign that “peace and love are more powerful than terror”.

Dorin Atias was due to start a shift as a bartender at 7am at the Supernova festival but decided to arrive earlier to get some dancing in before her work started.

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White House seeks weapons package for Israel amid ‘real risk of escalation’

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National security adviser says deployment of USS Eisenhower is to send message that ‘no group should seek to exploit the situation’

Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan toured the US Sunday morning shows to sell White House policy on the conflict between Israel and Hamas as Israeli forces massed on the border ahead of an expected ground incursion into Gaza amid a deepening humanitarian crisis there and fears over the conflict spreading.

Responding to an Axios report that Iran warned Israel through the United Nations that it will intervene if the Israeli operation in Gaza continues, Sullivan told ABC’s “This Week” that he could not confirm it.

But, he said, the US is “concerned” about the conflict spreading. “We see a real risk of escalation on the northern border and that is why President Biden has been so clear and so forceful in saying that no state and no group should seek to exploit the situation to their advantage or should escalate the conflict.”

The deployment of the USS Eisenhower from the US to the region is “to give additional capacity to respond to any contingency and also to send a clear message of deterrence that no one should get involved in this, no one should escalate this”, he added.

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Hamas holding up to 10 Britons hostage in Gaza, says foreign secretary

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James Cleverly says updated figure of those captured in attack on Israel is ‘not an unreasonable estimate’

Up to 10 Britons are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, the foreign secretary has said, higher than previous informal estimates.

Israel estimates that 126 people from different countries are being held hostage, with reports previously suggesting six of those taken were British. Up to 17 British people, including children, are thought to be dead or missing since the conflict began last weekend.

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Israel-Hamas war: Biden says Gaza occupation would be ‘big mistake’ – as it happened

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This blog is now closed. Follow live updates from the Israel-Hamas war in our new blog here

Israel’s actions in Gaza have gone “beyond the scope of self-defence” and the Israeli government must “cease its collective punishment of the people of Gaza”, China’s foreign minister said in remarks published on Sunday.

Wang Yi’s remarks – made on a call to his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Saturday – came as Israel appeared poised for a ground offensive in Gaza against Hamas, Agence France-Presse reports

It should listen earnestly to the calls of the international community and the UN secretary general, and cease its collective punishment of the people of Gaza.

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Israel confirms 155 people being held hostage by Hamas

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Among the hostages are an 83-year-old Israeli journalist who was taken from his home in kibbutz Nir Oz

The Israeli military has confirmed 155 people who are being held as hostages by Hamas following its deadly attack on 7 October.

Among the hostages are an 83-year-old Israeli journalist who was taken from his home in kibbutz Nir Oz with his 85-year-old partner, who had worked for decades for peace and the recognition of Palestinian rights.

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Florida governor Ron DeSantis rejects idea of Palestinian refugees in US

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At event in Iowa, governor conflates Palestinian civilians with Hamas, the terrorist group that attacked Israel a week ago

Republican presidential candidate and Florida governor Ron DeSantis has rejected accepting Palestinian refugees from Gaza to the US, speaking at a campaign rally in the US midwest on Saturday.

“We cannot accept people from Gaza into this country as refugees,” he said. “If you look how they behave … not all of them are Hamas but they are all antisemitic, none of them believe in Israel’s right to exist.”

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US has seen increase in domestic threats since Hamas attacks in Israel, FBI says

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Director Christopher Wray cautioned police vigilance and encouraged police chiefs to continue sharing information

FBI director Christopher Wray has reiterated part of an FBI statement that the US domestic security agency does not have “specific and credible intelligence indicating a threat to the United States stemming from the Hamas attacks in Israel”.

Speaking from prepared remarks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in San Diego, Wray acknowledged an increase in domestic threats due to the “heightened environment”, calling for increased vigilance and requesting that police continue to share intelligence.

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Israel-Hamas war live: Syria says Aleppo airport hit as Israel prepares ground invasion of Gaza

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Israeli PM posts video to troops saying ‘we are all ready’

Families, festivalgoers, soldiers and foreigners were among those killed in Hamas attacks last weekend. Here are some of their stories:

The bodies of several Israelis have been retrieved by the Israeli military after its forces entered the Gaza Strip, according to a report by Haaretz. The families of the individuals, who had been missing since Hamas attacks last Saturday, have been notified, it said.

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BBC building sprayed with red paint in ‘protest over Israel-Hamas coverage’

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Palestine Action says it was behind incident in London, accusing BBC of ‘manufacturing consent for Israel’s war crimes’

A pro-Palestinian protest group has claimed responsibility for throwing red paint over the BBC’s headquarters, accusing the broadcaster of having “blood on its hands” over its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

The organisation Palestine Action identified itself as being behind the incident, which took place early on Saturday morning at Broadcasting House. It alleged that the broadcaster was “manufacturing consent for Israel’s war crimes”.

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Jewish and Muslim Americans fear rise in hate crimes amid Israel-Hamas war

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With protests escalating and police departments on alert, assaults and harassment have been reported

Jewish and Muslim Americans in cities all around the country are worried that escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine, which some are calling “isolating and scary”, will exacerbate hate crimes and harassment in the United States.

For many Arab Americans in New York City, Bay Ridge was always a place of safety. The south Brooklyn neighborhood is 3 sq miles of Arabic bodega signs, halal grocers and a growing community of Palestinian, Yemeni, Syrian and Egyptian families.

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Hard-right House Republicans are against Ukraine aid – and they seem to be in charge

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The chaos in the House may have devastating outcomes for the people of Ukraine, some experts warn

As he excoriated Kevin McCarthy over his leadership of the House Republican conference last week, hard-right congressman Matt Gaetz accused the then speaker of cutting a “secret side deal” with Joe Biden to provide additional funding to Ukraine amid its ongoing war against Russia.

“It is becoming increasingly clear who the speaker of the House already works for, and it’s not the Republican conference,” Gaetz, who represents a solidly Republican district in Florida, said in a floor speech at the time.

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Don’t avoid discussing Hamas-Israel conflict with children, say experts

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Ignoring tricky questions could drive young people on to the internet, where disinformation proliferates

As difficult as it might be, carers should not avoid discussing the Hamas-Israel conflict with children, experts have said. Doing so, they warn, could drive young people on to the internet where disturbing disinformation and images are easily found.

“Don’t avoid difficult questions,” said Emma Citron, a consultant clinical psychologist with extensive experience of working with children. “If those questions are in the heads of our young people, it’s our job to give them a balanced and reassuring – but also an honest – account.”

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US families of Hamas attack victims tell of ‘total horror’

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At least 22 Americans have died and 14 are missing – and officials are scrambling to determine whether the latter are still alive

As US officials work to determine the whereabouts of 14 US citizens unaccounted for since last Saturday’s deadly Hamas assault on Israel, US families of the dead or missing are describing their loss.

At least 22 Americans are known to have died in last Saturday’s attacks, and officials have said they are working to determine whether those missing have been killed or taken hostage.

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