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Military experts weigh in on paused US bomb shipment to Israel
Associated Press Videos35 minutes agoPresident Joe Biden says he won't supply offensive weapons Israel can use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah — the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.
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- 02:13Military experts weigh in on paused US bomb shipment to IsraelAssociated Press VideosPresident Joe Biden says he won't supply offensive weapons Israel can use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah — the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.35 minutes ago
- 01:52State Department says decision to pause weapons shipment to Israel if it engages in major Rafah operation doesn't affect ceasefire talksYahoo News VideoAt the State Department briefing on Thursday, spokesperson Matt Miller said President Biden’s decision to pause the shipment of offensive weapons to Israel if the country mounted a large-scale military operation in Gaza would not affect talks aimed at a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas. Miller said, “A Rafah operation would weaken Israel’s position” in the negotiations.3 hours ago
- 02:45US pause on bomb shipment prompts Israeli defianceReuters VideosSTORY: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said Israelis were ready to "fight with the fingernails." It was a thinly-veiled rebuff to U.S. President Joe Biden, after Washington said it had paused a weapons shipment due to Israel's plans for a military operation in Gaza. Biden warned Israel he will not support an invasion of the city of Rafah without adequate safeguards for the civilian population, as an estimated half of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have sought shelter there. The paused shipment includes several thousand powerful aerial bombs, that the White House says are not suitable for warfare in densely-populated areas. TOM COTTON: "It's now plain what we suspected all along. Joe Biden's defacto position is for a Hamas victory over Israel." That pause provoked fiery criticism from Republicans in Congress, who characterized the holdup of a single weapons shipment as tantamount to the a betrayal of an ally. Here's Oklahoma Senator Tom Cotton: "Joe Biden is threatening to withhold weapons for fighting in Rafah, therefore, Joe Biden objectively favors a Hamas victory over Israel." The Pentagon dismissed the criticism from Senate Republicans, listing the massive amounts of military aid that has flowed from the U.S. to Israel, including missile defense capabilities. PENTAGON SPOKESPERSON PAT RYDER: "As you know, we provided billions of dollars in security assistance to Israel..." Last month, American forces assisted in shooting down hundreds of Iranian drones and rockets aimed at Israel. Meanwhile, billions of dollars worth of U.S. weaponry remains in the pipeline for Israel, despite the delay. Republican Senator Jim Risch told reporters on Thursday that the U.S. was planning to send tank rounds, mortars, armored tactical vehicles, and more. In the wake the Oct. 7 attack where Hamas gunmen killed 1,200 people, by Israeli tallies, and seized more than 250 hostages, Biden pledged his "ironclad" support for Israel. But the Israeli retaliation that has killed 35,000 people in Gaza, according to local health authorities, forced Biden into a difficult spot between supporting and ally and trying to limit the loss of life. Biden had been pressed by international allies and many of his fellow Democrats at home to condition billions in U.S. aid to Israel due to the massive death toll from its Gaza assault. And a U.S. official told Reuters those pressure came to a head on an April 4 phone call between the leaders after Israeli forces killed seven World Central Kitchen volunteers. Biden gave Netanyahu an ultimatum: protect citizens and aid workers, or else U.S. policy would change. And last week, the U.S. acted on it, pausing the delivery of 2,000-pound and 500-pound bombs. In an interview with CNN Wednesday night, Biden said: "Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers."3 hours ago
- 02:04Palestinian woman speaks of her struggle to access dialysisReuters VideosSTORY: This is the last hospital left in the Gaza strip where Souad Zohair can receive kidney dialysis. :: Location: Deir al-Balah, Gaza She used to go to a hospital near her home in Rafah for treatment – but it shut down after Israel’s latest offensive. Now, she makes the dangerous journey up the coast with her daughter Umm Bilal Zohair. "I come with my mother for her dialysis session, and we are suffering a lot. It took us an hour on the road, in transportation. And still, one is afraid on the road. It is not safe where we are. They could come in at any second.” Souad needs kidney dialysis to keep her alive, but there are only 19 machines here and staff are running around the clock. Saeed Khattab is the head of the kidney department. He says there’s barely enough time to sterilize machines between patients. "This is the only remaining hospital for dialysis serving the entire Gaza strip, serving around 1,000 remaining patients with kidney failure." Souad’s treatment is supposed to last four hours, but she can only have the machine for two, and no one can say when she will get it again. UMM: "They are under a lot of pressure. Everyone from Rafah, Khan Younis and Gaza City and central Gaza are here. They are under a lot of pressure in the hospital. They are doing their best, but still, they are under a lot of pressure... It is always in danger." Israel’s assault around Rafah is bringing what’s left of the enclave’s medical system to its knees, doctors say. It launched its offensive in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas militants on Israel on Oct. 7. Israel says Hamas militants are hiding in Rafah, where the population has been swelled by hundreds of thousands of Palestinians seeking refuge from bombardments elsewhere.4 hours ago
- 02:02Palestinians fleeing Rafah say there's no place to goReuters VideosSTORY: As Israeli forces mass on the outskirts of Rafah, fleeing Palestinians say they're already struggling to find a place to stay. Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza is crammed with people who have fled in recent days. Amani Al Fayoumi is among those who can't find anywhere to set up camp. “We have been sleeping in the cold for four days, and there is no place to set up our tent. Where will all the displaced people go? The situation is very difficult and we cannot find a place to set up our tents." Sumaya Shaaban and her children have been sat by the road for three days. What little aid there is doesn't reach them. "We are without life's necessities. We take water from the sea for our children. There are no bathrooms. There is no food. There is no side supporting us.” Israeli tanks seized the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday (May 7), cutting off a vital aid route and forcing at least 80,000 people to flee the city this week, according to the United Nations. That could just be the beginning. Residents fear Israeli strikes on Rafah, the biggest urban area in Gaza not yet overrun by Israeli ground forces, are a sign an invasion is imminent. The city is a refuge for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled combat farther north. Like many Gazans, the Al-Kafarna family have been displaced several times during the conflict and are now on the move again, this time from Rafah to the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, where they've been told, once again, they'll be safe. Laila Al-Kafarna: "We keep moving from one place to another. This child was born during the war, what did he do wrong? He was born in Rafah - there are no clothes, what did these children do wrong, what can we say?" Israel says it must hit Rafah to defeat thousands of Hamas fighters it says are holed up there. The United Nations, Gaza residents and aid groups say an Israeli invasion of the city will result in a humanitarian catastrophe.7 hours ago
- 00:33Greta Thunberg says pro-Palestinian protests 'should be everywhere'Reuters VideosSTORY: :: Greta Thunberg encourages pro-Palestinian protests while in the Eurovision host city :: Greta Thunberg, Activist “I think they should be everywhere. And, once again, young people are leading the way, showing the world how we should react to this, yeah.” :: Malmo, Sweden :: May 9, 2024 Some 100,000 visitors have gathered in the southern Swedish city for the annual kitsch-fest, which is taking place amid protests and boycotts over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Thunberg, 21, was wrapped in a keffiyeh, the traditional scarf that has become a symbol for Palestinian resistance. Israeli contestant Eden Golan, 20, will perform her song "Hurricane" in the second semi-final later on Thursday.10 hours ago
- 00:41Israelis block road in protest against aid trucks to GazaReuters VideosSTORY: Protesters formed a sit-in protest as they scattered rocks across the road to prevent vehicles from passing, bringing traffic to a standstill. A man speaking through a loud speaker provoked a loud "no" from the crowd when asking them if it was reasonable that Israel was delivering aid to "terrorists", referring to militant group Hamas. The protest came as Israeli army forces massed on the outskirts of Rafah, after U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to withhold weapons from Israel if its forces launched a major invasion of the southern Gaza city. Israel launched a war against Hamas in Gaza after the militant group launched a cross-border attack on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 252, most of them civilians.10 hours ago
- 02:11Eurovision explained as the song contest is shadowed by the Israel-Hamas warAssociated Press VideosScores of musicians, hundreds of journalists and thousands of music fans are gathering in the Swedish city of Malmo, where the Eurovision Song Contest is building towards Saturday's exuberant, glitter-drenched final. (AP Video: Kwiyeon Ha)12 hours ago
- 02:50Israel in the spotlight at the Eurovision semi-finalReuters VideosSTORY: "The hate wave is so enormous, and it made the Israeli fans feel so depressed, and again, disillusioned." In the run up to Israel's semi-final performance on the Eurovision Song Contest stage on Thursday (May 9), Israeli fan Oded Avraham say he feels despondent. Protests and boycotts are planned over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel. "We are all in Israel are heartbroken because of what happened on October 7, and it adds up. We thought we are going for this (Eurovision) escapistic bubble, fun, campic, colorful, and then it burst in our face. Another thing burst in our face. So, it's disappointing." Large pro-Palestinian protests are planned in Malmo, Sweden, where the song contest is hosted. Metal barricades and large concrete blocks have been put up around the arena, with police braced for possible unrest. On Wednesday (May 8), a vessel from Scandinavian NGO "Ship to Gaza" arrived at the port of Malmo, calling for solidarity with the people of Gaza. With stops in several European ports, the NGO aims to raise awareness of the situation for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. And will also attempt to break Israel's sea blockade of the Gaza coast. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes Eurovision, has resisted calls for Israel to be excluded. But it has asked Israel to modify the lyrics of its original song "October Rain," which appeared to reference the Hamas attack. "I have mixed feelings. It feels like it's hypocrisy that Russia was excluded and that Israel is included." While pro-Palestinian demonstrators, like Leah Ali, protest against what they call double standards, pointing to the EBU's decision to ban Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, Israeli Eurovision fan Yael Teleman says the two should not be compared. "The world perceives it as, like, Russia attacked Ukraine so now we're boycotting them, and Israel attacked Gaza so it's fair to boycott them as well. But this situation is more nuanced, and it's more complexed. Because we were attacked first, we were protecting ourselves." Some 100,000 visitors have gathered in the host city. The show is watched by some 200 million people worldwide.12 hours ago
- 02:07Biden: US to deny Israel weapons if Rafah attackedReuters VideosSTORY: U.S. President Joe Biden publicly vowed for the first time on Wednesday to stop giving Israel weapons - if its forces make a full-scale invasion of Rafah, a city packed with refugees fleeing the war elsewhere in Gaza. In an interview with CNN, Biden said: “I made it clear that if they go into Rafah... I’m not supplying the weapons..." He acknowledged in the interview that American bombs provided to Israel have killed civilians in the seven-month-old offensive in Gaza, which came in response to Hamas' attack on October 7. The comments are the president's strongest public language to date, and underscore a growing rift between the U.S. and its closest Middle Eastern ally. The interview was aired hours after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed to the Senate that the U.S. had at least temporarily paused a planned delivery of thousands of heavy bombs. And that Biden made the decision to hold on the weapons over concerns for Rafah. That marks the first such delay since the U.S. administration pledged "ironclad" support to Israel. "We learned that you have to protect civilians in the battlespace, otherwise you create more terrorists going forward." The United States is by far Israel's biggest supplier of weapons, with Congress last month approving $26 billion in extra funding for the country. Biden said the U.S. would continue to provide defensive weapons, including for Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system. But, referring to civilian casualties, he added: "It’s just wrong...We're not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells." The president is under growing pressure at home over American support for Israel, as he runs for re-election this year. There was no immediate comment from Israel on Biden's remarks, but Israeli authorities have insisted Rafah must be hit, saying thousands of Hamas fighters are there. Its forces have continued tank and aerial strikes on southern Gaza, after moving in via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday, which cut off a vital aid route.18 hours ago
- 01:19Israel seizes Gaza’s vital Rafah crossing amid ceasefire talks, AP ExplainsAssociated Press VideosIsraeli forces have seized the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, pressing their offensive into the southern city. The Israeli assault into Rafah came just hours after Hamas accepted a cease-fire proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar.1 day ago
- 02:52US paused Israel weapons shipment over Rafah, Austin saysReuters VideosSTORY: U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday told the Senate that Washington had paused a shipment of weapons to Israel over that government's plans to carry an operation in the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. "Israel shouldn't launch a major attack into the Rafah without accounting for and protecting the civilians that are in that battlespace." [FLASH] "...as we have assessed the situation, we have paused one shipment of high payload munitions." Austin confirmed reports that the U.S. had at least temporarily halted the planned transfer of some 3,500 powerful 2,000-lb and 500-lb bombs. It marks the first such delay since the Biden administration offered its "ironclad" support to Israel after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. And the pause caught some U.S. lawmakers by surprise. CAPITO: "What is the status of withholding our weaponry that we voted to send to Israel? Are we doing that? Why are we doing that?" That was Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito's question to the Pentagon chief on Wednesday. AUSTIN: "Again, our commitment to Israel is ironclad." [FLASH] "We are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of the unfolding events in Rafah." That answer wasn't acceptable to Republican Lindsey Graham, who denounced what he called American efforts to tell Israel how to wage war. "You're going to tell them how to fight the war? And what they can and can't use? When everyone around them wants to kill all the Jews?" But others disagreed. MURPHY: "In fact, history tells us that the application of overwhelming military force can in fact grow terrorist threats, not shrink them." Democratic Senator Chris Murphy pointed out that the U.S. has no small experience trying - and failing - to defeat militant groups, and Israel could heed American advice on weapons and tactics. And Austin appeared to agree. "We learned that you have to protect civilians in the battlespace, otherwise you create more terrorists going forward." Washington is Israel's closest ally and main weapons supplier, and that relationship has been challenged by Israel's devastating retaliation that Palestinian health officials say killed 35,000 Gazans. The U.S. had urged Israel to hold off on plans to attack the city of Rafah, where around half of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been crowded after fleeing other parts of the enclave during seven months of war. But Israel has threatened a major assault on the city to defeat thousands of Hamas fighters it says are holed up there. An Israeli military spokesperson on Wednesday played down the arms hold-up, telling a conference that the operational partnership was significant and saying quote, "When there are disputes, and there are, they are being resolved behind closed doors in a matter-of-fact way."1 day ago
- 03:03Hospital in Rafah stops operating amid Israeli bombsReuters VideosSTORY: These are the empty corridors of Rafah's Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital. It's located in an area of the southern Gazan city that has been designated by the Israeli army as a combat zone as part of its military operations there. Health officials said around 200 patients in that hospital were forced to evacuate to the west of the city after receiving calls warning them to leave. The hospital has had to stop services. Hamas said it was battling Israeli forces in the east of Rafah on Wednesday (May 8). Muhammad Zaqout is a Palestinian doctor. "The situation is: most of them who are critical are dying in the field hospitals, are dying in the Kuwaiti and other field hospitals." Israel has threatened a major assault on Rafah to defeat thousands of Hamas fighters it says are holed up there. Western nations and the United Nations have warned a full-scale attack on the city would be a humanitarian catastrophe since more than a million people are sheltering there. Israel has told civilians in Rafah to go to an "expanded humanitarian zone" in al-Mawasi, some 12 miles away. But Palestinians like Imad Houbi, who lives in east Rafah, said there is no safe place in the Gaza Strip anymore. “There is nowhere safe in Gaza. The shelling exposes their lies about the safe areas. There are no safe areas.” Hundreds of thousands are now on the move again, trying to flee the city. The Israeli military released a video on Wednesday (May 8) that it says shows its operations in Rafah. Reuters was not able to independently verify all locations or the date the video was filmed. This came after a U.S. official said President Joe Biden's administration paused a shipment of weapons to Israel last week in an apparent response to the expected Rafah offensive. It would be the first such delay since the Biden administration offered its "ironclad" support to Israel after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. Israeli tallies say about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others were taken hostage. The Gaza health ministry says Israel's subsequent offensive has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians. It said on Wednesday (May 8) that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt was still closed after Israeli tanks pushed into the complex there the day before. It has cut off a vital aid route and the only exit for the evacuation of wounded patients. Israel said it was reopening the other crossing in southern Gaza, Kerem Shalom, through which most aid to Gaza has been delivered recently. In Cairo, ceasefire talks were expected to continue on Wednesday (May 8), according to two Egyptian sources. Israel on Monday declared that a three-phase proposal approved by Hamas was unacceptable because terms had been watered down.1 day ago
- 04:09Israel and Hamas face international pressure to reach a cease-fire agreementABC News VideosEmergency workers said at least 30 people are dead in Rafah as the Israeli military continues to bomb the southern Gaza town.2 days ago
- 01:18UC Berkeley students protest Israel ceasefire rebuffReuters VideosSTORY: In Cairo, all five delegations participating in ceasefire talks on Tuesday - Hamas, Israel, the U.S., Egypt and Qatar - reacted positively to the resumption of negotiations, and meetings were expected to continue on Wednesday morning, two Egyptian sources said. Israel on Monday declared that a three-phase proposal approved by Hamas was unacceptable because terms had been softened. Israeli forces on Tuesday seized the main border crossing between Gaza and Egypt in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than one million displaced Palestinians have sought shelter during Israel's seven-month-old offensive. This cut off a vital route for aid into the tiny enclave, where hundreds of thousands of people are homeless and hungry.2 days ago
- 00:58Fighting forces evacuation of Gaza's Abu Youssef al-Najjar HospitalAssociated Press VideosFighting between Israel and Hamas forced the evacuation of a hospital in southern Gaza as Israeli troops seized control of the vital Rafah border crossing. Abu Youssef al-Najjar Hospital, was one of the main medical centres receiving people wounded in airstrikes on Rafah in recent weeks. (AP Video shot by Mariam Daggah) (Produced by Wafaa Shurafa)2 days ago
- 02:20Gaza aid choked off after Israeli forces seize crossingReuters VideosSTORY: Aid trucks were seen lined up on the road in Egypt’s Rafah on Tuesday after Israel took control of the Palestinian side of the main border crossing. The United Nations and other international aid agencies said the closing of the two crossings into southern Gaza – Rafah and Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom – had virtually cut off the already-devastated enclave from outside aid. The seizure of the Rafah crossing, where more than 1 million displaced Palestinian civilians are holed up, came despite weeks of calls from the U.S. and others for Israel to hold off from a big offensive in Rafah. Fedaa Shallah, a displaced Palestinian woman from Gaza City said, “I don’t see that there is any place that is safe. There is bombing, shelling and we’ve had enough.” Doctor Mohammad Abu Skhil works in the emergency department of the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah. "The closure of the Rafah Crossing will contribute further to the demise of the health situation in Gaza Strip, specifically in the city of Rafah because it is through the Rafah crossing that essential medical supplies needed for the healthcare in Gaza come in.” The crossing was also the only exit point for those needing to leave Gaza for medical treatment unavailable inside the enclave. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed to Israel and Hamas on Tuesday to spare no effort in arriving at a truce deal. “Make no mistake – a full-scale assault on Rafah would be a human catastrophe. Countless more civilian casualties. Countless more families forced to flee yet again – with nowhere safe to go.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said seizing the crossing was a significant step towards its aim of destroying Hamas' military capabilities. Hamas accused Israel of trying to undermine efforts to secure a ceasefire in the seven-month-long war... which started when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and abducting about 250 others, according to Israeli tallies. Around 35,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israeli strikes since, the Gaza Health Ministry said. Any truce would be the first pause in fighting since a week-long ceasefire in November.2 days ago
- 03:15Biden condemns antisemitism at Holocaust memorialReuters VideosSTORY: JOE BIDEN: "This ancient hatred of Jews didn't begin with the Holocaust. It didn't end with the Holocaust either." U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday warned that the threat of antisemitism is growing, in remarks honoring the 6 million Jews killed in the Nazi Holocaust eighty years ago. And his keynote address for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's annual commemoration of the genocide came seven months to the day after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 by Israeli tallies. "That hatred was brought to life on October 7, in 2023, on a sacred Jewish holiday, the terrorist group Hamas unleashed the deadliest day of the Jewish people since the Holocaust." The Hamas attack provoked an Israeli retaliation that has so far killed 35,000 residents of the Gaza Strip. And it stirred up dramatic protests on U.S. college campuses by students demanding an end to the Israeli assault. Some Jewish students have said the demonstrations have included harassment and antisemitic instances. That comes against a backdrop in already-rising threats. The FBI reported a 36% increase in anti-Jewish hate crime incidents between 2021 and 2022, the latest year for which data is available, as well as a jump in crimes against Black Americans and gay men. MIKE JOHNSON: “To every Jewish student listening to us, no matter where you are around the country. You have my word. The U.S. House of Representatives will do everything in our power to ensure that you are safe." Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have condemned pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses, painting them as Hamas sympathizers. In some cases, police have forcefully torn down student encampments and arrested hundreds. Those arrested include University of Texas at Austin freshman Arwyn Heilrayn. REPORTER: "What is your reaction to people saying that these demonstrations are reflecting some antisemitism on campuses?" HEILRAYN: “I would reflect back the voices of the Jewish protesters that have been standing side by side with us, that this is not antisemitic, that this is pro-Palestinian.” The police crackdowns prompted criticism that universities were clamping down on political speech. And Biden has tried to walk a careful line as his own Democratic Party has appeared divided over those sympathetic to Palestinians' plight and others who insist on Israel's right to defend itself. "We respect and protect the fundamental right to free speech, to debate and disagree. To protest peacefully, and make our voices heard. I understand, that's America. But there is no place on any campus in America, no place in America, for antisemitism or hate speech, or threats of violence of any kind." Biden sought to reassure Jewish Americans, who overwhelming vote for Democratic candidates, that he would stand with them. "To the Jewish community, I want you to know, I see your fear, your hurt and your pain. Let me reassure you, as your president, you are not alone." Biden also said his commitment to Israel was ironclad even amid disagreements with the country's government.2 days ago
- 01:12Israeli troops enter Rafah hours after Hamas agrees to a Gaza cease-fireAssociated Press VideosIsrael's military says its forces are in “operational control” of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, pressing their offensive into the southern city on Tuesday as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remain precarious.2 days ago
- 01:27Biden delivers speech on antisemitism at Holocaust remembrance ceremonyABC News VideosDuring his speech at the U.S. Capitol, President Joe Biden condemned the recent surge in antisemitism in America and the atrocities committed by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel.2 days ago
- 04:59Biden Condemns ‘Ferocious Surge’ of Antisemitism in the U.S.WSJPresident Biden denounced what he called a “ferocious surge” of antisemitism in the U.S., warning that people “are already forgetting that Hamas unleashed this terror” on Israel during the Oct. 7 attacks. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images2 days ago
- 03:57Israeli seizure of Rafah crossing makes Gaza's desperate humanitarian crisis worseCBS News VideosIsraeli forces have seized control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing, a place where some aid had been making its way to civilians. Tanks moved in on the area just hours after Hamas said it accepted the terms of a Qatari-Egyptian proposed cease-fire plan. Israel ultimately rejected the proposal, saying the deal didn't meet its core demands. More from correspondent Imtiaz Tyab.2 days ago
- 01:58Biden condemns the 'ferocious surge of antisemitism in America and around the world'Associated Press VideosPresident Joe Biden condemns a “ferocious surge of antisemitism," during a ceremony to remember victims of the Holocaust at a time when the Hamas attack on Israel and the war in Gaza spark new waves of violence and hateful rhetoric toward Jews.2 days ago
- 01:39Biden condemns antisemitism, says too many are 'forgetting' horrors unleashed on Israel by HamasAssociated Press VideosBiden condemns antisemitism, says too many are 'forgetting' horrors unleashed on Israel by Hamas2 days ago
- 01:04UN chief says a Rafah assault would be a human catastropheReuters VideosSTORY: :: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns Israel that an assault on Rafah would be a mistake ::May 7, 2024 "Even the best friends of Israel are clear: an assault on Rafah would be a strategic mistake, a political calamity, and a humanitarian nightmare. I appeal to all those with influence over Israel to do everything in their power to help avert even more tragedy." "An agreement between the government of Israel and the leadership of Hamas is essential to stop the unbearable suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and of the hostages and their families. It would be tragic if weeks of intense diplomatic activity for peace in Gaza yield no ceasefire, no release of hostages, and a devastating offensive in Rafah. I reiterate my appeal for both parties to show the political courage and spare no effort to secure an agreement now. To stop the bloodshed. To free the hostages. And to help stabilize a region which is still at risk of explosion." Israeli forces seized the main border crossing between Egypt and southern Gaza on Tuesday (May 7), shutting down a vital aid route into the Palestinian enclave that is already on the brink of famine. U.N. and other international aid agencies said the closing of the two crossings into southern Gaza - Rafah and Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom - had virtually cut the enclave off from outside aid and very few stores were available inside.2 days ago