International
Preliminary positive confirmation from Hamas on ceasefire proposal with Israel, according to Qatar
Hamas has given a “preliminary positive confirmation” to a ceasefire and hostage release proposal already approved by Israel, said Qatar on Thursday, which is mediating to achieve a pause in the war that has been devastating the Gaza Strip for almost four months.
“The path ahead of us is still very difficult. But we are optimistic because both parties have accepted the premises that would lead to a pause [in the fighting]. We hope to be able to announce good news in this regard in the next two weeks,” said Majed al Ansari, spokesperson for the Qatari foreign ministry.
Representatives from the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Israel formulated a ceasefire and hostage exchange proposal over the weekend in Paris, aiming to negotiate with the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
“This proposal was approved by the Israeli side, and now we have a preliminary positive confirmation from Hamas,” stated the Qatari spokesperson, Majed al Ansari.
However, a Hamas source told AFP that there is “no agreement yet on the implementation” of the proposal and that “Qatar’s statement was hasty and not true.”
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, in exile in Qatar, was expected to arrive in Egypt on Thursday or Friday, where he is likely to address this proposal.
A Hamas source had previously indicated that the Islamist movement, in power in Gaza since 2007, was examining a three-phase agreement proposal.
The first phase would include a six-week ceasefire during which Israel would release between 200 and 300 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 35 to 40 hostages. Additionally, between 200 and 300 trucks of humanitarian aid could enter Gaza each day.
On October 7, Hamas fighters entered southern Israel and killed around 1,163 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped about 250, according to the latest AFP tally based on Israeli official data.
In response to the attack, Israel launched an aerial and ground offensive to “annihilate” Hamas, classified as a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, resulting in more than 27,000 deaths, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas health ministry.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant claimed that “Hamas has 10,000 dead terrorists and 10,000 who were taken out of action.”
US Sanctions Israeli Settlers
The United States imposed sanctions on a group of Jewish settlers accused of violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank.
The violence by Jewish settlers has reached “unacceptable levels,” wrote US President Joe Biden in his executive order.
The Israeli government rejected these sanctions, stating that there is “no room for exceptional measures” against West Bank settlers.
“The vast majority of settlers in Judea and Samaria [West Bank] are law-abiding citizens, and many are currently fighting for the defense of Israel. Israel acts against all those who violate the law everywhere,” said a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli settlers killed at least 10 Palestinians and set fire to dozens of homes in the occupied West Bank in 2023, according to the human rights group Yesh Din.
“Uninhabitable” Territory
In Gaza, witnesses reported Israeli airstrikes near Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis on Thursday night, the major city in the southern part of the enclave where, according to Israel, some Hamas leaders operate.
Over 30,000 displaced people are taking refuge in this partially destroyed town, lacking food, water, and medicine due to Israel’s total siege, according to the Hamas health ministry.
The population is “dying of hunger,” warned Michael Ryan, director of the World Health Organization’s emergency health program, on Wednesday.
According to the UN, the war forced 1.7 million of Gaza’s 2.4 million inhabitants to flee their homes.
The situation risks worsening due to the suspension of donations from several countries to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) after Israel accused 12 of its employees of being involved in the Hamas attack on October 7.
The agency, which stated that it might be forced to cease its operations “at the end of February,” was nominated on Thursday by a Norwegian politician for the Nobel Peace Prize “for its work in providing vital support to Palestine and the region.”
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
International
OAS Secretary General Pledges Regional Assistance Following Venezuela Quake Disaster
The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, said on Thursday that the “hemispheric community” stands ready to provide “full support” to Venezuela and its people following the powerful earthquakes that struck the country overnight, leaving at least 164 people dead and nearly 1,000 injured.
Speaking at the conclusion of the OAS General Assembly, Ramdin expressed solidarity not only with Venezuela but also with Colombia, Curaçao and Aruba, where the tremors were also felt.
“Above all, our thoughts are with these peoples,” he said during his remarks.
Ramdin noted that while many details about the disaster are still emerging, countries across the hemisphere are prepared to assist Venezuela as it responds to the crisis.
“Much remains unknown at this stage, but the hemispheric community will be ready to support the people of Venezuela during this very difficult time,” he stated, reiterating the organization’s commitment to helping those affected.
According to updated information released by the Venezuelan government, the powerful earthquakes have been followed by at least 30 aftershocks. Authorities have also reported extensive structural damage, including numerous building collapses in La Guaira, the area considered hardest hit by the disaster.
Rescue efforts are currently focused on La Guaira, where emergency teams continue searching for survivors trapped beneath the rubble as officials assess the full extent of the damage.
International
Bill Gates Says Jeffrey Epstein Made “Veiled” Threats Over Extramarital Affairs
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates told members of the U.S. Congress that he received “veiled” threats from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein related to his extramarital affairs, according to a transcript of his testimony released Tuesday.
Gates testified behind closed doors on June 10 before the House Oversight Committee regarding his relationship with the American financier, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking-related charges. Epstein had previously been convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
According to the transcript released by the committee, Gates said Epstein appeared to want to use his knowledge of Gates’ personal relationships as leverage to keep him within his circle at a time when Gates was already distancing himself.
“I was not blackmailed, but reading these emails, it seems like Mr. Epstein’s ideas were moving in that direction,” Gates said, referring to documents from the Epstein case released by the Justice Department in January.
Gates added that Epstein never sent him anything he would personally classify as blackmail. However, he said the content of certain draft emails suggested Epstein was “rehearsing” how he, or someone he instructed, might attempt to pressure him.
“He was, in a way, practicing how he himself, or someone he directed, could choose to blackmail me, but none of those messages were ever sent to me,” Gates told lawmakers.
The 70-year-old billionaire had previously stated that he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal behavior and said he had never been involved in harming anyone.
In February, Gates told The Wall Street Journal that his association with Epstein was a serious mistake. He also acknowledged having extramarital relationships, while denying any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities.
Gates said his relationship with Epstein began in 2011, three years after Epstein’s conviction, and acknowledged that he was aware of Epstein’s legal troubles at the time.
However, Gates said he was told that Epstein had the ability to raise billions of dollars for global health initiatives, an area in which Gates had significant involvement.
“When I met him, I knew he had been convicted,” Gates told lawmakers. “I knew it was of a sexual nature, but I didn’t try to learn more, although I probably should have.”
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
OAS Secretary General Pledges Regional Assistance Following Venezuela Quake Disaster
Bill Gates Says Jeffrey Epstein Made “Veiled” Threats Over Extramarital Affairs
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