International
Israel attacked the convoy of José Andrés’ NGO by “error” believing that members of Hamas were going
Last Monday’s attack by the Israeli Army on a convoy of the NGO of chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen, was due to a “error” in believing that two armed militiamen from Hamas were traveling in it, so two commanders involved in the operation have been dismissed by the Chief of the General Staff.
This is the conclusion of the independent investigation commissioned to the Mechanism for Investigation and Evaluation of Facts by the Israeli Army, and after it became known, the Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi, has dismissed the brigade’s fire support commander, an officer with the rank of major, and the chief of the brigade, a colonel on reserve.
The commanders of both the brigade and the 162ndª division, which operates in the center of the Strip, have also been admonded.
In addition, Halevi will “formally rebold” the head of the South Command, for “his general responsibility” in the incident.
“We take seriously the serious incident that claimed the lives of seven innocent humanitarian workers. We express our deep sorrow for the loss and send our condolences to the families and the WCK organization,” he said.
According to that investigation, Israeli forces identified two “gunmen” in the aid trucks while the convoy was heading to a warehouse in Deir al Balah, and when the vehicles left the place after unloading, “one of the commanders mistakenly assumed that the gunmen were inside the vehicles and that they were Hamas terrorists.”
The result of the investigations was presented yesterday to the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Herzi Halevi, and released this Friday, in which information sessions were also held with ambassadors and diplomatic corps.
“The troops did not identify the vehicles in question as associated with WCK. After an erroneous identification by the forces, they attacked the three vehicles by the NGO, based on the fact that Hamas agents were traveling in them,” the investigation states.
The attack on the humanitarian convoy of the American NGO World Central Kitchen (WCK), claimed the lives of seven of its employees: the Palestinian Saifeddin Ayad Abutaha, the Australian Lalzawmi Frankcom, the Polish Damian Soból, the Canadian-American Jacob Flickinger and the British John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby.
Although it was perfectly identified, the caravan was hit by three missiles fired by a drone, which was “a serious violation of the orders and standard operating procedures of the Israel Defense Forces,” the report concluded.
“The findings of the investigation indicate that the incident should not have occurred. Those who approved the attack were convinced that their target was armed agents of Hamas and not employees of WCK,” said the FFAM, which also pointed out “errors in decision-making.”
The Israeli Army assured, on the other hand, that it considers the activity of humanitarian agencies in the Strip “of vital importance” and pledged to guarantee their security.
For the NGO World Central Kitchen, Israel “cannot credibly investigate its own failure” in the Gaza strip.
In a statement from the organization founded by Spanish chef José Andrés, it is demanded “the creation of an independent commission to investigate the murders of our colleagues from the WCK.”
“It is not enough to simply try to avoid more humanitarian deaths, which are now approaching 200,” José Andrés says in the statement.
“It is necessary to protect all civilians and it is necessary to feed and protect all the innocent people of Gaza. And all the hostages must be released.”
For her part, Erin Gore, executive director of the NGO, pointed out that the apologies of the Israeli Army “for the scandalous murder of our colleagues represents little consolation.”
However, WCK highlighted the “important steps” taken by the Israeli Army by recognizing its responsibility and its mistakes in the deadly attack and by taking disciplinary measures against those in command.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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