International
A reputed surgeon from Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital dies in an Israeli prison
Adnan al Barash, a reputed 50-year-old surgeon from the Al Shifa hospital in Gaza City, has died this Thursday in an Israeli prison, bringing the deaths of the enclave’s health sector to 496 since October 7, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health in a statement.
“The murder of Dr. al Barash will not be the last crime to come to light and also the way they treat prisoners in prisons, especially those arrested in the Gaza Strip,” they denounce in the press release.
This Palestinian doctor, who was head of the Orthopedics department of the Al Shifa medical complex, now inoperative after the siege of Israeli troops, was arrested last December, while treating patients in another hospital in northern Gaza.
Hamas, in a statement, also wanted to denounce the death of this doctor who was “punished simply for fulfilling his humanitarian obligations” and adds that his loss confirms “the continuous war crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian people” by the Israeli Army.
“I am extremely alarmed by the information of Dr. Adnan’s death. How many more lives will have to be eliminated before UN member states, especially those that demonstrate genuine concern for human rights worldwide, act to protect the Palestinians?” The UN rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, lamented in her X account.
Precisely on Thursday, the Israeli authorities refused to return the body of another prisoner, Palestinian intellectual Walid Daqqa, who died of cancer on April 7 after 38 years in prison, according to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported today.
The Gazaz Ministry also asked the international community and health agencies to protect prisoners from the mistreatment they suffer in Israeli prisons. And especially, the Palestinians who are being arrested in Gaza.
It is estimated that there are at least 9,300 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including 3,600 in “administrative detention” without charges or trial, according to data from the human rights group Adalah.
Hamas hopes to send a delegation to Cairo “as soon as possible” to resume negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from the Palestinian Islamist group.
The head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, held a call on Thursday with the head of Egyptian Intelligence, Abás Kamel, in which he thanked him for the role of the North African country as a mediator between the Palestinian group and Israel.
“The head of the movement thanked Egypt for the role and emphasized the positive spirit of the movement to study the ceasefire proposal,” the statement reads.
Haniyeh confirmed that a negotiating delegation will soon travel to the Egyptian capital to “complete the current discussions with the aim of maturing an agreement that meets the demands of our people and that stops the aggression.”
The political leader of Hamas then held a similar call with the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, in which he thanked him for the mediating role of the Arab country, and pledged to reach an agreement under the auspices of Qatar and Egypt.
More than a dozen Palestinians died this morning in Israeli artillery and air strikes in northern and southern areas of the Gaza Strip, with intense bombings in the Nuseirat refugee camp, 209 days of war.
At least six Gazats died last night in an Israeli bombing of the city of Al Zahraa, north of the Nuseirat camp in the center of the Gaza Strip, while rescue teams found three other lifeless bodies after bombings in the northwest of the camp, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on Thursday.
In the southern area of Jan Yunis, a Gazan died and an undetermined number of injuries were recorded in an Israeli bombing in the area of Qaa al Qurain, southeast of this devastated city after four months of Israeli land attacks.
“The areas of Bani Suhaila, Abasan and Khuzaa, to the east of the city, also suffered intense bombing by Israeli fighter planes,” Wafa said, without specifying victims.
The latest attacks increased the death toll to 34,596 after 209 days of war.
“The Israeli occupation committed 3 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, causing 28 martyrs and 51 injured during the last 24 hours,” the Gaza Ministry of Health of the Government of Hamas reported on Thursday, referring to the victims recorded in hospitals.
The Ministry also said that the total number of injured reached 77,816 people, and that “several victims are still under the rubble and on the roads, (but that) the ambulance and civil defense teams cannot reach them.”
On Thursday, the Israeli Army recovered the remains of another of the missiles from Iran’s attack on April 13, which was intercepted in the area of Nahal Ye’elim, near the southern city of Arad, according to a military statement.
“The debris was cleaned of hazardous materials and evacuated by means of a crane by the troops, along with the firefighters and rescue teams,” the Army explained.
Israel has only been able to recover so far some of the almost 120 ballistic missiles that Tehran launched on the night of Saturday, April 13. Most of these projectiles were intercepted in their neighboring countries, such as Jordan.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.
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