International
Israel’s offensive is based on Yabalia and the Army orders the evacuation of more areas of Rafah
The Israeli military offensive continues to focus this Monday in Yabalia, a city in the north of the Gaza Strip where troops have resumed their activity in the face of the return of Hamas.
In addition, his artillery extends through the central and east neighborhoods of Rafah, at the southern end of the enclave, which Israel ordered to be evacuated two days ago.
Some 360,000 people have already fled Rafah since the first evacuation order issued by the Israeli Army, according to estimates by the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).
“People don’t know where to go. Everyone in Rafah, even in the areas where the evacuation has not yet been ordered, is leaving. On the street, they ask each other what is the best place to get around,” a displaced gazati in the Tal al Sultan neighborhood, in the west of the city, told EFE.
In Rafah, “fear and confusion” reign, since people are reluctant to travel to what Israel has designated as a “humanitarian zone” for them, in the coastal area of Mawasi, where hundreds of thousands of people live crowded in makeshift shops on the beach, without drinking water or sanitation.
This Monday, the evacuation orders have been extended to two new areas of the center of the population, already more in the western half of the city, where humanitarian aid has not entered for almost a week since Israel keeps the steps of Kerem Shalom and Rafah closed, which connects the enclave with Egypt.
In the last few hours, at least eight people have died in the city, one of them minor, whose lifeless bodies arrived at the Kuwaiti hospital of the Rafah governorate.
“There is no place to go. There is no security to move without a ceasefire,” UNRWA claimed.
In Yabalia, the attacks have reached homes both in the refugee camp and in the city, where ambulance services rescued at least twenty bodies and treated dozens of wounded.
“The occupation forces attacked the ambulances in the Yabalia camp, where we could not reach a large number of victims,” denounced the director of emergency services in northern Gaza.
For its part, the official Palestinian agency Wafa, citing testimonies from residents, indicated that Israeli forces “surrounded and assaulted” the shelter centers, forcing hundreds of people to move west of the city.
“The Israeli forces try to advance towards the center of the field and shoot everything that moves around them, while the gifts fly intensely over the area at a low altitude,” he explained.
After ordering the evacuation of two large neighborhoods of Yabalia on Saturday, the Israeli Army resumed its military offensive on that city in northern Gaza on Sunday, one of the first places it attacked harshly in October when the war began.
“The occupation forces are now trying to besiege and break into the six shelter centers located to the east of the camp. There are shots with drones and snipers, forcing the displaced to leave without knowing where to go,” a resident of Yabalia explained to EFE by phone, who did not want to give his name for safety.
The same source also reported strong armed clashes between Palestinian militias and Israeli troops inside the camp, so the Israeli Army has had to ask for reinforcements.
As has happened with Zeitun, a neighborhood of Gaza City, Israeli forces have resumed their military activity in those parts of the northern Gaza Strip, by detecting – according to information from the intelligence services – that Hamas troops have returned to the area and are being regrouped.
The Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip since October 7 has caused the death of 35,034 citizens, most of them children and women, in adde of 78,755 injured and 10,000 missing people who are estimated to be trapped under the rubble.
In the last 24 hours, the Israel Air Force attacked 120 military targets from Hamas in the Gaza Strip, while its ground troops operate in Rafah, in the south, and in Zeitun and Yabalia, in the north, the Army reported.
The 162ndª Division fights in the east of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, where they say they killed several Hamas fighters, located and confiscated weapons found in a school and destroyed military infrastructure.
“The Air Force attacked several Hamas targets, including underground sites and a building where the agents met,” the Army said.
Meanwhile, the 99th Division maintains its offensive activity in Zeitun, a southern neighborhood of Gaza City where Hamas was also regrouping, and where troops today “roaned a weapons depot at the home of a Palestinian operational.”
A foreign United Nations employee died today in Rafah in an Israeli attack against a humanitarian convoy, the Government of Hamas in the Gaza Strip said on Monday.
“This afternoon, the Israeli occupation army killed a foreign employee and injured another foreign employee in Rafah (southern Gaza Strip), where they were attacked while traveling in a vehicle with the United Nations flag and the United Nations badge,” Gaza authorities said in a statement.
The UN confirmed on Monday that one of its employees died and another was injured in Gaza when the vehicle they were in was hit by a projectile, allegedly Israeli, while they were on their way to the European Hospital this morning.
The two victims, whose nationality has not been confirmed, worked for the Department of Security and Protection (DSS), according to a statement from the organization.
The UN spokesman, Farhan Haq, said that he could not even relet his nationality although “they are international personnel,” and said that the first thing will be to inform their families and governments.
“As part of their daily work, they go to different places to verify the safety conditions,” and in this case it was the European Hospital of Rafah, stressed Haq, who added that the vehicle in which he was traveling was duly identified as belonging to the United Nations fleet.
The secretary general called for “a complete investigation” into what happened, and said that he “condemns all attacks” against UN personnel.
International
20th Festival Salvadoreñísimo brings together thousands of salvadorans in Houston
Parades, baton twirlers, and a mix of Salvadoran and international music set the tone for the 20th edition of the Festival Salvadoreñísimo, held in Houston, Texas, with Tony Villatoro once again leading the organization.
This year, the highly anticipated event moved to a new venue: The Crown Festival Park in Sugar Land, Fort Bend County, within the “space city.” Despite the scorching sun of the open-air setting, spirits remained high, and a brief drizzle later brought relief and renewed energy to the celebration.
More than 5,000 Salvadorans gathered at the park, joining with Guatemalans, Hondurans, and even Mexicans to commemorate 204 years of independence for El Salvador and Central America. The festival was marked by a family-friendly atmosphere, where traditional foods such as pupusas, panes con gallina, pastelitos, and horchata could not be missed.
“Twenty years with this festival, and I am very grateful to the Salvadoran community that always shows up. Thanks to them, the sponsors, and to Diario El Salvador for supporting us since the beginning,” said Tony Villatoro, as more compatriots continued arriving to the celebration.
“I am satisfied. I didn’t expect this level of attendance, especially since we were trying a new outdoor venue with some challenges, but we made it through successfully,” Villatoro added.
The Festival Salvadoreñísimo, now a two-decade-long tradition, once again took place as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, a time when independence festivities run from mid-September through October.
International
El Salvador unveils 2025-2029 National Reintegration Plan for returned migrants
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched the National Reintegration Plan for Returned Salvadorans 2025-2029, a strategy designed to create greater opportunities, ensure access to quality services, and provide a favorable environment for Salvadorans returning to their home country to rebuild their lives.
The initiative is supported by the United Nations Network on Migration, coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), financed by the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), and backed by the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Migration Unit.
During the presentation, Vice Minister of Diaspora and Human Mobility Cindy Mariella Portal emphasized that migrants often face multiple challenges upon returning to their communities.
“That is why we are implementing actions that generate real and sustainable opportunities for these individuals,” she stated.
International
Authorities capture CJNG financial chief in international airport operation
A man identified as the main financial operator of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was arrested Thursday at Mexico City’s international airport, authorities reported.
The individual, named by Mexican media as Óscar Antonio Álvarez, was apprehended during an operation involving the army, navy, National Guard, police, and the attorney general’s office, according to a joint statement.
Álvarez is considered the primary financial operator of a criminal group originating in Jalisco, and the capture took place at Benito Juárez Airport as he arrived on a flight from Barcelona, Spain.
Authorities stated that Álvarez faces charges of organized crime and money laundering, specifically for receiving and transferring illicit funds. His work with the CJNG reportedly included purchasing properties and managing businesses in the tequila and livestock sectors.
According to El Universal, Álvarez was directly under the command of Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho”, the cartel’s top leader, for whom the U.S. offers a $15 million reward.
The CJNG, which operates throughout Mexico and in various parts of the world, was designated earlier this year as a “foreign terrorist organization” by the U.S. government.
Álvarez was handed over to the federal public prosecutor to determine his legal situation, the report added.
20th Festival Salvadoreñísimo brings together thousands of salvadorans in Houston
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