International
About thirty deaths in Gaza in the last hours, 40,435 since the war began
At least thirty people lost their lives in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip of the last 24 hours, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, and there are 40,435 deaths since the start of the war on October 7.
In addition, 66 people were injured on the last day, bringing the total number of injuries since the beginning of the war to 93,534.
According to the spokesman for the Gaza Civil Defense, Mahmud Basal, at least seven people died on Monday in an attack on a port on the coast of Gaza City (north), where a group of citizens were fishing.
Another person was killed in an Israeli bombing of an apartment in the Gaza capital, and two other bodies were recovered in Deir al Balah (center) after a bombing of a residential neighborhood in the southeast of the city.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Army claimed on Monday that it had bombed a rocket launcher from Hamas in Jan Yunis (south) that they say had been used in an attack against central Israel, in addition to attacking several alleged militiamen throughout the enclave.
“After the attack on the shuttle, secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of additional rockets,” a military statement said today.
In addition, according to the text, dozens of militiamen were eliminated on the last day in Jan Yunis and Deir el Balah, where Israel has been forcing the civilian population to move since last week, with new evacuation orders, despite the danger they face due to the fighting.
The municipality of Deir el Balah confirmed the displacement of 250,000 Palestinians, while 25 shelters have been de-used, according to a statement.
The Islamist group Hamas, which governs in the Gaza Strip, today referred to the attacks and forced displacements in the town of the center of the enclave and said in a statement that they represent some of “the most unpleasant images of a genocide seen in the modern era.”
This Sunday, the humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced that hundreds of patients have been forced to flee from the Al Aqsa hospital in Deir al Balah, adjacent to the area considered “humanitarian” by the Israeli Army and where troops have been fighting for two weeks.
“Israeli forces have issued an evacuation order in the vicinity of the Al Aqsa hospital, to which MSF provides support, in Deir al Balah, urging people to flee. An explosion about 250 meters away has unleashed panic and many have left the hospital,” the Paris-based organization said in a statement.
Of the 650 patients that the hospital had, only a hundred remain in it, of which seven are in intensive care units, the organization said, citing figures from the Gazaz Ministry of Health.
Meanwhile, the Israeli delegation headed by the heads of the Mosad and Shin Bet left Cairo on Sunday after a day of indirect negotiations that has not brought results or progress to reach a truce in the Gaza Strip, sources close to the talks told EFE.
Egypt, for its part, will only accept as a solution to achieve a truce in the Gaza Strip the complete exit of Israel from the border area – the so-called Philadelphia Corridor – although it would accept that it be done in two phases based on the fulfillment of the exchange of hostages and detainees between Israel and Hamas.
On the other hand, the border between Israel and Lebanon, which yesterday experienced a hard escalation of the exchange of fire between the Israeli Army and the Shiite group Hizbulah, woke up this Monday in relative calm.
Since dawn, anti-aircraft sirens have been activated only once on the Israeli side, due to a drone.
In the early morning of Sunday, Israel carried out intense bombings in southern Lebanon, with more than 100 fighter jets, after the Army identified that Hizbulah was preparing for an imminent large-scale attack that targeted the north and center of the country.
The pro-Iranian militia had promised this attack weeks ago, in revenge for the murder of its top military commander, Fuad Shukr, in an Israeli bombing on July 30 on the outskirts of Beirut.
Hizbulah said he launched more than 300 projectiles, while the Israeli Army detected about 210 rockets and 20 explosive drones that were mostly intercepted.
The day left four dead: three in southern Lebanon, one of which was a militiaman from the Shiite Amal group, and a soldier from the Israeli Navy, while the Shiite militia said yesterday that their retaliation “was completed and achieved.”
Despite the calm, Israel maintains the state of military emergency, approved yesterday by the Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, which allows the Israeli armed forces to instruct the population in case of new attacks.
On the other hand, Israeli troops abused, mistreated and humiliated Palestinian doctors, nurses and health workers who were arrested during the war in Gaza, concluded an investigation by Human Rights Watch (HRW), sometimes causing their death, as the Israeli newspaper Haaretz had already reported.
“The Israeli government’s mistreatment of Palestinian health workers has continued in the shadows and must cease immediately,” Balkees Jarrah, interim director for the Middle East of HRW, said today. “Torture and other mistreatment of doctors, nurses and health workers must be thoroughly investigated and properly punished, including by the International Criminal Court (ICC),” he added.
International
Colombia to Send High-Level Delegation to Ecuador to Ease Trade Tensions
Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that, at the instruction of President Gustavo Petro, a high-level delegation will travel to Ecuador in an effort to normalize bilateral relations, which have deteriorated following the imposition of reciprocal tariffs.
“In line with Colombia’s policy of good neighborliness and the spirit of cooperation and integration that guides its foreign policy,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that the delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio and Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez.
“Following instructions from the Presidency of the Republic, and as has been publicly reiterated, the Colombian delegation expects to reaffirm Colombia’s offer of support to the Republic of Ecuador to strengthen control over phenomena stemming from transnational organized crime,” the statement said.
The Foreign Ministry noted that the delegation will attend the meeting with a full willingness to engage in dialogue and to seek concrete solutions to the unilateral measures that have affected the longstanding relationship between the two neighboring countries.
Trade tensions between Ecuador and Colombia escalated on January 21, when Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboaimposed a 30% tariff on Colombian products, citing a lack of cooperation in anti-drug efforts. Colombia responded with similar measures and the suspension of energy exports, while Ecuador increased transportation costs for Colombian crude oil.
Business associations in both countries have warned that the dispute is harming both economies and have called on the governments to resolve their differences through dialogue.
International
Super Bowl Halftime Show Puts Bad Bunny—and Immigration Politics—Back in the Spotlight
The long-standing argument that sports and politics should not mix may be put to the test on Sunday during the Super Bowl halftime show, which will be headlined by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, a choice that has sparked backlash from segments of the U.S. right wing.
Just one week after his headline-making appearance at the Grammy Awards—where he sharply criticized the United States’ anti-immigration policies—Bad Bunny will once again take center stage on the global spotlight with his performance at the NFL final in Santa Clara, California.
Beyond the expectations surrounding the show itself, speculation has grown over whether the artist could again use the platform to protest policies associated with the administration of former President Donald Trump, in front of an audience expected to exceed 120 million viewers in the United States alone.
In fact, one of the most popular Super Bowl prop bets this year revolves around whether the Puerto Rican singer will deliver a direct message against ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), similar to the one he delivered at the Grammys last Sunday.
While few expect Bad Bunny to repeat such a pointed statement, the mere speculation highlights the delicate balance the NFL must manage during the most-watched broadcast of the year.
The world’s most powerful sports league has drawn criticism from the MAGA movement since announcing in September that Bad Bunny would headline a halftime show largely performed in Spanish.
Trump himself declined to attend the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, despite having made history last year as the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl. He described the musical lineup—which also includes outspoken critics such as Green Day—as “a terrible choice” that would “sow hatred.” In response, his supporters have organized an alternative event dubbed the “All-American Halftime Show,” featuring like-minded artists such as Kid Rock.
International
Venezuela Debates Broad Amnesty Law Covering 27 Years of Chavismo
Venezuela’s Parliament began debating on Thursday a sweeping amnesty bill that would cover the 27 years of Chavismo in power, while explicitly excluding serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity.
The proposed legislation, titled the “Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence,” was introduced by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power following the capture of Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military operation.
The legislative session was convened for Thursday afternoon, with lawmakers holding an initial discussion focused on the general principles of the bill. This phase precedes a consultation process with civil society, after which the proposal will move to a final debate examining each article individually.
According to a draft of the bill obtained by AFP, the amnesty would apply to individuals accused of crimes such as “treason,” “terrorism,” and “incitement to hatred,” charges that were frequently brought against political prisoners over the past decades. The scope also includes offenses ranging from acts of rebellion to punishments imposed for social media posts or messages sent through private messaging services.
The bill’s explanatory text emphasizes reconciliation, stating that it seeks to move away from “vengeance, retaliation, and hatred” in favor of “opening a path toward reconciliation.”
However, the proposal explicitly excludes from its benefits crimes such as “serious human rights violations, crimes against humanity, war crimes, intentional homicide, corruption, and drug trafficking.”
These exclusions, the text notes, are based on strict compliance with the Venezuelan Constitution, which already prohibits granting amnesties or pardons for such offenses.
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