International

More than 150 dead in Israeli attacks in Gaza in 24 hours

More than 150 Gazati lost their lives in Israeli attacks in the Palestinian enclave since Saturday, about 84 yesterday and at least 70 in the early hours of today, Sunday, in a bombing in Beit Lahia (north) that also caused more than 40 injuries.

With these attacks, the number of fatalities since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023 today exceeded 42,600 – mostly women and children – and the number of injured 99,800, in an enclave with a health system on the verge of collapse.

In Beit Lahia alone, at least 73 people died around midnight when Israel bombed a residential complex and a roundabout, according to the authorities of the Strip, in what the Army described as a “precision” attack.

This morning, the Gaza Ministry of Health increased that figure to 87 victims between dead and missing people under the rubble, as well as more than 40 injured, some of them in critical condition. These are added to the nearly 500 deaths in the north alone in the last two weeks of military siege.

In addition to this lethal attack, the hospitals in the north of the enclave were also attacked by Israel, which surrounded the Indonesian Hospital with tanks and demolished part of its walls. Al Awda and Al Yaman Al Saeed hospitals were also damaged.

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The director of the Indonesian Hospital, located in Beit Lahia, Marwan Sultan, said that the Israeli artillery attacked the second and third floors, which “endangered the lives of patients and medical personnel,” in addition to their water tanks and the power grid.

Israeli artillery also attacked Yabalia and its surroundings, according to the Wafa agency, coinciding with the demolition of residential buildings in explosions controlled by army troops.

The acting director of the Al Awda hospital in Yabalia, Mohammed Salha, denounced in messages to EFE that the Israeli Army attacked two ambulances from the center that were transferring the wounded to Kamal Adwan, so both vehicles have been trapped in this hospital without being able to return.

“There are bombings around the hospital (Al Awda) and this morning they have shot at the wall,” Salha added, although he pointed out that no one was injured.

Israel kills four engineers who were repairing pipes

The Israeli Army killed four engineers who were going to repair infrastructure for water distribution in Khuzaa, east of Jan Yunis, in southern Gaza, despite prior coordination with the Israeli authorities to guarantee their safety, Oxfam denounced late Saturday.

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“Despite prior coordination with the Israeli authorities, his clearly identified vehicle was bombed,” denounced Oxfam, which identified the four engineers as workers of a partner organization, the Coastal Townships Water Company (CMWU).

“Their deaths aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where access to drinking water is already seriously compromised,” added the NGO founded in the United Kingdom, which described the attack on civilian infrastructure and those who maintain it as “clear violations of international humanitarian law” and demanded an independent investigation.

For its part, the Israeli Army said that “observers identified several suspicious people on Saturday who were one kilometer from the southern border of the Gaza Strip” and that a tank fired a projectile to “scare them away.”

In addition, according to the statement cited by Haaretz, the Army acknowledged that the victims were hydraulic engineers and said they were investigating the incident.

Hundreds of engineers, officials, health workers and humanitarian workers have died in Israeli attacks after more than a year of this war, which already has more than 42,500 dead.

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One of the most reported cases was the multiple attack, on April 1, against a convoy of the NGO World Central Kitchen, by Spanish chef José Andrés.

On this occasion, Israel fired three consecutive missiles killing seven of its cooperants, which caused the organization to stop its operations to carry and distribute food in the devastated north of the Strip. Israel said it attacked by “mistake,” despite shooting three times in a row.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.