Headline

Israel Begins Ground Offensive In Gaza Despite International Criticism

Published

7 months ago

September 16, 2025

Israel launched its long-anticipated ground assault on Gaza City before dawn on Tuesday, shortly after visiting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed its goal of eradicating Hamas in Gaza.

A United Nations probe, meanwhile, charged Israel with committing “genocide” in the Palestinian territory and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials of incitement.

The assault drew widespread condemnation, with the UN rights chief demanding an end to the “carnage”.

During the night, the military unleashed a massive bombardment of Gaza City as Israeli troops moved deeper into the territory’s largest urban hub.

“Last night, we transitioned into the next phase, the main phase of the plan for Gaza City… Forces have expanded ground activity into Hamas’s main stronghold in Gaza, which is Gaza City,” a military official told journalists.

“We are moving towards the centre” of Gaza City, he said.

The military estimated there were 2,000-3,000 Hamas militants operating in the area, he added.

Defence Minister Israel Katz earlier said Gaza City was “on fire”. “The IDF (Israeli military) is striking terrorist infrastructure with an iron fist,” he said.

The military estimated that about “40 per cent” of Gaza City residents had left and moved to the territory’s south, the military official said.

Witnesses told AFP of relentless bombing in Gaza City, much of which is already in ruins after nearly two years of Israeli strikes.

Only huge piles of rubble remained of a residential block in the north of the city, hit by overnight bombing.

“Why kill children sleeping safely like that, turning them into body parts?” said Abu Abd Zaquout.

“We pulled the children out in pieces.”

– ‘Genocide’ –

Gaza’s civil defence agency said at least 36 people had been killed by Israeli fire on Tuesday.

Media restrictions in the territory and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.

The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which does not speak for the world body, found that “genocide is occurring in Gaza and is continuing to occur”, commission chief Navi Pillay told AFP.

“The responsibility lies with the State of Israel.”

The investigators said explicit statements by Israeli civilian and military authorities, along with the pattern of Israeli forces’ conduct, “indicated that the genocidal acts were committed with intent to destroy… Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as a group”.

The report concluded that Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former defence minister Yoav Gallant have “incited the commission of genocide”.

Israel said it “categorically rejects this distorted and false report” and called for the “immediate abolition” of the COI.

UN rights chief Volker Turk told AFP and Reuters that: “It’s for the court to decide whether it’s genocide or not, and we see the evidence mounting.”

The European Union said the ground assault on Gaza City would worsen an already “catastrophic” humanitarian situation, while Britain said it would bring only “more bloodshed, kill more innocent civilians and endanger the remaining hostages”.

– Statehood push –

Despite the mounting criticism, Rubio on Monday offered robust backing for the offensive as he met Netanyahu.

“We think we have a very short window of time in which a deal can happen. We don’t have months anymore, and we probably have days and maybe a few weeks to go,” he told reporters as he left Israel.

Rubio said a diplomatic solution in which Hamas demilitarises remained the US preference, although he added: “Sometimes when you’re dealing with a group of savages like Hamas, that’s not possible, but we hope it can happen.”

Before flying out to Qatar, the top US diplomat said he hoped the US ally would keep up its Gaza mediation efforts, despite Israel carrying out air strikes against Hamas leaders gathered in the Gulf country last week to consider a US truce proposal.

“We want them to know that if there’s any country in the world that could help end this through a negotiation, it’s Qatar,” Rubio said.

Rubio’s visit came a week before France was set to lead a UN summit in which several Western governments, angered by what they see as Israeli intransigence, plan to recognise a Palestinian state.

Rubio called statehood recognition “largely symbolic”, while Netanyahu — whose government is fervently opposed to such a move — said his country may take unspecified “unilateral steps” in response.

The October 2023 attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 64,964 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.

AFP

Headline

Oil Prices Drop After Iran Reopens Strait Of Hormuz

Published

5 days ago

April 17, 2026

Editor

Global oil prices dropped sharply on Friday after Iran signalled that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to commercial shipping during a temporary ceasefire in the Middle East.

Benchmark crude prices fell by more than 10 per cent, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) slipping below $85 per barrel, while Brent crude declined to about $89 per barrel.

The decline follows comments by Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, who said commercial vessels would be allowed to transit the strait for the duration of a 10-day ceasefire involving Israel and Lebanon.

The truce, which began on Thursday, is reported to include the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

Oil prices had surged above $100 per barrel in recent weeks amid heightened tensions in the region, with WTI reaching nearly $113 per barrel earlier this month and Brent climbing above $119 in late March.

Analysts say the reopening of the key shipping route has eased supply concerns in global energy markets.

Brian Therien, a senior investment strategist at Edward Jones, noted that oil futures are now trending lower, with projections suggesting prices could fall to the low $70 range by the end of the year. He added that a sustained drop in prices could help reduce inflationary pressures globally.

The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, accounting for roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Shipping through the passage had been disrupted during the conflict due to security concerns, including threats of attacks and the presence of naval mines.

An Iranian official told Reuters that vessels moving through the strait during the ceasefire would be required to use designated safe lanes approved by Iranian authorities, while military ships would not be permitted to pass.

Despite the announcement, some shipping firms remain cautious. German carrier Hapag-Lloyd said it is still reviewing the situation before resuming operations in the area.

Meanwhile, Knut Arild Hareide of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association welcomed the development but warned that uncertainties remain, particularly regarding maritime safety, operational guidelines, and the potential risks posed by unexploded sea mines.

Headline

You Can’t Go To US With Good Feelings Since Trump Returned To Power – Sports Legend

Published

5 days ago

April 17, 2026

Editor

Germany legend, Oliver Kahn, has insisted that one cannot go to the United States with ‘good feelings’ since President Donald Trump returned to the Presidency.

Kahn stated this while speaking to Sky Sport Germany about the upcoming World Cup, which is to be held in the US, Mexico and Canada.

According to the former Bayern Munich goalkeeper, there are so many things happening in the US at the moment that are no longer compatible with ‘values’.

“There are simply so many things happening in the USA right now that are no longer compatible with our understanding of values,” Kahn said.

“One example was the war, but I don’t want to list everything Donald Trump has been doing there since he returned to the presidency.

“You can’t go there with a good feeling at the moment.”

Headline

Trump Bows To Pressure, Deletes Post Depicting Self As Jesus

Published

1 week ago

April 13, 2026

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has deleted a social media post that appeared to portray him as Jesus, following backlash and rising tensions with Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war.

The image, shared on Truth Social late Sunday, showed Trump as a Christ-like figure healing the sick, surrounded by American flags and eagles.

The post came shortly after the president criticised the pope for opposing the war with Iran.

By Monday morning, the image had been removed from his account. A previous link to the post now leads to a notice stating the “content is no longer available.”

Speaking later at the White House, Trump denied the interpretation of the image and said he believed it depicted him differently.

“I did post it, and I thought it was me as a doctor, and had to do with the Red Cross,” he told reporters at the White House.

He dismissed claims that the image portrayed him as Jesus, blaming the media for the narrative.

“Only the fake news” could come up with the idea that it depicted him as Jesus.

“I just heard about it, and I said, ‘How did they come up with that?’ It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better,” he said.

The development comes amid an ongoing public disagreement between Trump and Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war.

The pope said Monday he has “no fear of the Trump administration” and would continue to speak out, despite criticism from the president, who described his stance as “terrible for foreign policy.”

Leo, the first American pope, has intensified his criticism of the war in recent days, condemning Trump’s remarks about the Iranian people as “truly unacceptable.”

(CNN)