Headline

Netanyahu Announces Readiness For Gaza ‘Temporary Ceasefire’

Published

4 months ago

May 21, 2025

Netanyahu says ready for Gaza ‘temporary ceasefire’
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was open to a “temporary ceasefire” in Gaza, as international pressure intensified over Israel’s renewed offensive and aid blockade in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

“If there is an option for a temporary ceasefire to free hostages, we’ll be ready,” Netanyahu said, noting that at least 20 hostages were confirmed alive.

But he added the Israeli military aimed to bring all of Gaza under its control by the end of its current operation.

“We must avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action,” he said.

His remarks came hours after Israeli troops fired what the army called “warning shots” near a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank, triggering global condemnation and fresh diplomatic tension.

The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israeli forces of “deliberately targeting by live fire an accredited diplomatic delegation” near the flashpoint city of Jenin.

A European diplomat said the group had travelled to the area to witness the destruction caused by months of Israeli military raids.

The Israeli army said “the delegation deviated from the approved route” and entered a restricted zone.

Troops opened fire to steer the group away, it said, adding no injuries were reported and expressing regret for the “inconvenience caused”.

– ‘Unbearable’ –
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on Israel to investigate the shooting and to hold those responsible “accountable”.

The incident came as anger mounted over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Palestinians are scrambling for basic supplies after weeks of near-total isolation.

Palestinian rescue teams said overnight Israeli strikes had killed at least 19 people, including a week-old baby.

A two-month total blockade was only partially eased this week, with aid allowed into the territory for the first time since March 2, a move leading to critical food and medicine shortages.

Israel said 100 trucks with aid entered Gaza on Wednesday, following 93 the day before which the United Nations has said had been held up.

Humanitarian groups have said that the amount falls far short of what is required to ease the crisis.

Umm Talal al-Masri, 53, a displaced Palestinian in Gaza City, described the situation as “unbearable”.

“No one is distributing anything to us. Everyone is waiting for aid, but we haven’t received anything,” she said.

“We’re grinding lentils and pasta to make some loaves of bread, and we barely manage to prepare one meal a day.”

The army stepped up its offensive at the weekend, vowing to defeat Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.

Israel has faced massive pressure, including from traditional allies, to halt its expanded offensive and allow aid into Gaza.

Kallas said “a strong majority” of EU foreign ministers backed the move to review its trade cooperation with Israel.

– ‘Reckless act’ –
Sweden said it would press the 27-nation bloc to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers, while Britain suspended free-trade negotiations with Israel and summoned the Israeli ambassador.

Pope Leo XIV described the situation in Gaza as “worrying and painful” and called for “the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid”.

Israel’s foreign ministry has said the EU action “reflects a total misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel is facing”.

Germany defended a key EU-Israel cooperation deal as “an important forum that we must use in order to discuss critical questions” over the situation in Gaza.

In Gaza, Israel resumed its operations across the territory on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the military says are dead.

Gaza’s health ministry said Tuesday at least 3,509 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, taking the war’s overall toll to 53,655.

Related Topics:Gaza Hamas Israel Israeli

Up Next

Taooma, Kiekie: Meet 5 Young Women Controlling Billion-Naira Influencer Industry [PHOTOS]

Don't Miss

US Justifies Sending Migrants To South Sudan

Comments

Headline

Charlie Kirk Shooter Arrested, Named

Published

12 hours ago

September 12, 2025

Editor

United States authorities have arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as 21-year-old Tyler Robinson from Utah, according to NBC News, citing five senior law enforcement sources.

Kirk was fatally shot in the neck on Tuesday while speaking at a debate at Utah Valley University.

Authorities said the attacker fired a single round from a rooftop in what they described as a targeted assassination.

US President Donald Trump confirmed the arrest, telling Fox News that investigators acted “with a high degree of certainty” in taking Robinson into custody.

Trump praised the joint efforts of local police and state officials in the investigation.

Headline

FBI Releases Video Of Charlie Kirk’s Shooter, Recovers Weapons Near Scene [WATCH]

Published

20 hours ago

September 12, 2025

Editor

The FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office on Friday released video footage of the man suspected of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk fleeing a rooftop after the incident on September 10, 2025.

The bureau, in a statement accompanied by the video link shared on X on Friday, noted that the video shows the shooter climbing onto a rooftop shortly before the attack and then jumping off and fleeing the scene after firing the fatal shots.

Investigators also reportedly found the weapon and ammunition used in the shooting in a wooded area near the university.

The agency wrote, “The FBI has released a video and more photos of the shooter in the Utah Valley shooting. The subject is seen jumping from the rooftop of a building after the shooting.

“Around 12 pm Mountain Time on September 10, 2025, the subject climbed up to a rooftop; after he shot and killed Charlie Kirk, he jumped off and ran away. He left a gun and ammunition in a wooded area near the university.

“Trace evidence collected from the rooftop scene included shoe impressions, a forearm imprint, and a palm print. Anyone with information in this case should call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit fbi.gov/utahvalleyshooting.”

The bureau added that it is working closely with law enforcement partners to seek justice in the murder of Charlie Kirk.

The PUNCH reported on Thursday that the FBI released initial images of a person of interest in the fatal shooting of Kirk.

The agency also offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible for his death.

Meanwhile, two people misidentified online as suspects in the fatal shooting of right-wing US activist Charlie Kirk also told AFP Thursday they were terrified by the misinformation targeting them, as the manhunt for the real killer continued.

31-year-old Kirk, a major ally of President Donald Trump and the head of the largest conservative youth movement in the United States, was shot dead while attending an event at Utah Valley University.

Watch the video below:

https://x.com/MobilePunch/status/1966444113794109657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1966444113794109657%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-186661262228333818.ampproject.net%2F2508281901000%2Fframe.html

Headline

Russia Threatens Poland Over Belarus Border Closure

Published

1 day ago

September 12, 2025

Editor

Russia, on Thursday, urged Poland to reopen its border with Belarus, Moscow’s close ally, calling the closure “destructive” and warning of consequences.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Tuesday the closure of the border with Belarus from 0000 on September 12 (2200 GMT on September 11), in response to the upcoming joint Russian-Belarusian war games.

“We urge Warsaw to consider the consequences of such destructive steps and to review its decision as soon as possible,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

The border closure was to “justify a policy of further escalating tensions in the centre of Europe”, she added.

NATO’s eastern flank members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia are on high alert due to the massive drills, which according to Tusk are designed to simulate occupation of the Suwalki corridor, a strategically important area in Poland.

Usually held every four years, the 2025 iteration of Zapad is the first during the conflict in Ukraine, and is due to run until September 16.

Belarus had said in January that 13,000 troops would be involved in the drills, but in May it said the number was to be reduced by around half.

Zakharova said Warsaw had “demonstratively” ignored the “goodwill” gestures by Moscow and Minsk to move the exercise away from the Polish border and to reduce the number of military personnel participating.