On GPS: Holocaust scholar says Israel is committing genocide
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Associated Press
28 minutes ago
- Associated Press
The Latest: Israeli official says a Hamas ceasefire proposal is 'workable'
Israel said it received Hamas' latest ceasefire proposal, with an Israeli official calling it 'workable,' although no details were provided. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on record. Hamas confirmed in a statement early Thursday that it sent the proposal to mediators. The offer comes a day after more than 100 charity and human rights groups said that Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip toward starvation. Experts say Gaza is at risk of famine because of Israel's blockade and the offensive launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The Hamas response came as top U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff was set for travel to Europe, where is supposed to meet with key leaders from the Middle East to discuss the latest ceasefire proposal and the release of hostages. Israel's war in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. Here is the latest: Israeli official says Hamas' latest proposal is workable An Israeli official familiar with ceasefire talks said a Hamas proposal was 'workable' and that Israel was studying it. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on record. Hamas confirmed sending a response to mediators in an statement early Thursday. Israel said that it was reviewing Hamas' response to the latest ceasefire proposal to potentially wind down the war. A statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed receipt of the Hamas response Thursday but did not specify what it entailed. — By Julia Frankel in Jerusalem Israeli fire kills two teens in the occupied West Bank Palestinian health officials said Thursday that two Palestinian teenage boys were killed by Israeli fire Wednesday night in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel's military said its forces had fired at Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails toward a highway, killing two near the West Bank town of Al-Khader. Palestinian health officials named the teens killed as Ahmed Al-Salah, 15, and Mohammed Khaled Alian Issa, 17. Violence has spiraled in the occupied West Bank since the war that began with Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Over 955 Palestinians have been killed there by Israeli fire during that time, according to the United Nations, many during raids Israel says are to stamp out militancy.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Reports: Hamas submits updated ceasefire response in Gaza talks
The Palestinian militant group Hamas has submitted a response to mediators regarding a proposed ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, it announced on Telegram. Israeli news site ynet, citing informed sources, reported the response was an updated version, though the contents were not immediately disclosed. According to the US news outlet Axios, US special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet in Rome with Israel's minister for strategic affairs, Ron Dermer, and a representative from Qatar on Thursday. If sufficient progress is made, Witkoff will travel from Rome to Doha, the capital of Qatar, later this week to try to finalize the ceasefire agreement, according to Axios, citing US and Israeli sources. The United States, together with Qatar and Egypt, is mediating between Israel and Hamas, who have no direct talks. The proposal on the table envisions a 60-day ceasefire during which Hamas would release 10 of the remaining hostages. Following the ceasefire, discussions are planned to work towards a permanent resolution to the conflict. Media reports indicate ongoing disagreements over key issues, including the extent of the Israeli troop withdrawal, particularly from southern Gaza. Israel insists its forces maintain a buffer zone along the Egyptian border.
4 hours ago
A look at UNESCO and its work as the US decides again to leave the cultural agency
PARIS -- With the support of international partners and $115 million in funding, the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO recently helped rebuild the Iraqi city of Mosul after it was devastated by the Islamic State group. The restoration of the historic city's iconic Al-Nouri Mosque and Al-Hadba Minaret was just one of many programs run by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which is in the spotlight because the United States is leaving it once again. The decision to pull U.S. funding and participation from UNESCO will deal a blow to its work preserving cultural heritage around the world. U.S. President Donald Trump exited the agency during his first term, accusing it of promoting anti-Israel speech. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had rejoined UNESCO in 2023 after citing concerns that China was filling the gap left by the U.S. in UNESCO policymaking. Here's a look at the work UNESCO does: UNESCO names World Heritage sites, including landmarks like the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty, and gives them special protection under its World Heritage Sites program. Its World Heritage Committee each year designates sites considered 'of outstanding value to humanity' and intervenes when sites are in danger of destruction or damage. The program provides countries with technical assistance and professional training to preserve the sites. A World Heritage site designation is coveted and seen as a boost to tourism. Another UNESCO convention created in 2003 protects 'intangible' heritage such as folk songs and traditional dances, crafts and cooking in its lists. Like the rest of the U.N., UNESCO was created in response to the horrors of World War II, and particularly Nazi crimes. Amid concerns that the agency's Arab members have used UNESCO to pass anti-Israel resolutions, UNESCO has worked in recent years on Holocaust awareness projects. That includes educational materials and organizing visits to former Nazi concentration camps. UNESCO works to improve literacy, with a special focus on girls in countries hit by war or disasters who get little or no schooling though programs such as the Malala Fund for Girls' Right to Education. In Tanzania, for instance, over 2,500 girls benefited from the creation of safe spaces in 40 secondary schools. The agency provides teacher training and materials and encourages programs for girls to pursue careers in science. One of the agency's goals is coordinating climate knowledge and improving international education about how global warming occurs and affects people around the world. Over 30 UNESCO programs are designed to help its members adapt to climate change and favor sustainable development. UNESCO adopted in 2021 what it calls 'the first and only global standard-setting instrument on the ethics of artificial intelligence.' Applying to all 194 member states, the recommendation emphasizes the protection of human rights and dignity, grounded in principles like transparency, fairness, and human oversight of AI systems. UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay said the U.S. decision to leave was expected and that the agency has prepared for it. While the U.S. had previously provided a notable share of the agency's budget, UNESCO has diversified its funding sources. 'Thanks to the efforts made by the organization since 2018, the decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset, so that it now represents 8% of the organization's total budget compared with 40% for some United Nations entities,' Azoulay said. She added that the agency's overall budget has increased and that it has the steady support of "a large number of member states and private contributors.'
