Yes, killing tens of thousands of people makes you pretty damn evil. It's not how evil is this one versus that one: Hamas: Evil, Israeli government: Evil. We can say both.
A New York City councilmember known for her fervent criticism of Israel faced harsh questioning at a recent gathering of the Democratic Socialists of America - because she had also spoken out against Hamas, as well as supporters of the terrorist organization who demonstrated outside New York synagogues. The comments came during Councilmember Shahana Hanif's interview earlier this month with the NYC-DSA Socialists in Office committee.
Dozens of Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli prisons over the past two and a half years, some during torture while others as a result of medical neglect by prison authorities, rights groups say. Now, Israel is making plans for the execution of possibly hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held on charges of fatal attacks against Israelis, according to an Israeli media report, under what legal experts have called racist legislation that has rattled the families of thousands of Palestinians in Israeli jails.
US officials have discussed the second phase of President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a trip to Israel on Saturday. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff was visiting Israel as part of a US delegation that also included Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor Aryeh Lightstone, and White House advisor Josh Gruenbaum. The Trump administration has been pushing for the start of the second phase of the 20-point peace plan, which would involve the reopening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
In response to the activation of a Hamas explosive device that wounded our forces today prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Israel Katz instructed the elimination of the terrorist Raed Saed, head of Hamas' force buildup, the premier and the defence minister said in a joint statement. The Israeli military described Saed as one of the architects of the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.
As the chapter closes on Yasser Abu Shabab, 32, the Popular Forces militia leader who appeared in Rafah during the war and was widely viewed as a collaborator with Israel, Ghassan al-Duhaini has been named his successor. Soon after Abu Shabab was killed last Thursday, reportedly during a family dispute mediation, al-Duhaini, who was said to be injured in the same altercation, appeared in a video online dressed in military fatigues and walking among masked fighters under his command.
The start of Qatar's relationship with Hamas goes back more than 10 years, he said, adding that opening the group's office in the country came at the request of the US, aiming to enhance communications with the armed group. When they [Hamas] moved their office back in 2012 here [Qatar], it was used only for communication and to facilitate ceasefires and aid to Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the foreign minister, said. Qatar has also hosted the Taliban's political office since 2013, during the group's war with the US and the former Afghan government. The office was also established at Washington's request to create a venue for potential peace negotiations.
Despite mounting public pressure, the government is yet to open a national inquiry into the attack, which led to the devastating Gaza war. The Israeli military has dismissed several senior officers and censured others over the failure to prevent the Hamas-led attack in October 2023. The list of generals formally fired on Monday included those in charge of military intelligence, operations, and the southern command, which is responsible for Gaza.
A senior delegation from Hamas has met Egypt's intelligence chief in Cairo to discuss Israel's breaches of the ceasefire agreement, the group said, as Palestinians in Gaza held funerals for dozens of people killed in recent Israeli attacks. In a statement on Sunday, the group said it reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in its meeting with Hassan Rashad, but accused Israel of continued violations that it said threatened to undermine the deal.
"We are not a protectorate of the United States. Israel is the one that will decide on its security," Netanyahu said in a statement issued by his office as he headed into the meeting.
