JERUSALEM (AP) — The latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks ended in Cairo after “serious and in-depth discussions,” the Palestinian armed group Hamas said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.
After signs of progress, the outlook appeared to darken when Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering humanitarian aid into Gaza after Hamas militants attacked it. For his part, the Israeli Defense Minister warned of “a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places throughout Gaza.”
Israel has not sent a delegation, unlike Hamas, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that “we see signs that Hamas has no intention of reaching any agreement.”
Egyptian state media reported that the Hamas delegation left Cairo for talks in Qatar and will return to the Egyptian capital to continue negotiations on Tuesday.
Another threat to the talks came when Israel ordered the closure of the local offices of Qatar’s Al Jazeera satellite broadcaster, accusing it of broadcasting biased news against Israel. The ban did not appear to affect the channel’s operations in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under pressure from his government’s die-hard supporters, continued to lower expectations for a ceasefire agreement and called Hamas’ demands, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and an end, “extreme.” from the war. That would amount to surrender after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war, Netanyahu said.
Instead, his government again promised to continue a military operation in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city on the border with Egypt, where Israel says Hamas has its remaining battalions, but where more than half of the 2.3 Millions of Gaza residents now seek refuge from Israeli attacks. Rafah is a key entry point for aid.
Kerem Shalom, now closed, is another. The Israeli military reported that 10 projectiles were fired at the crossing and said its fighter jets later attacked the launcher. Hamas said he was attacking Israeli soldiers in the area. Israeli TV Channel 12 said 10 people were injured, three of them seriously. It was unclear how long the crossing would be closed.
The attack came shortly after the head of the U.N. World Food Program said there was “full-blown famine” in hard-hit northern Gaza, one of the most prominent warnings yet about the cost of restrictions on the entry of food and other types of aid into the territory. The comments were not a formal declaration of famine.
Gaza’s enormous humanitarian needs increased pressure on ceasefire talks. Egyptian and Hamas officials have said the deal being discussed calls for a prolonged pause in fighting in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. But the sides remain at odds over whether to include an end to the war and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Netanyahu affirmed that Israel has shown a willingness to make concessions, but said it “will continue to fight until all its objectives are achieved.” That includes crushing Hamas. Israel says it must target Rafah to attack remaining fighters there despite warnings from the United States and others about the danger to civilians.
In later remarks for Israel’s annual Holocaust memorial day, Netanyahu added: “We will defend ourselves in every way. “We will defeat our enemies and guarantee our security, in the Gaza Strip, on the Lebanese border, everywhere.”
The Hamas cross-border attack on October 7 killed about 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage. Israel says the militants are still holding about 100 hostages and the remains of about 30 more people. Netanyahu is under a lot of pressure from the families of some hostages to end the war and free the hostages.
Israel’s air and ground offensive has killed more than 34,500 people, according to Palestinian health officials, who do not differentiate between civilians and combatants but say women and children make up the majority of the dead.
Israel blames Hamas for the civilian deaths, accusing it of hiding in residential and public areas. The Israeli army says it has killed 13,000 militants, without providing evidence to support that claim.
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2024-05-07 05:40:19
Round of negotiations on Gaza ends in Cairo; Israel promises military operation in Rafah
Hy-Vee’s Proactive Response: Voluntary Product Recall Due to Supplier-Reported Contamination Concerns
Hy-Vee Inc. Takes Precautionary Measures
DES MOINES, Iowa – In response to supplier concerns, Hy-Vee Inc. has initiated a voluntary recall of certain products to ensure customer safety.
Products Affected by the Recall
Hy-Vee is recalling two varieties of its Cream Cheese Spread and Cookies & Cream Mix due to potential salmonella contamination. While no illnesses have been reported, the company is taking proactive steps to address the issue.
Identification of Affected Products
Customers are advised to check their purchases for the following products:
- Hy-Vee Cream Cheese Spread
- Hy-Vee Cookies & Cream Mix
Manufacturing and Distribution Details
These products are manufactured at various third-party facilities in the Midwest and sold under the Hy-Vee private label. The decision to recall them was made after the manufacturers alerted Hy-Vee to the potential contamination.
The affected products were distributed to businesses in the following states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Customer Guidance
As a precautionary measure, the products have been removed from store shelves. Customers who have purchased these items are advised to either dispose of them or return them to their local Hy-Vee store for a full refund.
For any inquiries or concerns regarding this recall, customers can contact Hy-Vee Customer Care Representatives at 800-772-4098.
Stay informed and prioritize your health and safety.
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Investigation Urged into Government R&D Budget Cuts: KAIST Countermeasures Committee
Execution time2024-05-07 13:26
A panoramic view of the Daejeon Daedeok R&D Special Zone
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(Daejeon = Yonhap News) Reporter Park Joo-young = On the 7th, eight science and technology organizations, including the ‘Ipteulmak’ countermeasures committee of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) requested a government investigation into the Yoon Seok – due to government cuts in the research and development (R&D) budget.
The KAIST Illegal Countermeasures Committee is an organization organized by current students and graduates following the incident in which graduate student Shin Min-ki was forcibly kicked out of the KAIST graduation ceremony last February while protesting research and development budget cuts (Y&D).
These organizations said in a statement, “The person in charge of the President’s Office gave the order to reduce the Research and Development budget to government ministries such as the Ministry of Science and ICT, the specific content, purpose and method of the order, and The reduction of 5.4 trillion in the budget made in the two months following the President’s order at the National Budget Strategy Meeting “Make the details public,” he urged.
In addition, it was argued that the basis for promoting global research and development projects, which increased to 2.8 trillion in two months, specific cases of damage to government-funded companies, universities, and research institutions, and retaliatory inspections have u targeting from the Korea Aerospace. Research Institute, was revealed through an investigation by the National Assembly.
Shin Min-ki, co-representative of the countermeasures committee, said, “The research environment for young researchers has been destroyed by R&D budget cuts. We should not try to pass on patronizing progress. To solve the problem, we must to understand the current situation and circumstances be a priority.”
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2024/05/07 13:26 Sent
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Investigation Urged into Government R&D Budget Cuts: KAIST Countermeasures Committee