Israeli military strikes Hamas military post in Gaza
Jerusalem, Aug 4 : The Israeli military on Friday struck a Hamas military post in the southern Gaza Strip, according to a statement issued by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The strike was carried out by an IDF tank after several Palestinians infiltrated into Israel from southern Gaza, and hurled firebombs and an explosive device in the border fence area, said the Israeli army, Xinhua reported.
According to the army, about 8,000 Palestinians on Friday gathered in five locations along the Gaza Strip border, attempting to sabotage security infrastructure.
A 25-year-old Palestinian was killed and 220 others wounded during the clashes on the Gaza Strip border, the Israeli media quoted the Gaza Health Ministry as saying.
"The troops are responding with riot dispersal means and operating according to standard operating procedures," said the IDF.
The Islamic Hamas movement, which runs the Gaza Strip, was considering accepting the terms of a long-term cease-fire with Israel, which was brokered by the United Nations envoy for Middle East peace and Egyptian officials in recent months, Israeli media reported.
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SC upholds inclusion of ‘secular, socialist’ in Preamble of Constitution
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the inclusion of the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the Preamble of the Constitution, confirming their retrospective application from November 26, 1949. The court ruled that the power to amend the Constitution under Article 368 extends to the Preamble, which is an integral part of the document.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna stated, “The power under Article 368 cannot be curtailed. It will equally apply to the Preamble.” The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, which introduced these terms in 1976 during the Emergency, was challenged on grounds of its retrospective application and the lack of states’ ratification.
The petitioners, including BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, argued that the amendment forced a particular economic theory on the nation and violated the original intent of the Constitution. Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay contended that the Preamble reflects the will of the people at the time of adoption in 1949 and is therefore unalterable.
The court dismissed these objections, affirming that both socialism and secularism are part of the Constitution's Basic Structure. The Bench clarified that socialism refers to a welfare state ensuring equality of opportunity without negating private sector participation or individualism. It emphasised that secularism is embedded in the Constitution, particularly in the principles of equality and fraternity.
Chief Justice Khanna remarked, “Secularism has always been a core feature of the Constitution.” He added that the amendment did not impose socialism as dogma but aligned with the welfare goals enshrined in various constitutional provisions.
