Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 6, target suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria
Jerusalem, Dec 9: Palestinian medical officials said Monday that Israeli strikes in the central Gaza Strip overnight killed at least six people, including one woman.
The strikes came as ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow on Sunday and received asylum from his longtime ally, according to Russian media, hours after rebels seized control of Damascus.
The UN Security Council plans to hold emergency closed consultations on Syria later Monday at Russia's request.
Among the dead in the overnight Israeli strikes were Raed Ghabaien, who was released from Israeli detention in 2014, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the casualties were taken.
He was killed along with his wife when an Israeli strike hit their tent in the central town of Zuweida, the hospital records showed. Two other people were killed in a strike that hit their house late Sunday in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp. Another two were killed in a strike in the Wadi Gaza area early Monday.
An Associated Press journalist counted the bodies at the hospital's morgue.
Israel's offensive has killed over 44,500 Palestinians in the Gaza since the start of the war, according to local health authorities. They say most of the dead are women and children but do not distinguish between fighters and civilians.
Israel says it only strikes Hamas members and blames group for civilian deaths because its fighters operate in residential areas.
The war began when Hamas-led group stormed into southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250, including older adults and children. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead.
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EC notice to Bihar Deputy CM over alleged possession of two voter IDs
Patna: The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday issued a notice to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha over allegations of possessing two voter identity cards and being registered in two separate assembly constituencies.
The action follows a complaint by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who earlier in the day alleged that Sinha was a registered voter in both Lakhisarai and Bankipur assembly constituencies, located in different districts. Speaking to reporters, Yadav questioned what steps had been taken against Sinha.
According to officials, the notice, issued by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for Bankipur constituency, seeks an explanation from Sinha by August 14 on why he holds two voter IDs.
The controversy coincided with a protest by opposition MPs, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sharad Pawar, who marched from Parliament House towards the EC headquarters in New Delhi against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar. The protestors, wearing white caps marked with a red cross over the words “SIR” and “vote chori,” were stopped by police near Transport Bhawan.
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