Israel's offensive aims to make Gaza uninhabitable, says HRW
Gaza: Israel continues its military assault on Gaza while implementing measures to establish direct control over the region, raising concerns over forced displacement and long-term occupation. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has stated that Israel’s actions are part of a deliberate plan to make Gaza uninhabitable.
Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, the Israeli offensive has resulted in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths. HRW has linked the campaign to U.S. President Donald Trump's resettlement plan, which reportedly includes strategies to seize Gaza and remove its Palestinian population.
Meanwhile, Israel has placed humanitarian aid distribution under the oversight of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an agency under the Israeli Defence Ministry. Aid will now be channelled through Israeli-controlled logistics hubs, with assistance restricted to those deemed “non-disruptive.” The closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt is expected to significantly impact the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Israel has also mandated that all NGOs in Gaza register with its authorities, bringing their operations under Israeli control.
Additionally, a new governance division under the Israeli Defence Ministry will regulate Palestinian departures from Gaza, overseeing land, sea, and air travel. Israeli officials claim these measures comply with international law and align with U.S. policies on Gaza.
Simultaneously, Israel has approved the construction of 13 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank under the directive of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. HRW has condemned the move, calling it an illegal expansion aimed at annexing Palestinian land.
Reports from the Israeli publication Mekomit suggest that as early as October 2023, Israel’s intelligence ministry had drafted plans to depopulate Gaza and assume full control over the enclave. Initial proposals reportedly included relocating Palestinians to Egypt’s Sinai region. The developments indicate a broader strategy to integrate Gaza into Israel while limiting Palestinian self-governance.
In response, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia have proposed a $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza. However, with continued military operations and growing restrictions on aid, the region faces an escalating humanitarian crisis.
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
