Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 326 Palestinians, shatter ceasefire with Hamas
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Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip) (AP): Israel launched airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing at least 326 Palestinians, including women and children, according to hospital officials.
The surprise bombardment shattered a ceasefire in place since January and threatened to fully reignite the 17-month-old war.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas refused Israeli demands to change the ceasefire agreement. Officials said the operation was open-ended and was expected to expand. The White House said it had been consulted and voiced support for Israel's actions.
The Israeli military ordered people to evacuate eastern Gaza, including much of the northern town of Beit Hanoun and other communities further south, and head toward the centre of the territory, indicating that Israel could soon launch renewed ground operations.
“Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Netanyahu's office said.
The attack during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan could resume a war that has already killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and caused widespread destruction across Gaza. It also raised questions about the fate of the roughly two dozen Israeli hostages held by Hamas who are believed to still be alive.
A senior Hamas official said Netanyahu's decision to return to war amounts to a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages. Izzat al-Risheq accused Netanyahu of launching the strikes to try and save his far-right governing coalition and called on mediators to “reveal facts” on who broke the truce. Hamas said at least four senior officials were killed in Tuesday's strikes.
There were no reports of any attacks by Hamas several hours after the bombardment, indicating it still hoped to restore the truce.
The strikes came as Netanyahu comes under mounting domestic pressure, with mass protests planned over his handling of the hostage crisis and his decision to fire the head of Israel's internal security agency. His latest testimony in a long-running corruption trial was cancelled after the strikes.
The main group representing families of the captives accused the government of backing out of the ceasefire, saying it “chose to give up on the hostages.”
“We are shocked, angry and terrified by the deliberate dismantling of the process to return our loved ones from the terrible captivity of Hamas,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.
Wounded stream into Gaza hospitals
A strike on a home in the southern city of Rafah killed 17 members of one family, including at least 12 women and children, according to the European Hospital, which received the bodies. The dead included five children, their parents, and another father and his three children.
In the southern city of Khan Younis, Associated Press reporters saw explosions and plumes of smoke. Ambulances brought wounded people to Nasser Hospital, where patients lay on the floor, some screaming. A young girl cried as her bloody arm was bandaged.
Many Palestinians said they had expected a return to war when talks over the second phase of the ceasefire did not begin as scheduled in early February. Israel instead embraced an alternative proposal and cut off all shipments of food, fuel and other aid to the territory's 2 million Palestinians to try to pressure Hamas to accept it.
“Nobody wants to fight,” Palestinian resident Nidal Alzaanin told the AP by phone from Gaza City. "Everyone is still suffering from the previous months,” he said.
Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 326 people were killed in the strikes and hundreds more wounded. Rescuers were still searching the rubble for dead and wounded as the strikes continued. It was among the deadliest days of the war.
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Court imposes Rs 500 fine on ex-BJP MP Brij Bhushan for false testimony, closes proceedings
Gonda (UP), Mar 18 (PTI): A local court here on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 500 on former BJP MP from Kaiserganj, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, while closing proceedings against him in a case related to providing false testimony.
Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik had accused Brij Bhushan of sexually abusing junior wrestlers and held a long protest at Jantar Mantar. An FIR was lodged and the former BJP MP is facing trial in the case.
Brij Bhushan has denied the charges.
According to Assistant District Government counsel (Criminal) Avneesh Dwivedi, the case dates back to 1990 when Brij Bhushan lodged an FIR at Nawabganj police station, alleging that around 4 pm on September 8, 1990, he was at his residence in Mohalla Padav with his associates when three men — Ugrasen Singh from Rudrapur Bisen, Virendra Kumar Mishra from Pandari Kripal and Ramesh Chandra Mishra from Pathakpurwa Khera Colony — arrived for a conversation.
During the discussion, Ugrasen Singh allegedly fired at him with a pistol, but he escaped unharmed.
He further said Virendra Kumar Mishra and Ramesh Chandra Mishra allegedly attacked him with a knife, causing an injury to his hand. However, intervention from bystanders led to the accused being overpowered and detained, Brij Bhushan had alleged.
Following an investigation, police filed a charge sheet against all three accused.
During the trial, two of the accused — Ugrasen Singh and Ramesh Chandra Mishra — passed away.
During his court testimony, Brij Bhushan failed to identify the remaining accused Virendra Kumar Mishra and even denied that he had attacked him.
Based on this, the defence sought Mishra's acquittal. On September 11 last year, the Additional District and Sessions Judge (Third) acquitted him.
The court then ordered a separate criminal proceeding against Brij Bhushan for giving false testimony.
The case was registered on September 17 and was presented before the Additional Sessions Judge (First).
Brij Bhushan was summoned but he failed to appear, leading to the issuance of a non-bailable warrant.
On Monday, Singh appeared in court and apologised for his absence.
The judge, Rajesh Kumar, cancelled the warrant and scheduled the hearing for Tuesday during which the court imposed a fine of Rs 500 on Singh and closed the case.
