Israeli strike on Gaza shelter kills 17 as Blinken says cease-fire talks will resume
Deir al-Balah (Gaza Strip), Oct 24: An Israeli strike on a school where displaced people were sheltering in the central Gaza Strip killed at least 17 people on Thursday, nearly all women and children, Palestinian medical officials said.
The strike came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel had accomplished its objective of “effectively dismantling” Hamas, and that negotiations over a cease-fire and the release of dozens of Israeli hostages would resume in the coming days.
Another 42 people were wounded in the strike in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the Awda Hospital, which received the casualties. Among the dead were 13 children under the age of 18 and three women, according to the hospital's records.
The Israeli military said it targeted Hamas group inside the school, without providing evidence. Israel has carried out several strikes on schools-turned-shelters in recent months, saying it precisely targets Hamas members hiding out among civilians. The strikes often kill women and children.
Blinken, speaking to reporters in Qatar, which has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, said negotiators would reconvene “in the coming days”.
“What we really have to determine is whether Hamas is prepared to engage," he said on his 11th visit to the region since the start of the war.
The United States hopes to renew the negotiations after Israeli forces killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza last week, but neither side has shown any sign of moderating its demands from months of negotiations that sputtered to a halt over the summer.
Blinken also announced an additional USD 135 million in US aid to the Palestinians, while again urging Israel to allow more assistance to enter the territory.
Health workers in besieged northern Gaza meanwhile warned of a catastrophic situation there, where Israel has been waging an air and ground offensive for more than two weeks.
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AR Rahman sends notice to 'slanderers' over speculations surrounding separation with Saira Banu
Chennai, Nov 23: Music composer AR Rahman on Saturday issued a warning to individuals speculating about his separation from his wife, Saira Banu.
Taking to social media on Saturday, the 57-year-old musician shared a three-page legal notice addressing those spreading defamatory and "objectionable" content targeting him and his family.
"Notice to all slanderers from ARR's Legal Team," Rahman wrote on X.
It comes days after Rahman and Saira Banu announced that they are ending their marriage of 29 years.
The notice provides a 24-hour window for the removal of such content, stating that failure to comply could result in legal consequences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
"My client informs the hatemongers and sharers of abusive contents to remove the objectionable content within the next one hour and a maximum time duration of 24 hours," read the notice.
Rahman’s legal team said the actions of these individuals not only tarnish his reputation but also cause distress to his family.
Rahman and Banu tied the knot in 1995 and share three children-- daughters Khatija, Raheema, and son Ameen.
Notice to all slanderers from ARR's Legal Team. pic.twitter.com/Nq3Eq6Su2x
— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) November 23, 2024
