World News
While it’s ‘America First’ for we patriots we still cannot take our eye off world events.
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Israel war cabinet minister vows to quit if there is no post-war plan for Gaza
Christy Cooney – BBC
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sets out a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip.
Mr Gantz set an 8 June deadline for a plan to achieve six “strategic goals”, including the end of Hamas rule in Gaza and the establishment of a multinational civilian administration for the territory.
“If you put the national over personal, you will find in us partners in the struggle,” he said. “But if you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation to the abyss, we will be forced to quit the government.”
Mr Netanyahu dismissed the comments as “washed-up words” that would mean “defeat for Israel”.
The growing rift comes as fighting rages at both ends of the Gaza Strip, with Israeli forces operating in the southern city of Rafah and the northern town of Jabalia, one of Gaza’s historic refugee camps and an area the Israeli military previously said it had cleared of Hamas fighters. Read more here.
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Gaza war: Battles rage as Israeli troops intensify Jabalia and Rafah operations
From the BBC
Israeli forces and Palestinian groups say there have been intense battles in the northern Gazan town of Jabalia.
Israel’s military said troops had killed “a large number of terrorists” in Jabalia’s refugee camp, while Hamas said it had killed several soldiers.
Tens of thousands of civilians have fled Jabalia since Saturday, when the military said it would re-enter the area because Hamas had regrouped there.
Fierce fighting is also continuing around the southern city of Rafah.
The UN says almost 600,000 people taking refuge have been displaced since the start of an Israeli ground operation in the city’s eastern outskirts nine days ago, including 150,000 people in the past 48 hours.
With tanks now pushing into built-up areas and the nearby border crossings closed or…Read more here.
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Slovakia PM Robert Fico in stable but serious condition after shooting, doctors say
By Malu Cursino & Sarah Rainsford, in Bratislava, – BBC
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is in a stable but serious condition after being shot several times on Wednesday, according to doctors.
The hospital director said he was currently in an intensive care unit after five hours in surgery.
Earlier Mr Fico, 59, was said to have been fighting for his life after being gravely injured in an attack in the small town of Handlova.
A suspect was detained at the scene of the shooting.
Miriam Lapunikova, director of the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital in Banska Bystrica, where Mr Fico was admitted, told a press conference that his condition “is truly very serious”.
Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba told the BBC that Mr Fico’s surgery had gone “well” and “I guess that at the end he will survive”. Read more here.
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Biden plans to send $1bn arms shipment to Israel
Max Matza – BBC
The White House has told Congress it wants to send more than $1bn (£800m) in new weapons to Israel.
This comes despite the US being opposed to a full-scale invasion by the Israeli military on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
It said last week it had paused a shipment of bombs to Israel over concerns civilians would be killed if used in densely populated areas.
The new package, confirmed by US media, must still be approved by lawmakers.
It would include $700m in tank ammunition, $500m in tactical vehicles and $60m in mortar rounds, according to the Associated Press news agency.
On Tuesday, Israeli tanks advanced deeper into residential areas in the south-east of the Gazan city.
Last month, Congress passed a bill providing $95bn in aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.Read more here.
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