International
Israel seizes key Gaza border, launches assault on Rafah
Israel seizes key Gaza border, launches assault on Rafah
Israeli forces have seized control of Gaza’s Rafah border crossing, cutting off a vital route for humanitarian aid and potential sanctuary for civilians from a building offensive.
The Israeli military said on Tuesday that it had seized “operational control” of the Gaza side of the border post, which links the besieged enclave with Egypt. The closure of the crucial passage and positioning of tanks in the centre of Rafah is seen as a demonstration of Israel’s determination to press on with an assault on the southern city despite ongoing truce talks.
The 401st Brigade entered the Rafah crossing early on Tuesday, the Israeli military said, closing a route vital for the aid entering Gaza and any civilians able to flee the fighting to Egypt.
The military claimed that the crossing was “being used for terrorist purposes”, alleging that Hamas’s mortar attack on Sunday on the Karem Abu Salem crossing, known as Kerem Shalom to Israelis, which remains closed, was launched from the vicinity. However, it has not so far provided evidence.
The operation came amid an overnight assault on eastern parts of the city. Warplanes pounded residential homes, killing at least 12 people.
Israel’s military said in a statement it had struck numerous Hamas targets in eastern Rafah, killing about 20 fighters.
A spokesman for the Palestinian Crossings Authority acknowledged to The Associated Press news agency that Israeli forces had seized the crossing and closed it for the time being.
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“It’s been a very difficult night,” reported Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud from Rafah. “It’s been very violent, very bloody and full of destruction.”
The assault comes despite Hamas having said on Monday that it had agreed with the terms of a truce deal hammered out by mediators.
However, pressed by hardline nationalist coalition partners who have demanded a full offensive on Rafah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears set to press on regardless.
Trapped
Tareq Abu Azzoum reported from Rafah that the Israeli military carried out an incursion on the eastern side of Rafah, during which there was a heavy exchange of fire with Hamas fighters amid an intense bombing campaign, with the main objective of seizing control of the crossing.
The Israeli control of the border post “is devastating because … Palestinians will no longer be able to leave the territory”, he said.
Despite urgent warnings from its closest allies that an offensive on the city risks huge numbers of civilian casualties, Israel insists that its plans will allow it to clear Rafah and press on to attack the Hamas command and fighters there.
“The Rafah offensive has started again, in spite of all the requests of the international community, the US, the European Union member states, everybody asking Netanyahu not to attack,” Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat, told journalists on Tuesday. “I am afraid that this is going to cause again a lot of casualties, civilian casualties. Whatever they say,” he said, adding, “there are no safe zones in Gaza.”
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Israeli forces whipped up panic on Monday as they ordered 1.4 million or so Palestinians in Rafah – most of whom are displaced following previous instructions from the Israeli military – to evacuate.
The Israeli army reiterated on Tuesday that it has “encouraged” displaced people and international humanitarian organisations operating in eastern Rafah to “temporarily evacuate”.
However, people sheltering in Rafah, amid poor conditions with little shelter, food, or medicine, have few places to go.
The closure of the border crossing only threatens to worsen those shortages and trap more people close to the fighting.
Sources from three humanitarian relief agencies told the Reuters news agency that aid shipments had been halted due to the closure of the crossing.
The latest Israeli operation sees them being pushed towards al-Mawasi on the coast, where the military says it has set up field hospitals, tents, and medical supplies.
“The Israeli military is … strategically cutting off the Gaza Strip and sealing it off from the region,” suggested Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud.
“With the Israeli military presence there right now, we can safely say that we’re looking at a very difficult situation in terms of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza,” he said.
“At the same time, when we look at the location of the Rafah crossing, at almost the centre of the city, that indicates that we’re very close to a full invasion of Rafah.”
Israel seizes key Gaza border, launches assault on Rafah
International
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two employees of Givaudan sense colour, a factory known for making colourings for beverages, located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States (US) were killed in an explosion that took place at the company’s facility.
The factory reported that the incident which took place on Tuesday, November 12 in the afternoon have also destroyed buildings around the company.
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Louisville Mayor, Craig Greenberg stated that firefighters managed to rescue and evacuate numerous individuals from the site, including some who sustained life-threatening injuries.
He also confirmed that all employees present at the plant during the explosion have been accounted for.
Earlier reports indicated that at least 11 workers were hospitalized.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
International
Local security chief arrested over murder of mayor in Mexico
Local security chief arrested over murder of mayor in Mexico
German Reyes, a local security official in Chilpancingo, Mexico has been arrested for the murder of the city’s mayor, Alejandro Arcos.
The Mexican authorities announced his arrest via a statement on Tuesday, November 12.
The Mayor was killed in the month of October as security officials discovered his lifeless body in his pick-up truck with his head chopped off and placed on his body.
The brutal killing and decapitation of Mayor Alejandro Arcos, which occurred just days after he assumed office, stunned the nation.
Guerrero prosecutors confirmed the detention of the security official who was identified as German ‘N,’ in line with Mexican practice of withholding the full names of suspects.
However, a local government official later identified him as German Reyes, who was the security chief for Chilpancingo, a city of around 280,000 residents in southwestern Mexico prior to his arrest.
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“The Guerrero prosecutor’s office, the Mexican army and the National Guard, arrested a man for the crime of qualified homicide in Chilpancingo,” the statement said.
The arrest seems to provide more proof of the extensive infiltration of organized crime in local governments across large parts of Mexico, as well as the corruption among local officials.
Reyes had a lengthy career in Mexico’s military, according to his public profile.
Further reports by the police revealed that the Mayor had prior to his death, left Chilpancingo in his truck without a driver or security detail, heading toward the nearby town of Petaquillas, Mexico.
Local media also suggested that Arcos had met with members of Los Ardillos, a criminal group operating in Guerrero, Mexico.
Local security chief arrested over murder of mayor in Mexico
International
COP29: Islamic bank supports WHO Impact Investment with $10m
COP29: Islamic bank supports WHO Impact Investment with $10m
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has committed a $10 million grant to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the Health Impact Investment Platform (HIIP), bolstering its mission to strengthen primary healthcare systems worldwide.
Announced on November 12, 2024, during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, the grant highlights IsDB’s dedication to enhancing health resilience and climate adaptation in low- and middle-income countries.
In a statement on Tuesday, IsDB described HIIP as a groundbreaking partnership among Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), WHO and nations seeking robust health and climate solutions.
“This initiative focuses on the investment in essential, climate and crisis-resilient primary health care services and systems,” the bank stated, emphasizing the aim to reinforce the health system, especially in low- and middle-income countries and in underserved communities, ultimately aiming to foster resilience against emerging health threats and climate challenges.
Fifteen countries are identified as part of phase one of the Health Impact Investment Platform: Burundi, Central African Republic, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia Guinea Bissau .
Other countries included Jordan, Maldives Morocco, Senegal, South Sudan, The Gambia, Tunisia and Zambia.
Supporting WHO’s technical assistance goals
The $10 million grant will specifically support the technical assistance that WHO provides to countries around the world to assess investment needs and to design the most impactful health projects.
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“These projects will serve as the foundation for co-investment by the MDBs, ensuring that resources are directed toward areas with the greatest potential for positive health outcomes,”IsDB added.
Over the next four years, WHO aims to strengthen climate resilience as part of its Fourteenth General Programme of Work, which includes implementing national climate adaptation plans and making 10,000 health facilities fully operational, including solar-powered electrification.
Unlocking $500m in health investments across the region
In addition to the $10 million grant, IsDB’s contribution is projected to unlock at least $500 million in health investments across the region.
“This collective goal is part of a broader effort to mobilize a total of US$ 1.5 billion in concessional loans and grants, focusing on critical areas, this way addressing national health priorities.”
Advancing health resilience, leadership statements
IsDB President Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser said, the Islamic Development Bank is proud to support the Health Impact Investment Platform as part of our unwavering commitment to advancing universal health coverage and resilience in our Member Countries.
“These Multilateral Development Banks and WHO partnerships enable us to scale up primary health care where it is needed most, creating a stronger foundation to withstand future crises and addressing the pressing health challenges of today.”
“Together, we are fostering a healthier, more equitable future for communities across the globe,” he said.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that low- and middle-income countries need access to sustainable financing to strengthen their health systems through primary health care, to make them both more resilient to pandemics and more equitable in delivering essential health services.
“The Health Impact Investment Platform combines WHO’s public health expertise and on-the-ground presence with the resources and financing expertise of the Islamic Development Bank and other multilateral development banks. By working together, we can make a significant difference in improving health outcomes and creating a healthier future for all.”
The IsDB, along with its partners, remains committed to fostering partnerships that will advance healthcare and improve quality of life globally.
COP29: Islamic bank supports WHO Impact Investment with $10m
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