US-Israel Gaza genocide
Nearly six months into Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, the regime’s relentless bombardment and shelling claim more lives in the besieged Palestinian territory. At least 10 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City. A house was struck in the southern city of Rafah where eight people, mostly women and children, lost their lives. Three more were killed in an airstrike in Khan Yunis, also in the south. The Israeli regime began its war on Gaza on October 7. Since then, more than 32,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory. Most of them are women and children. Seven-thousand people also remain unaccounted for, and almost 74,300 have been injured.
Hamas welcomes Russia China veto
The UN Security Council has rejected a US draft resolution which linked a ceasefire in Gaza to the release of captives by Hamas. Eleven Security Council members backed the resolution. However, permanent members Russia and China, as well as rotating member Algeria voted against, while one country abstained. Hamas welcomed the rejection of the US draft resolution. It said the resolution would have given Israel cover and legitimacy for, what it called, the war of extermination against Palestinians. The Palestinian envoy to the UN called the resolution one-sided. Riyad Mansour expressed support for another draft resolution put forward by elected members of the Security Council that is expected to be voted on soon. The Russian and Chinese representatives also said the US resolution is imbalanced and does not clearly call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Russia terror attack
At least 93 people have been killed and dozens injured after attackers opened fire inside a busy concert venue near Moscow. According to Russian media, the attackers dressed in camouflaged outfits entered the Crocus City Hall building, opened fire at people, and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb in the building. Daesh subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack, but Moscow authorities have dismissed this assertion, emphasizing that the investigation into the terror incident is still ongoing. Officials say at least 11 people have been arrested in connection to the attack, four of them said to be assailants. According to a Russian lawmaker, two of the detainees were arrested in Bryansk region bordering Ukraine following a car chase. Other suspects fled into a nearby forest on foot. Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, has quickly denied any involvement in the assault.