US charges Hamas leader, other militants in connection with Oct. 7 rampage

Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the southern Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP)
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Updated 04 September 2024
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US charges Hamas leader, other militants in connection with Oct. 7 rampage

  • Sinwar was appointed the overall head of Hamas after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and sits atop Israel’s most-wanted list
  • Israel has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians since war broke out in October last year, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry

WASHINGTON: The Justice Department announced criminal charges Tuesday against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the Oct. 7, 2023, rampage in Israel, marking the first effort by American law enforcement to formally call out the masterminds of the attack.
The seven-count criminal complaint filed in federal court in New York City includes charges such as conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, conspiracy to murder US nationals and conspiracy to finance terrorism. It also accuses Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah of providing financial support, weapons, including rockets, and military supplies to Hamas for use in attacks.
The impact of the case may be mostly symbolic given that Sinwar is believed to be hiding in tunnels in Gaza and the Justice Department says three of the six defendants are believed now to be dead. But officials say additional actions are expected as part of a broader effort to target a militant group that the US designated as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997 and that over the decades has been linked to a series of deadly attacks on Israel, including suicide bombings.
The complaint was originally filed under seal in February to give the US time to try to take into custody then-Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and other defendants, but it was unsealed Tuesday after Haniyeh’s death in July and other developments in the region lessened the need for secrecy, the Justice Department said.
“The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a video statement. “These actions will not be our last.”
The charges come as the White House says it is developing a new ceasefire and hostage deal proposal with its Egyptian and Qatari counterparts to try to bring about an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the nearly 11-month war in Gaza.
A US official, who was not authorized to talk publicly about the case and spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press there was no reason to believe the charges would affect the ongoing negotiations.
National security spokesman John Kirby said the recent “executions” of six hostages, including one American, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, by Hamas underscore “the sense of urgency” in the talks.
“We are investigating Hersh’s murder, and each and every one of the brutal murders of Americans, as acts of terrorism,” Garland said in the statement. “We will continue to support the whole of government effort to bring the Americans still being held hostage home.”
Sinwar was appointed the overall head of Hamas after the killing of Haniyeh in Iran and sits atop Israel’s most-wanted list. He is believed to have spent most of the past 10 months living in tunnels under Gaza, and it is unclear how much contact he has with the outside world. He was a long-serving Palestinian prisoner freed in an exchange of the type that would be part of a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Haniyeh was also charged.
Other Hamas leaders facing charges include Marwan Issa, deputy leader of Hamas’ armed wing in Gaza, who helped plan last year’s attack and who Israel says was killed when its fighter jets struck an underground compound in central Gaza in March; Khaled Mashaal, another Haniyeh deputy and a former leader of the group thought to be based in Qatar; Mohammed Deif, Hamas’ longtime shadowy military leader who was thought to be killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza in July; and Lebanon-based Ali Baraka, Hamas’ head of external relations.
The charges are “yet another tool” for the US to respond to the threat Hamas poses to the US and its ally Israel, said Merissa Khurma, Middle East program director at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington.
“If Sinwar is found and brought to justice for planning the October 7 attacks, it would be a significant win for the US and for all those who lost loved ones,” she said by email.
However, with Sinwar in hiding, Khurma doesn’t see the charges adding more pressure on Hamas. She noted that the chief prosecutor of the world’s top war crimes court sought arrest warrants for Hamas leaders like Sinwar and it didn’t change their behavior or weaken them in the ceasefire negotiations.
She said the case was still important for the US because many of those killed or kidnapped were Americans and because the country doesn’t recognize the International Criminal Court.
During the Oct. 7 attacks, militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 250 people hostage. Roughly 100 hostages remain, a third of whom are believed to be dead.
The criminal complaint describes the massacre as the “most violent, large-scale terrorist attack” in Hamas’ history. It details how Hamas operatives who arrived in southern Israel with “trucks, motorcycles, bulldozers, speedboats, and paragliders” engaged in a brutal campaign of violence that included rape, genital mutilation and machine-gun shootings at close range.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The war has caused widespread destruction, forced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to flee their homes, often multiple times, and created a humanitarian catastrophe.
Hamas has accused Israel of dragging out months of negotiations by issuing new demands, including for lasting Israeli control over the Philadelphi corridor along the border of Egypt and a second corridor running across Gaza.
Hamas has offered to release all hostages in return for an end to the war, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners, including high-profile militants — broadly the terms called for under an outline for a deal put forward by President Joe Biden in July.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged “total victory” over Hamas and blames it for the failure of the negotiations.


Army says ‘high probability’ Israel air strike caused deaths of 3 hostages in November

Supporters of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants in Gaza since October rally near the residence of the Israeli PM.
Updated 15 September 2024
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Army says ‘high probability’ Israel air strike caused deaths of 3 hostages in November

  • “The findings of the investigation suggest a high probability that the three were killed as a result of a byproduct of an IDF air strike,” the military said

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military on Sunday said there was a “high probability” an Israeli air strike was responsible for the deaths of three hostages who were killed in Gaza in November.
The bodies of the three hostages, Corporal Nik Beizer, Sergeant Ron Sherman and French-Israeli Elia Toledano, were brought back to Israel in December.
“The findings of the investigation suggest a high probability that the three were killed as a result of a byproduct of an IDF air strike, during the elimination of the Hamas Northern Brigade commander, Ahmed Ghandour, on November 10th, 2023,” the military said in a statement, referring to the three captives.
“This assessment is based on the location of where their bodies were found in relation to the strike’s impact, performance analysis of the strike, intelligence findings, the results of the pathological reports, and the conclusions of the Forensic Medicine Institute.”
“This is a high-probability assessment based on all of the available information, but it is not possible to definitively determine the circumstances of their deaths,” the military said.
The bodies of the three hostages were recovered on December 14.
The military said its investigation revealed that the three captives had been held in a tunnel complex from which Ghandour operated.
“At the time of the strike, the IDF did not have information about the presence of hostages in the targeted compound,” the military said.
“Furthermore, there was information suggesting that they were located elsewhere, and thus the area was not designated as one with suspected presence of hostages.”
The war in Gaza erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Militants also seized 251 hostages, 97 of whom are still held captive in Gaza, including 33 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory military offensive in Gaza has so far killed at least 41,206 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, which does not provide details of civilian and militant deaths.
While 105 hostages were released during a one-week truce in November in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, three captives were killed by Israeli fire.
Yotam Haim, Samer El-Talalqa and Alon Shamriz were mistakenly killed by Israeli troops in December in north Gaza, according to the military.


Morocco blocks mass migration attempt into Spain’s Ceuta enclave

A general view shows Morocco’s Fnideq border crossing with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (background). (File/AFP)
Updated 15 September 2024
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Morocco blocks mass migration attempt into Spain’s Ceuta enclave

  • In the most recent attempt, dozens of migrants gathered on top of a hill in Fnideq on the border on Sunday and began throwing stones at Moroccan security forces
  • Police prevented them from approaching the Ceuta fence

RABAT: Moroccan authorities on Sunday prevented dozens of migrants from storming a border fence to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, after calls on social media for a mass migration attempt.
Spain’s two enclaves on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast, Ceuta and Melilla, share the only land borders of the European Union with Africa. The enclaves sporadically experience waves of attempted crossings by migrants trying to reach Europe.
In the most recent attempt, dozens of migrants gathered on top of a hill in Fnideq on the border on Sunday and began throwing stones at Moroccan security forces, a video shared by local news websites showed. Police prevented them from approaching the Ceuta fence.
Moroccan authorities said they arrested at least 60 people last week for using social media to incite migrants to attempt a mass crossing.
Since Friday, Moroccan security forces have been deployed heavily in Fnideq.
“This is the heaviest security deployment ever in Fnideq with authorities acting pre-emptively by setting up multiple checkpoints on roads to northern Morocco,” Mohammed Ben Aissa, a local human rights activist said.
Hundreds of would-be migrants had been bussed away from Fnideq, he said.
Most of the migrants are Moroccan youths, joined by a smaller number of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Many of them arrive in Fnideq on foot and hide in nearby forests to evade authorities, said Zakaria Razzouki, a rights activist in Fnideq.
Moroccan security forces try to prevent crossings at the land border and patrol the beach to prevent migrants from swimming to Ceuta, he said.
Morocco’s interior ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Morocco and Spain have strengthened their cooperation in addressing illegal migration since they patched up a separate diplomatic feud in 2022.
In the first eight months this year, Morocco stopped 45,015 people from illegally migrating to Europe, according to interior ministry figures.
Last month, hundreds of migrants took advantage of a thick mist to swim to Ceuta, Spanish police said.
Tighter surveillance of Morocco’s northern borders has prompted an increasing number of migrants to try the riskier and longer Atlantic route to the Canary Islands.


Egypt welcomes UN’s decision to establish position of special envoy on water

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will assume the post of UN special envoy on water in November. (File/AFP)
Updated 15 September 2024
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Egypt welcomes UN’s decision to establish position of special envoy on water

  • Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi to assume post in November

CAIRO: Egypt has welcomed the decision of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to establish the position of a UN special envoy on water, and the announcement that Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi will assume the high-ranking post in November.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cairo said Egypt, in collaboration with Germany, had led an extensive initiative in preparation for the 2023 UN Water Conference.

This initiative, which successfully garnered the support of 151 countries, aimed at establishing the position of UN special envoy on water to support member states, particularly water-scarce countries, to help address the challenge of achieving the sixth Sustainable Development Goal regarding everyone having access to water.

Guterres’ decision to create the position is a culmination of Egypt’s efforts to enhance multilateral action in response to emerging challenges.

Egypt looked forward to enhancing cooperation with the new UN special envoy to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda in addressing water scarcity, the statement added.

The news comes in light of the significant efforts made by Egypt for the rational management of water resources and the promotion of transboundary cooperation, in accordance with international law.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty received a phone call on Friday from the UN secretary-general. The call addressed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the dangerous escalation of conflict in the West Bank.

Tamim Khallaf, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the call emphasized the importance of an immediate ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and facilitating the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.

Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s position, which focuses on halting aggression and promptly delivering humanitarian aid to the region. He said peace, security, and stability in the area could not be achieved without adhering to agreed-upon references and establishing a Palestinian state based on June 4, 1967, lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The UN secretary-general spoke of his appreciation of the roles of Egypt, Qatar, and the US in mediation efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement and exchanging hostages and detainees. He expressed hope in achieving agreement as soon as possible.


Stricken Red Sea tanker salvage makes ‘slow’ progress: Greek military

Updated 15 September 2024
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Stricken Red Sea tanker salvage makes ‘slow’ progress: Greek military

  • The operation is being overseen by the European Union’s Red Sea naval mission Aspides
  • Damage to the vessel had threatened a Red Sea oil spill four times the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska

ATHENS: The towing of an abandoned tanker struck by Yemen’s Houthis in August, threatening environmental disaster, is proceeding slowly for a second day, a Greek military source told AFP Sunday.
The operation to tow the Greek-flagged Sounion which began Saturday “is proceeding at a very slow pace,” the source said, adding that it was “initially headed north” without revealing a destination.
The tanker was hit on August 21 by Iran-backed Houthis with missiles off the coast of Hodeida while carrying 150,000 tons of crude oil.
After the initial strike, the Houthis returned and detonated charges on the ship’s deck, setting off new fires.
Damage to the vessel had threatened a Red Sea oil spill four times the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off Alaska.
The operation is being overseen by the European Union’s Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, which Sunday said the tanker was being towed to a “safe location.”
“The salvage of the MV SOUNION is a complex operation and consists of various phases,” the mission said on X, formerly Twitter.
It added aerial shots of the tanker escorted by two warships, one dated Sunday, in which it is still emitting smoke.
Greek state news agency ANA said the tugboat was escorted by three frigates, helicopters and a special forces team, without disclosing the states of origin.
Fires were still visible on board in Aspides pictures on X dated Saturday.
“When it reaches safe mooring there will be an attempt to put out the fire and preliminary steps will be taken to secure the cargo from leaking,” the Greek source said Sunday.
The ships’ radars have been turned off for security reasons.
The tanker had been anchored west of the militia-held port city of Hodeida, midway between Yemen and Eritrea.
The Sounion’s crew — made up of 23 Filipinos and two Russians — was rescued the day after the attack by a French frigate serving with the EU mission.
The EU naval force was formed in February to protect merchant vessels in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthi militia, who have waged a campaign against international shipping that they say is intended to show solidarity with Hamas in its war with Israel in the Gaza Strip.
Since November, the Houthi attacks have caused the sinking of two ships and deaths of at least four crew members.
The Houthis have been firing drones and missiles at ships in the vital commercial route, saying they are targeting vessels linked to Israel, the US and Britain in solidarity with Palestinians over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.


Israeli leaflets tell south Lebanon residents to evacuate

Updated 15 September 2024
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Israeli leaflets tell south Lebanon residents to evacuate

  • It was the first time Israelis had told residents of south Lebanon to evacuate in 11 months
  • The leaflet read in Arabic: “Anyone present in this area after this time will be considered a terrorist.”

BEIRUT: Israel dropped leaflets over a Lebanon border village Sunday urging residents to leave, state-run media said, but Israel’s military told AFP a brigade had taken the initiative without approval.
It was the first time Israelis had told residents of south Lebanon to evacuate in 11 months of cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israel over the Gaza war, triggered by Hezbollah ally Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.
“The Israeli enemy dropped leaflets over Wazzani calling on those in the area and its surroundings to evacuate,” the official National News Agency said, referring to a southern border village.
Wazzani mayor Ahmed Al-Mohammed shared with AFP a picture of the leaflets that showed a map of the region with the areas marked for evacuation marked in red.
The leaflet read in Arabic: “To all residents and refugees living in the area of the camps, Hezbollah is firing from your region. You must immediately leave your homes and head north of the Khiam region before 04:00 p.m. (1300 GMT). Do not return to this area until the end of the war.”
It added: “Anyone present in this area after this time will be considered a terrorist.”
Wazzani is an agricultural region where Syrians are often hired to work the land.
Asked about the incident, an Israeli military spokeswoman said the leaflets had been dropped by drone in an area from which rockets had been fired into northern Israel.
“This was an initiative of the 769 Brigade, it was not approved by the Northern Command. An investigation has been opened,” she added.
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli aircraft regularly drop leaflets urging residents to evacuate before an attack.
On Saturday, Hezbollah’s second-in-command Naim Qassem warned that an all-out war by Israel aimed at returning 100,000 displaced people to their homes in areas near the Lebanon border would displace “hundreds of thousands” more Israelis.
The cross-border violence since early October has killed 623 people in Lebanon, mostly fighters but also including at least 141 civilians, according to an AFP tally.
On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, authorities have announced the deaths of at least 24 soldiers and 26 civilians.