(LONDON) — A Virgin Australia flight made an emergency landing in New Zealand after a “possible bird strike,” the airline said in a statement.
Flight VA 148 from Queenstown to Melbourne was diverted shortly after takeoff, the airline said on Monday. The Boeing 737 landed at Invercargill Airport, where it was met by emergency services, the airline said.
Darren Robinson, of Shotover Country in Queenstown, shot a short video of the plane from the ground.
“Heard a loud band and went outside to see a plane engine on fire,” he said on social media. “Hopefully they land safely.”
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
(RUSSIA) — U.S. Army service member Gordon Black, who has been detained in Russia since early May, pleaded partially guilty to charges of theft during the second hearing of his ongoing trial in the Primorsky Court, Russian media reported Monday.
Black, 35, admitted to theft, but he did not admit to the charges of assault or threat to kill, according to Russian media.
In May, Black was detained in Vladivostok, Russia, in the Primorsky territory — which borders North Korea and China — on charges of criminal misconduct, the U.S. Army previously said.
Black had been visiting his girlfriend in Russia and the two had a disagreement, Russian media reported. “After Black left, his friend discovered the missing money and turned to law enforcement for help,” TASS, a Russian outlet, reported last month. “The police found the suspect in the theft in one of the city hotels.”
During his hearing Monday, Black said he was invited to Russia by Aleksandra Vaschuk, and he went here to be with her, according to local Russian media. He did not plan to steal 10,000 rubles from her, he said, per the report. He wanted to return it before leaving and even transferred the money through an acquaintance, which he transferred to her the next morning after the incident, Black said in his testimony during the hearing Monday, the outlet reported.
Two U.S. officials told ABC News in May that Black, a staff sergeant, had been stationed in South Korea before going on temporary leave. He was not granted permission to travel to Russia, the officials said
Black admitted guilt on a theft charge and was cooperating with the investigation, a Russian official confirmed to ABC News in mid-May.
Black’s next court hearing in the trial is scheduled for Wednesday, June 19, at 10 a.m. local time.
ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman, Kevin Shalvey, Joe Simonetti, Leah Sarnoff, Mark Guarino and Anne Flaherty contributed to this report.
(LONDON) — The first hearing in the espionage trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been scheduled for June 26 in Russia, according to the Sverdlovsk Regional Court.
The Russian prosecutor’s office announced earlier this month that the reporter would stand trial on espionage charges, officially ending any future pre-detention appeals. He’s been detained for more than a year.
The journalist, a U.S. citizen, was arrested in March 2023 by Russia’s powerful domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service, or FSB, while on a reporting trip to the city of Yekaterinburg. He has since been held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.
Russian prosecutors earlier this month said they had approved the criminal indictment against Gershkovich, which alleges that the reporter was working on instructions from the CIA as he “collected secret information” about a defense industry contractor in the Sverdlovsk region.
The trial is scheduled to begin behind closed doors on June 26, the court said Monday.
The charges against Gershkovich are “false and baseless,” Dow Jones CEO and Wall Street Journal Publisher Almar Latour and Wall Street Journal Editor in Chief Emma Tucker said in a joint statement released as the trial was announced last week.
“Russia’s latest move toward a sham trial is, while expected, deeply disappointing and still no less outrageous,” the executives said. “Evan has spent 441 days wrongfully detained in a Russian prison for simply doing his job. Evan is a journalist.”
They called on the U.S. government to “redouble efforts to get Evan released.”
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti, Tanya Stukalova and Patrick Reevell contributed to this report.
(LOS ANGELES) — A Southern California wildfire doubled in size overnight, causing the evacuation of more than 1,000 campers from a park, closing a popular recreation area on Father’s Day and threatening a major freeway in and out of Los Angeles, authorities said.
The Post Fire was burning out of control Sunday near Gorman, California, in the Tejon Pass area of Los Angeles County. The blaze started just before 2 p.m. PT on Saturday in the mountainous region and gusty winds caused flames to quickly spread to 5,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
On Sunday afternoon, the fire had grown to 12,266 acres with 2% containment, according to Cal Fire, growing to over 14,000 acres Sunday night.
A group of hikers stranded in the fire zone had to be rescued Sunday morning, the Los Angeles County Fire Department told ABC News. It was not immediately clear how many of the hikers were injured, officials said.
At least two structures have been damaged by the fire, Cal Fire said.
Authorities issued evacuation orders Saturday as a wildfire in Los Angeles County, dubbed the Post Fire, spread over thousands of acres close to a major highway and threatened nearby structures, officials said. https://t.co/QhTLmLUBdkpic.twitter.com/ftiI26VpmP
The cause of the fire remained under investigation Sunday.
More than 300 firefighters, including air tanker crews, are battling the fire from the ground and sky, authorities said.
About 1,200 campers at the Hungry Valley Park State Vehicular Recreation Area were ordered to evacuate Saturday night, and authorities closed Pyramid Lake, which was expecting thousands of visitors for Father’s Day, due to the threat of the Post Fire, Cal Fire said.
The fire was burning parallel to Interstate 5, a major artery in and out of Los Angeles. The freeway was briefly closed on Saturday, triggering a traffic jam through the area, officials said.
Meanwhile, a second Southern California wildfire was burning near Hesperia in San Bernardino County. The blaze started about 6:49 p.m. PT on Saturday and had burned 1,131 acres by Sunday afternoon, according to Cal Fire.
The wind-driven fire was pushing east Sunday toward the Arrowhead Equestrian Estates in Hesperia, where residents were under an evacuation warning, according to Cal Fire.
The Hesperia Fire was 7% contained Sunday afternoon. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
(Round Rock, Texas.) — Police in Round Rock, Texas, have asked for the public’s help in locating a suspect in connection with a shooting during a Juneteenth celebration that left two dead and 14 others injured.
The incident happened on Saturday night when a fight broke out between two groups at the Old Settlers Park at about 11 p.m. local time, Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks said early Sunday. At about the same time, someone produced a gun and began to fire, Banks said, adding that multiple people were struck by gunfire.
Police said Sunday night in a post on X that they are looking for a suspect with a “thin build, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, short dreadlocks, and wearing a white hoodie at the time of the incident.”
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the suspect or who witnessed the incident is asked to contact the Round Rock Police Department. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has put up a $5,000 reward for info leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects, police said Sunday night.
The two people who were declared dead at the scene did not appear to have been part of the larger altercation, and it was unknown how many shooters there had been, Banks said.
Round Rock Police confirmed on Sunday that 14 victims were taken to hospitals with gunshot wounds.
At least six people were transported to hospitals with “potentially serious” injuries, emergency response officials previously said. No details on the patients’ conditions were provided Sunday night.
Four adults and two children were transported to local trauma facilities, the Austin-Travis County EMS previously said.
The Juneteenth Festival, which was put on by a local nonprofit and the city government, included a free concert with a series of acts on Saturday night.
The shooting occurred near the vendor area of the concert stage, Banks said.
Tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip are pictured on June 4, 2024 amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by EYAD BABA/AFP via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — As the Israel-Hamas war continues, negotiations are apparently stalled to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, and Israeli forces continue to launch incursions in the southern Gazan town of Rafah ahead of a possible large-scale invasion.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Jun 16, 6:41 PM Israeli security cabinet discusses steps to ‘strengthen’ West Bank settlements
The Israeli political security cabinet “discussed steps to strengthen settlements in the West Bank, among other things, in response to countries that unilaterally recognized a Palestinian state after October 7,” in a meeting on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Spain, Ireland and Norway recognized Palestine as a state at the end of May. Separately, 143 of the 193 members in the UN General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution stating that Palestinians qualify for full-member status at the United Nations at the beginning of May, according to the New York Times.
The cabinet also discussed “a series of reactions against the Palestinian Authority following its actions against Israel in international bodies,” the statement added.
The Israeli minister of defense and the deputy prime minister “requested an additional period of time to make their comments,” the statement says, and then the prime minister will “bring all the proposals to a vote at the next cabinet meeting.”
-ABC News’ Jordana Miller
Jun 16, 4:35 PM Biden cites pain of Muslims in Gaza in Eid al-Adha holiday statement
President Joe Biden issued a statement Sunday commemorating the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha in which he acknowledged the pain and suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza.
“In Gaza, innocent civilians are suffering the horrors of the war between Hamas and Israel.,” Biden said. “Too many innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children. Families have fled their homes and seen their communities destroyed. Their pain is immense.”
Biden added that his administration is working to end the war and make progress toward a two-state solution.
“And I strongly believe that the three-phase ceasefire proposal Israel has made to Hamas and that the U.N. Security Council has endorsed is the best way to end the violence in Gaza and ultimately end the war,” Biden said.
Biden also cited the conflict in Sudan as well as the targeting of Muslim communities in Burma and China.
He used the holiday to celebrate the contributions of the Muslim community in America and also to say that he is committed to fighting Islamophobia in the United States.
“Hate has no place in America, whether it is targeted at American Muslims, Arab Americans including Palestinians, or anyone else,” Biden said.
He added, “In the spirit of Eid al-Adha, let us all renew our commitment to values that unite us — compassion, empathy, and mutual respect — which are both American and Islamic.”
ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart
Jun 16, 5:49 AM Netanyahu not briefed before ‘tactical pause’ announcement, Israeli official tells ABC News
When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heard the reports on Sunday about a daily “tactical pause” along an aid route, he contacted his military secretary and made it clear that this was unacceptable to him, an Israeli official told ABC News.
After an inquiry, the prime minister was informed that there was no change in Isreal Defense Forces policy and that the fighting in Rafah would continue as planned, the official said.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari released a statement in Hebrew shortly after announcement saying the pause will affect a single aid route.
“There is no cessation of fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, and the fighting in Rafah continues,” Hagari said. “Also, there is no change in the introduction of goods into the Gaza Strip.”
-ABC News Jordana Miller, Victoria Beaule and Kevin Shalvey
Jun 16, 1:08 AM IDF to begin daily ‘tactical pause’ along Gaza aid route
Israel will institute a daily “tactical pause” on military activity on an aid route into Gaza in an effort to increase the volume of humanitarian resources flowing into the strip, Israel Defense Forces officials said on Sunday.
The pause is planned to go into effect from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day until further notice, the military said on social media.
It will be put in place “along the road that leads from the Kerem Shalom Crossing to the Salah al-Din Road and then further north,” the military said.
The “local, tactical pause” comes after discussions with United Nations officials and international organizations, the military said.
-ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey
Jun 15, 5:03 PM Netanyahu reacts to death of 8 soldiers, says Israel is ready for additional challenges
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made his first public statement regarding the death of eight Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza, mourning their deaths.
“Citizens of Israel, today we paid a heart-rending price in our just war in defense of our homeland. With deep sorrow, and in heavy mourning, I bow my head together with all citizens of Israel and weep over the fall of our heroic fighters: Deputy company commander in an engineering battalion, Capt. Wassem Mahmoud and additional heroic soldiers whose names have yet to be released,” Netanyahu said in a statement Saturday.
Netanyahu said Iran’s “axis of evil” will continue trying to “destroy us if we do not stop it.”
“Despite the heavy and unsettling price, we must cling to the goals of the war: The destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, the return of all of our hostages, making certain that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to Israel and the return of our residents securely to their homes in both the north and the south,” Netanyahu said.
“We are in the midst of a very difficult war. The war is being conducted on several fronts, including the international front. We are ready for many additional challenges. It is at this time that we must show our people’s strength of spirit, thanks to which we have overcome all of our enemies,” Netanyahu said.
Jun 15, 4:55 PM 50,000 children require malnutrition treatment in Gaza: UN
After repeated warnings from the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the World Health Organization about an imminent famine in Gaza, over 50,000 children in Gaza now require treatment for malnutrition, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East released said in a statement Saturday.
“With continued restrictions to humanitarian access, people in #Gaza continue to face desperate levels of hunger. Over 50,000 children require treatment for acute malnutrition UNRWA teams work tirelessly to reach families with aid but the situation is catastrophic,” the UNRWA said in a statement on X.
Jun 15, 12:38 PM 8 IDF soldiers killed in southern Gaza ‘incident’
Eight Israeli Defense Forces soldiers were killed in an “incident” in southern Gaza, according to the IDF.
Earlier Saturday, Hamas released a statement saying an operation targeting Israeli military vehicles in Rafah killed several IDF soldiers. The IDF has not commented on the nature of the soldiers’ deaths.
-ABC News’ Nasser Atta and Yael Benaya
Jun 14, 1:45 PM Freed hostage urges Israelis to gather on Saturday
Andrey Kozlov, one of the four Israeli hostages rescued from Gaza on Saturday, is urging Israelis to gather Saturday at “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv in support of the hostages and their families.
“I’m already in Israel at home. But a lot of hostages are still there in Gaza,” Kozlov, 27, said in a video message. “I saw a lot of rallies on Saturday, and it gave me a lot of hope.”
Kozlov’s girlfriend told ABC News this week that Kozlov was psychologically tortured while in captivity, and she said that he told her the moment he realized the Israeli soldiers were there to save him, he felt he was reborn.
Jun 14, 1:25 PM At least 50 projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israel on Friday: IDF
The situation on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon remains tense.
Two women were killed and 20 people were injured in the village of Janata in southern Lebanon after an airstrike on a house late Thursday night, the Lebanese Civil Defense said in a statement.
Since Friday morning, at least 50 projectiles were launched from Lebanon toward Israel, the Israeli Defense Forces said.
“A number of the projectiles were intercepted,” the IDF said.
“As a result of the launches, a fire broke out in the area of Kfar Szold,” the IDF added.
Hezbollah issued statements taking responsibility for nine attacks on Israeli sites Friday.
-ABC News’ Ellie Kaufman, Nasser Atta and Jordana Miller
Jun 13, 6:53 PM IDF counter-terror operation leaves 3 dead, 2 detained, officials say
Israeli forces returned to Jenin, in the West Bank, on Thursday to conduct what they called a “13-hour counter-terror operation” that left three killed, two detained and multiple injured, according to the local Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
The youngest person killed was 19 and the oldest 70, according to the PRCS report.
Bulldozers were filmed in central Jenin, where UNRWA said there was heavy damage, as well as in the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, where the Israeli forces say they conducted a “pressure cooker” procedure on a house where they say two senior terrorists were staying.
Two suspects were killed, according to the IDF statement. The PRCS reports three killed and multiple people injured by shrapnel and beating.
The IDF reported two died in the operation.
-ABC News’ Camilla Alcini
Jun 13, 2:59 PM State Department ‘disappointed’ by Hamas’ ‘continued haggling and delay’
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller on Thursday shed little light on the next steps for negotiations toward a cease-fire deal, but dismissed the idea that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s and other Israeli officials’ lack of public enthusiasm for the proposal soured the chances that Hamas would accept it.
“I personally doubt that comments, or lack of comments, from the Israeli government had anything to do with the Hamas response,” he said. “We were disappointed both that it took so long to get a response and that the response had a number of changes that could drag the negotiations out further.”
Miller was also reticent to discuss remaining sticking points, but on multiple occasions, he dismissed the idea that Hamas should need assurances for a lasting peace, emphasizing that if the proposal were enacted, the cease-fire prescribed under phase one of the deal would last as long as negotiations did.
“At least we would have had a cease-fire. We would have had a halt to the suffering,” Miller said. “Hamas didn’t do that. Instead, they dragged it out for 12 days, and now there will be continued haggling and delay.”
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Jun 13, 2:08 PM Biden says ‘I haven’t lost hope’ on reaching cease-fire deal
President Joe Biden said the G7 leaders discussed the Gaza cease-fire and hostage proposal on Thursday.
When asked if he was confident a deal would be reached soon, Biden said, “No.” He added, “I haven’t lost hope — but it’s going to be tough.”
“Hamas has to move,” Biden said.
-ABC News’ Justin Gomez
Jun 13, 1:39 PM Israel won’t send delegation for further talks on deal: Israeli source
Israel will not send a delegation for further talks on a cease-fire deal, an Israeli source confirms to ABC News.
The U.S., Egypt and Qatar are still trying to pressure Hamas to return to the outline of a cease-fire deal presented by President Joe Biden.
Hamas in a statement Thursday said they have “demonstrated, in all stages of negotiations to stop the aggression, the required positivity to reach a comprehensive and satisfactory agreement, based on the fair demands of our people for a definitive cessation of aggression, a complete withdrawal [of IDF forces] from the Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced, the reconstruction and a serious prisoner exchange deal.”
Jun 13, 1:19 PM WHO, UN warn of ‘famine-like conditions’ amid rising malnutrition in Gaza
A “significant portion” of people living in the Gaza Strip are “now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions,” the head of the World Health Organization said, as neighboring Israel continues to restrict supplies of food and other basic necessities to the war-torn enclave.
“Despite reports of increased delivery of food, there is currently no evidence that those who need it most are receiving sufficient quantity and quality of food,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing Wednesday.
More than 8,000 children under the age of 5 in Gaza have been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition, including 1,600 with severe acute malnutrition. But only two stabilization centers for severely malnourished patients can currently operate in Gaza due to insecurity and lack of access, according to Tedros.
At least 32 deaths in Gaza since the war with Israel began on Oct. 7 have been attributed to malnutrition, including 28 among children under 5 years old, Tedros said.
More than 1 million people in Gaza — half of the territory’s population — are “expected to face death and starvation by the middle of July,” according to the most senior official dedicated to humanitarian affairs at the United Nations.
-ABC News’ Morgan Winsor
Jun 13, 1:12 PM Over 40 projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israel’s northern border: Israeli military
Over 40 projectiles have been launched from Lebanon across Israel’s northern border toward the Galilee and Golan Heights area since Thursday morning, Israeli military officials told ABC News.
Two people were hit by shrapnel and wounded in the Golan Heights, according to Israeli Emergency Services.
The Israel Defense Forces said military exercises are continuing in the north to increase readiness.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir, Jordana Miller, Tom Soufi Burridge and Hugo Leenhardt
Jun 12, 4:20 PM Inside Hamas’ new demands
Hamas’ new demands in response to the latest cease-fire proposal include an insistence that the timetable be moved up for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from all Gazan territory, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the negotiations.
The official also said that Hamas communicated additional demands for assurances that a lasting cease-fire would be achieved that were not included in the previous version of the agreement.
In the first days of May, Hamas seemingly accepted a hostage deal presented by Qatar and Egypt, only for Israel to say it had not signed off on that draft, sparking mass confusion. Later, Israel did say it would return to the negotiating table, which eventually led to the formation of the proposal on the table.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Jun 12, 3:07 PM Northern Israel resident recounts barrage of rockets that shook house
When Hezbollah fired a massive barrage of rockets into northern Israel on Wednesday morning, Meron Bareket said his whole house shook.
“It was kind of a showstopper,” Bareket told ABC News. “You just jumped out of your seat.”
He lives in Kibbutz Amiad, about 10 miles from the Lebanon border.
Bareket said he quickly ran with his two daughters, ages 2 and 5, to their shelter.
He said he’s fearful the situation on Israel’s northern border “will become a real war.”
Bareket said he struggles to explain the situation to his young daughters who have become so accustomed to the sounds and sights of war that they now can differentiate between an F-15 and an F-16 fighter jet when an aircraft flies overhead.
“They point to the sky and ask me if it’s safe to go out, and I don’t know,” he said. “Is it?”
-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Dana Savir, Tomer Slutzky and Hugo Leenhardt
Jun 12, 1:44 PM Over 210 rockets fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel: IDF
More than 210 rockets have been fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel since Wednesday morning, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is conducting a security situation assessment Wednesday evening, the prime minister’s office said.
-ABC News’ Dana Savir, Bruno Nota and Yael Benaya
Jun 12, 1:09 PM US, Egypt, Qatar will work to ‘bridge final gaps,’ national security adviser says
National security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. will work with Egypt and Qatar to “bridge final gaps” on cease-fire negotiations that are consistent with President Joe Biden’s May 31 speech and consistent with the U.N. Security Council Resolution.
“Many of the proposed changes are minor and not unanticipated, others differ more substantively from what was outlined in the U.N. Security Council resolution,” Sullivan told reporters.
Sullivan said their goal is “to bring this process to a conclusion.”
“Our view is that the time for haggling is over, it’s time for a cease-fire to begin and for the hostages to come home,” he said.
-ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez
Jun 12, 9:50 AM Blinken expresses frustration with Hamas response to deal, says negotiations will go on
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday weighed in on Hamas’ official response to the cease-fire proposal, stressing that a deal is the “single, most effective way” to alleviate civilian suffering and avoid escalation in the region.
“Hamas has proposed numerous changes to the proposal that is on the table,” Blinken said at a news conference in Qatar with Qatari officials. “We discussed those changes with Egyptian colleagues, and today with the prime minister [of Qatar]. Some of the changes are workable, some are not.”
“Here, in a nutshell is where we stand,” Blinken said. “Hamas could have answered with a single word: yes. Instead, Hamas waited nearly two weeks and then proposed more changes, a number of which go beyond positions it had previously taken and accepted.”
Blinken said that as a result “the war Hamas started will go on,” but that “in the days ahead, we’re going to continue to push on an urgent basis” to “try to close this deal.”
Blinken noted that almost everyone he’s spoken with during his eight trips to the Middle East since Oct. 7 made clear they wanted to see a negotiated solution to the conflict.
“I cannot speak for Hamas or answer for Hamas and ultimately, it may not be the path Hamas wants to pursue. But Hamas cannot and will not be allowed to decide the future for this region and its people,” he said.
Blinken was pressed on whether the deal was salvageable and whether more pressure needed to be applied to Israel. The secretary declined to characterize Hamas’ response as a rejection, as Israeli officials have, but expressed significant skepticism.
“At some point in a negotiation, and this has gone back and forth for a long time, you get to a point where if one side continues to change its demands, including making demands and insisting on changes for things that it already accepted, you have to question whether they’re proceeding in good faith or not,” he said.
Blinken went on to say he believes the gaps are bridgeable, but “it doesn’t mean they will be bridged” because it depends “on people saying yes.”
“Hamas had this for 12 days. … People were suffering throughout those 12 days. The longer this goes on, the more people will suffer,” he asserted. “It’s time for the haggling to stop.”
Blinken was also adamant that Israel was not the problem.
“Look, Israel accepted the proposal as it was and as it is. Hamas didn’t. So I think it’s pretty clear what needs to happen,” he said.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Jun 12, 5:36 AM Hezbollah fires more than 160 rockets into Israel, IDF says
Hezbollah militants in Lebanon fired more than 160 rockets toward Israel in about 2 hours on Wednesday, the most intense barrage since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, Israeli officials said.
Many of the projectiles launched into northern Israel were intercepted, the Israel Defense Forces told ABC News. Others fell in open areas, including a number of locations in northern Israel, officials said.
The barrage was in response to an Israeli strike in Lebanon on Tuesday night that killed a top Hezbollah commander, the militants said, adding that it was also “in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”
No injuries or damage were reported, the IDF said.
Jun 11, 6:09 PM Israeli forces kill 6 in West Bank raid: Palestinian health officials
Israeli troops shot and killed six Palestinians during a raid on a small village near the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday amid escalating violence there, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The Israel Defense Forces said its soldiers killed “four armed terrorists” and injured “additional ones” amid “exchanges of fire” while conducting “counterterror activity” in the Kafr Dan area.
-ABC News’ Nasser Atta and Dana Savir
Jun 11, 4:51 PM Hamas submits its response to cease-fire proposal
Qatar and Egypt have received a response from Hamas and the Palestinian factions regarding the truce proposal, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad said in a statement, “The response prioritizes the interest of our Palestinian people. The need to completely stop the ongoing aggression against Gaza. The Palestinian delegation expressed its readiness to deal positively to reach an agreement to end this war against our people, based on a sense of national responsibility.”
A U.S. official familiar with negotiations describes Hamas’ response as not an outright yes or no, but a counter with questions about provisions included in the proposal and some additional demands.
Another official said that while the U.S. is still analyzing Hamas’ response, mediators see the potential to bridge remaining gaps at this point and will coordinate with all parties involved on the next steps — which will likely include another round of talks.
Israel received the Hamas response from the mediators Tuesday evening, according to a senior Israeli official. In its response, Hamas rejected the outline of the deal for the release of the abductees presented by President Joe Biden, the official said.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Dana Savir
Jun 11, 1:02 PM 4 hostages rescued from Gaza released from hospitals
All four hostages rescued from Gaza this weekend have been discharged from hospitals, local officials told ABC News.
The three male hostages — Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrei Kozlov,27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41 — were discharged from Sheba Medical Center on Tuesday, according to the medical center.
Noa Argamani, 26, was transferred to Ichilov Medical Center on Saturday to be with her mother, who is in the hospital, officials said. Argamani was discharged on Tuesday morning, a hospital spokeswoman told ABC News.
-ABC News Jordana Miller and Dana Savir
Jun 11, 10:38 AM US announces $404M in aid for Gaza
The U.S. announced $404 million in aid for Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the region, bringing the total amount of aid from the U.S. to over $674 million since the wore broke out, the State Department announced Tuesday.
“This new funding will provide essential support to vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and the region, including food, safe drinking water, health care, protection, education, shelter, and psychosocial support,” the State Department said. “We urge other donors to contribute to the humanitarian response in Gaza and the region, increase support to those affected by the conflict, and work together to find lasting solutions to the crisis.”
Jun 11, 6:23 AM Israel’s actions during hostage rescue may amount to war crimes, UN agency says
United Nation human rights officials said they were “profoundly shocked” by the Israeli operation that freed four hostages in central Gaza over the weekend, adding that actions by both Israel and Hamas “may amount to war crimes.”
“The manner in which the raid was conducted in such a densely populated area seriously calls into question whether the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution — as set out under the laws of war — were respected by the Israeli forces,” the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, or OHCHR, said in a statement on Tuesday.
The rescue operation in a refugee camp in Nuseirat killed as many as 274 people, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Monday. Hundreds of others were injured, the ministry said. Many of those injured and killed Palestinians were civilians, OHCHR said on Tuesday.
But OHCHR also said it was “deeply distressed” about the way the militant groups continue to hold hostages, “most of them civilians, which is prohibited by international law.”
By holding those hostages in densely populated areas, Hamas militants are putting civilians and the hostages at risk, the agency said.
“All these actions, by both parties, may amount to war crimes,” OHCHR said.
Jun 10, 4:11 PM More than 200 killed during hostage rescue raid: Gaza Ministry of Health
At least 274 people were killed and another 698 were injured during Saturday’s Israeli rescue operation that saved four hostages from Hamas custody in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health.
Israeli special forces were disguised as Palestinian refugees looking for a place to live when they entered the buildings where hostages were being held in the rescue operation, two Israeli security sources told ABC News.
The hostages were rescued from two locations in Nuseirat, a camp that has become home to thousands of refugees who’ve fled fighting throughout Gaza.
-ABC News’ Morgan Winsor
Jun 10, 4:09 PM UN Security Council adopts US draft resolution supporting Gaza cease-fire deal
The United Nations Security Council on Monday adopted a U.S. draft resolution urging Hamas to accept the latest cease-fire and hostage release deal.
Nate Evans, spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the United Nations, said in a statement ahead of the vote that the deal would enable a pause in fighting, the freeing of a number of hostages and an immediate surge in humanitarian assistance, among other things.
“Israel has accepted this proposal and the Security Council has an opportunity to speak with one voice and call on Hamas to do the same,” Evans said. “Doing so would help save lives and the suffering of civilians in Gaza as well as the hostages and their families. Council Members should not let this opportunity pass by and must speak with one voice in support of this deal.”
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield made a similar case just before the vote, saying every day the war goes on “needless suffering continues.”
“Colleagues, after eight months of devastation and pain and trauma, what is needed now more than ever is for the fighting to end in a sustainable way,” she said. “The United States and every single country in this chamber wants to see an immediate cease-fire with the release of hostages. We’ve heard those calls time and time again since Oct. 7. Now the opportunity is here. We must seize it.”
Hamas said in a statement they “welcome” what was included in the U.N. Security Council resolution “regarding a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.”
Jun 10, 3:16 PM Israeli special forces dressed as Palestinian refugees to go undercover before hostage rescue operation: Sources
Israeli special forces were disguised as Palestinian refugees looking for a place to live when they entered the buildings where hostages were being held in the Israeli rescue operation this weekend, two Israeli security sources told ABC News.
Special forces were already in position near the buildings where the hostages were being held before they were given the “go” command by Israeli forces, the sources added.
The “go” command was given at 11 a.m. local time, sources said.
The helicopters carrying the hostages and wounded police officers landed at Sheba Medical Center in Israel starting at 12:15 p.m. local time and the last helicopter landed at 12:45 p.m. local time.
The Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security forces, Israeli Defense Forces and Israeli SWAT team members participated in the rescue operation, now called “Operation Arnon” by the Israeli military. The name of the operation was given to honor the one security officer who was killed during the operation.
– ABC News’ Dana Savir
Jun 10, 11:06 AM US calls for Security Council vote on Gaza cease-fire, hostage deal resolution
The U.S. is calling for the United Nations Security Council to vote on a draft resolution urging Hamas to accept the ceasefire-hostage release deal on the table, according to a statement from the spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the UN.
“Israel has accepted this proposal and the Security Council has an opportunity to speak with one voice and call on Hamas to do the same,” the statement read. “Doing so would help save lives and the suffering of civilians in Gaza as well as the hostages and their families. Council Members should not let this opportunity to pass by and must speak with one voice in support of this deal.”
The Security Council vote has been scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Jun 10, 9:19 AM Blinken urges Middle East to ‘press Hamas to say yes’ to proposal
On a tarmac in Egypt, Secretary of State Antony Blinken laid out his objectives for his tour through the Middle East this week, calling on countries with connections to Hamas to push them to take the cease-fire deal on the table, while also emphasizing the need to develop a “day after” plan for Gaza, calling it “a critical moment.”
“My message to governments throughout the region, to people throughout the region: If you want a cease-fire, press Hamas to say yes,” Blinken said. “If you want to alleviate the terrible suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, press Hamas to say yes. If you want to get all the hostages home, press Hamas to say yes. If you want to put present Palestinians and Israelis alike on the path to more durable peace and security, if you want to prevent this conflict from spreading, press Hamas to say yes.”
He said a cease-fire would open a path to “more durable security, calm, peace in Gaza.”
“For that, it’s critical that we continue to work on plans for the day after to make sure that when it comes to security in Gaza, when it comes to governance, when it comes to reconstruction, we have the plans in place to come forward,” he said. “That’s going to be a critical part of my conversations here in the region as we go on to Israel and then to Jordan and then to Qatar.”
Blinken didn’t say when he expected Hamas to give its formal response to the proposal but said “there’s a sense of urgency among all concerned.”
“Our Egyptian counterparts were in communication with Hamas as early — as recently as a few hours ago,” he said. “Ultimately, I can’t put myself, none of us can put ourselves, in the minds of a Hamas or its leaders, so we don’t know what the answer will be.”
Blinken was adamant that Israel stood behind the proposal, stressing it was only Hamas preventing it from being implemented.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Jun 10, 8:56 AM 4 rescued hostages ‘in less severe condition’ physically than expected
The four hostages rescued from Gaza this weekend are physically “in less severe condition than we kind of prepared for,” said Itai Pessach, head of the medical team at the Sheba Medical Center, where the hostages are being treated.
But the worry is mainly on the long-term psychological impact, as “they underwent continuous, psychological abuse,” Pessach told ABC News.
The rescued hostages — Noa Argamani, 25; Almog Meir Jan, 21; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 40 — were kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, according to the Israel Defense Forces. They were all rescued in good condition, the IDF said.
Argamani has been discharged while the three men remain at the hospital. But Argamani will still be receiving medical treatment from the Sheba team for an indefinite period, Pessach said.
“It’s a very, very long process of rehabilitation. And we received captives that came back six months ago, and we’re just now starting to see the initial post-traumatic response coming up,” Pessach said. “They have seen a lot of war-related things that happened and all of that is part of their trauma, and we will need to care for that.”
“When you see the eyes and you see, you know, they get silent for a second and you understand that there’s a trigger, there’s something in their minds, and you see a tear, or they ask to be left alone for a moment or something like that. This is when you really feel, under the surface there’s so much that’s waiting for us,” Pessach said.
-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge, Dana Savir, Omer Manor and Hugo Leenhardt
Jun 09, 11:34 PM US calls for Security Council vote on Gaza cease-fire, hostage deal resolution
The U.S. is calling for the United Nations Security Council to vote on a draft resolution urging Hamas to accept the ceasefire-hostage release deal on the table, according to a statement from the spokesperson for the U.S. mission to the UN.
“Israel has accepted this proposal and the Security Council has an opportunity to speak with one voice and call on Hamas to do the same,” the statement read. “Doing so would help save lives and the suffering of civilians in Gaza as well as the hostages and their families. Council Members should not let this opportunity to pass by and must speak with one voice in support of this deal.”
The State Department said it was consulting with Israel on the draft resolution last week, even though Israel is not a member of the Security Council. A specific vote time has not yet been set, but State Department officials anticipate it will happen in the coming days.
-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford
Jun 09, 6:23 PM United States doubling down on efforts for Israel to reach a cease-fire
The United States is doubling down efforts to reach a cease-fire deal as pressure mounts on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Qatar this week to discuss a cease-fire agreement that secures the release of all hostages, according to the State Department’s announcement Friday.
While Blinken traveling to the region should not be seen as a marker of further progress in reaching a deal, he will be putting pressure on the respective countries’ officials when he’s there.
A U.S. official told ABC News the intelligence that the U.S. provided to Israel in the latest hostage rescue operation was related to “support with locating individuals.”
Currently, there are five American hostages the U.S. believes are still living and three that the U.S. has confirmed are deceased.
The White House is not commenting on the resignation of Centrist Israeli minister Benny Gantz on Sunday, as they don’t comment on domestic Israeli politics.
-ABC News’ Selina Weng
Jun 09, 3:39 PM Gantz resigns from emergency government in blow to Netanyahu
Centrist Israeli minister Benny Gantz announced Sunday that he was resigning from the emergency government because of what he has described as a lack of a plan from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the “day after” in Gaza.
During a televised news conference, Gantz announced he was resigning from the coalition government, taking with him his State Party and the seats it held in the Knesset. Netanyahu’s coalition government will still retain a majority, but the move by Gantz is considered a major blow to the prime minister.
“Netanyahu is preventing us from progressing towards a true victory,” Gantz said. “For this reason, we are leaving the emergency government today, with a heavy heart, yet wholeheartedly.”
He also called on Netanyahu to set a date for elections.
Gantz was set to make the announcement on Saturday but called it off amid the news of an Israel Defense Forces operation in Gaza that led to the rescue of four Israeli hostages.
Gantz is a member of Israel’s three-member war Cabinet, which includes Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
On Saturday, Netanyahu appealed to Gantz on X, saying, “This is the time for unity and not for division. We must remain united within ourselves in the face of the great tasks before us. I call on Benny Gantz — do not leave the emergency government. Don’t give up on unity.”
Following Gantz’s resignation, Netanyahu released a statement on X, saying, “Israel is in an existential war on several fronts.”
“Benny, this is not the time to abandon the campaign — this is the time to join forces,” Netanyahu said. “Citizens of Israel, we will continue until victory and the achievement of all the goals of the war, primarily the release of all our hostages and the elimination of Hamas.”
Netanyahu added, “My door will remain open to any Zionist party that is ready to get under the stretcher and assist in bringing victory over our enemies and ensuring the safety of our citizens.”
In May, Gantz issued an ultimatum to Netanyahu, saying he would resign if the prime minister did not approve a post-war plan by June 8, saying at the time, “While the Israeli soldiers show supreme bravery on the front, some of the men who sent them into battle behave with cowardice and irresponsibility.”
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden wished a “blessed and meaningful” Eid to Muslim communities in the United States and around the world in a new statement.
His statement of celebration acknowledged the pain that many people feel across the world during the holiday, especially given the crisis in Gaza.
“In Gaza, innocent civilians are suffering the horrors of the war between Hamas and Israel. Too many innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children,” Biden said in the statement. “Families have fled their homes and seen their communities destroyed. Their pain is immense.”
Biden added that his administration is working to end the war and make progress toward a two-state solution.
“And I strongly believe that the three-phase ceasefire proposal Israel has made to Hamas and that the U.N. Security Council has endorsed is the best way to end the violence in Gaza and ultimately end the war,” Biden said.
Biden also noted the conflict in Sudan as well as the targeting of Muslim communities in Burma and China. He used the holiday to celebrate the contributions of the Muslim community in America and also to say that he is committed to fighting Islamophobia in the U.S.
“Hate has no place in America, whether it is targeted at American Muslims, Arab Americans including Palestinians, or anyone else,” Biden said.
He added, “In the spirit of Eid al-Adha, let us all renew our commitment to values that unite us – compassion, empathy, and mutual respect – which are both American and Islamic.”
“We are heartbroken to share that James Kent passed away unexpectedly earlier today,” wrote Saga Hospitality Group in an Instagram post announcing the 45-year-old chef’s death. Kent helmed some of the most luxurious restaurants in New York City including Crown Shy, Overstory and Saga.
“The Saga Hospitality Group family is focused on supporting each other and most importantly Kelly, Gavin and Avery as we grieve James’ loss,” the post said, mentioning Kent’s wife and children. The post ended with a message for followers to spend Father’s Day with their loved ones.
The cause of Kent’s death was not disclosed by the hospitality group or his family as of time of publication.
Harrison Ginsberg, the bar director and head of beverages for Kent’s group of restaurants, weighed in on Kent’s death.
“Thank you for all the memories, Laughs, meals, and lessons,” wrote Ginsberg. “I was always in awe of how much you supported me, my career, the bar industry,” he continued.
Kent was a New York City-born chef whose restaurants dominated the food scene and collected accolades including two Michelin stars for his noteworthy restaurant Saga, one Michelin star for Crown Shy, a downtown Manhattan eatery, and a spot on the ranking of the world’s best bars for Overstory, a 64th floor bar on Wall Street. In 2010, Kent won the Bocuse d’Or USA.
Award-winning chef Gavin Kaysen paid tribute to Kent in an Instagram post recounting memories he shared with the chef and expressing shock at the news, sharing that he is “angry that the universe has taken from us without an apology or a reason.”
“What never wavered was his smile, his positive attitude and his love for everyone around him. Our kids grew up together, playing in the city and making us and my kids feel like we deserved to be in that city,” wrote Kaysen.
Other notable New York City chefs and restaurants Daniel Boulud, Dan Kluger, Kwame Onwuachi and The Dead Rabbit Pub also shared tributes to Kent in Instagram posts.
(LOS ANGELES) — A Southern California wildfire doubled in size overnight, causing the evacuation of more than 1,000 campers from a park, closing a popular recreation area on Father’s Day and threatening a major freeway in and out of Los Angeles, authorities said.
The Post Fire was burning out of control Sunday near Gorman, California, in the Tejon Pass area of Los Angeles County. The blaze started just before 2 p.m. PT on Saturday in the mountainous region and gusty winds caused flames to quickly spread to 5,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
On Sunday afternoon, the fire had grown to 12,266 acres with 2% containment, according to Cal Fire.
A group of hikers stranded in the fire zone had to be rescued Sunday morning, the Los Angeles County Fire Department told ABC News. It was not immediately clear how many of the hikers were injured, officials said.
At least two structures have been damaged by the fire, Cal Fire said.
Authorities issued evacuation orders Saturday as a wildfire in Los Angeles County, dubbed the Post Fire, spread over thousands of acres close to a major highway and threatened nearby structures, officials said. https://t.co/QhTLmLUBdkpic.twitter.com/ftiI26VpmP
The cause of the fire remained under investigation Sunday.
More than 300 firefighters, including air tanker crews, are battling the fire from the ground and sky, authorities said.
About 1,200 campers at the Hungry Valley Park State Vehicular Recreation Area were ordered to evacuate Saturday night, and authorities closed Pyramid Lake, which was expecting thousands of visitors for Father’s Day, due to the threat of the Post Fire, Cal Fire said.
The fire was burning parallel to Interstate 5, a major artery in and out of Los Angeles. The freeway was briefly closed on Saturday, triggering a traffic jam through the area, officials said.
Meanwhile, a second Southern California wildfire was burning near Hesperia in San Bernardino County. The blaze started about 6:49 p.m. PT on Saturday and had burned 1,131 acres by Sunday afternoon, according to Cal Fire.
The wind-driven fire was pushing east Sunday toward the Arrowhead Equestrian Estates in Hesperia, where residents were under an evacuation warning, according to Cal Fire.
The Hesperia Fire was 7% contained Sunday afternoon. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
(NEW YORK) — More than 55 million people across the nation were under an alert for extreme heat on Sunday and through most of the week ahead as temperatures are forecast to hit triple digits in some parts of the country.
Over the next seven days, 265 million people, or about 82% of the U.S. population, are likely to experience temperatures topping 90 degrees as the official first day of summer arrives on Thursday.
An Excessive Heat Watch was already issued Sunday for parts of New England, including Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The temperature in Concord, New Hampshire, is forecast to reach 101 on Wednesday.
New York City could feel its first heat wave of the year as temperatures are forecast to reach 90 degrees on Wednesday and 94 on Thursday on Friday.
Pittsburgh is also in for a string of hot weather with temperatures expected to soar to 99 degrees on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
The heat-wave forecast for Pittsburgh could be the city’s hottest all-time for the month of June. The previous five-day June record occurred in 1994 with a temperature average of 96.4 degrees.
The all time record for a heat wave in Pittsburgh happened in mid-July 1988 when city residents sweltered for five consecutive days with 98.6-degree temperatures.
Washington D.C., is also expected to be inundated with 90-degree weather and could flirt with the century mark by Friday.
High temperatures are also forecast fro Ohio and southeast Michigan, where an excessive heat watch is also in effect from Monday through Friday.
Daily temperature records are expected to fall this week in Chicago, Green Bay, and Cleveland.
Out west, dangerous heat is expected for Texas, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.
An excessive heat warning was issued for Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, where temperatures threatened to hit the 110-degree mark on Sunday.
Roswell, New Mexico is expected to reach 105 degrees on Sunday and El Paso and Fort Stockton, Texas are expected to get just as warm.
Authorities warn people enduring such high temperatures to stay hydrated and out of the heat, and to check on elderly neighbors and relatives.
In 2023, there were 2,303 heart-related deaths across the country, a 34% increase from 2022.
