Biden voices support for humanitarian 'pause' in Israel-Hamas war

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden, when responding to a heckler at a Minnesota campaign event Wednesday night, said he thinks there should be a humanitarian "pause" in the Israeli-Hamas war to get "prisoners" out of Gaza.

The 80-year-old Democrat was delivering remarks to some 200 supporters in the northern US state when a member of the audience shouted out to him.

"As a rabbi, I need you to call for a ceasefire right now," she said, referring to the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The president responded: "I think we need a pause. A pause means giving time to get the prisoners out."

Asked about his remarks, the White House later clarified that by "prisoners" the president was referring to hostages held by Hamas.

Biden engaged further with the woman, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the nickname Bibi.

"I'm the guy that convinced Bibi to call for a ceasefire to let the prisoners out. I'm the guy that talked to (Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-)Sisi to convince him to open the door" along Gaza's border with Egypt to allow freed hostages to leave.

Biden indicated that he was discussing the recent release of two US hostages formerly held by the Palestinian Islamist group.

The White House has previously called for "humanitarian pauses" to allow aid to be delivered into Gaza or to carry out evacuations, but has so far refused to discuss a ceasefire, believing it would exclusively play into the hands of Hamas.

The war between Israel and Hamas entered its 26th day on Wednesday.

In retaliation for the bloody attack by Hamas on October 7, the Israeli army has relentlessly bombed the Gaza Strip, and has launched an increasingly extensive ground operation into the territory.

Agence France-Presse

Ex-Israel prime minister Sharon dead

JERUSALEM – Former Israeli premier Ariel Sharon died at a hospital near Tel Aviv on Saturday, aged of 85, after spending eight years in a coma, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.

There was no immediate confirmation from Sheba hospital, where he was being treated, but a spokesman said a statement would be given at 3:00 p.m. (1300 GMT).

Sharon has been in a coma since Jan. 4, 2006 after suffering a massive stroke. His condition took a sudden turn for the worse on January 1 when he suffered serious kidney problems after surgery.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Iran’s Khamenei says Israel ‘doomed to collapse’

TEHRAN, Iran— Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that arch-foe Israel is a regime “doomed to collapse,” escalating a war of words between the Islamic republic and the Jewish state.

“The (Israeli) Zionist regime is a regime whose pillars are extremely shaky and is doomed to collapse,” Khamenei told commanders of the hardline Basij militia force in Tehran.

“Any phenomenon that is created by force cannot endure,” he said in comments broadcast live on state television.

The remarks come at a time of strong criticism in Israel of efforts to strike a long-elusive deal between world powers and Iran on its controversial nuclear program.

Israel, the sole if undeclared nuclear armed state in the region, opposes a mooted deal.

The so-called P5+1 group of world powers and Iran are to resume talks in Geneva on Wednesday to seek an agreement that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called “dangerous.”

Khamenei rejected claims that Iran and its nuclear work posed a threat.

“The enemies of Iran sometimes and particularly the rabid dog of the region — the Zionist regime — malevolently claim that Iran is a threat to the entire world,” Khamenei said.

“No! The threat is the Zionist regime and some of its supporters,” he added angrily, as the Basij crowd burst into cries of “Death to Israel” and “Death to America”.

He also launched a verbal attack on Israeli leaders. “The title of human is not worthy of the leaders of the Zionist regime,” Khamenei added.

Khamenei warned against Israeli threats of possible military action against Iranian nuclear installations. “Our reaction to any aggressor is a slap in the face they will never forget,” he said.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net