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This is VOA News. I'm Joe Ramsey.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hardened his rejection of Hamas demands for an end to the Gaza war in exchange for the freeing of hostages, saying on Sunday that would keep the Palestinian Islamist group in power and pose a threat to Israel. Netanyahu said Israel was willing to pause fighting in Gaza in order to secure the release of hostages still being held by Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group. In Cairo, Hamas leaders held the second day of truce talks with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with no apparent progress reported as the group maintained its demand. Any agreement must end the war in Gaza, Palestinian official said. The head of the World Food Programme says the people of Gaza are starving to death. AP correspondent Karen Chammas reports. In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," Cindy McCain said, "There is famine -- full-blown famine in the north, and it's moving its way south." Her comments come as Israel announced it closed a key humanitarian aid crossing on Sunday after its military claimed it had been fired out along the route. McCain stressed the need to address the issue of famine straight away. "We can't let this happen." As cease-fire talks in Cairo have ended, Israel has vowed to carry out a planned ground offensive in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians are seeking shelter from the daily Israeli military strikes on the enclave. I'm Karen Chammas. The armed wing of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas claimed responsibility on Sunday for the attack on the crossing into Gaza that Israel said killed three of its soldiers. Israel's military said 10 projectiles were launched from Rafah in southern Gaza toward the area of the crossing, which it said was now closed to aid trucks. Other crossings remained open. This is VOA News. Israeli police raided a Jerusalem hotel room used by Al Jazeera as its de facto office on Sunday following a government decision to shut down the Qatari-owned TV station's local operation, an Israeli official and an Al Jazeera source told Reuters. Angela Johnston reports. The head of Al Jazeera in Israel and the Palestinian territories on Sunday slammed an Israeli government decision to shutter the network's local operations. "This is a very dangerous decision against Al Jazeera ..." Walid Omari says he believes the decision against the Qatari-owned outlet was political. "... it's clear that they want to prevent from any others to know what is happening in this war in Gaza, inside Israel and in the West Bank." But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his view that the network's journalists threaten national security. His cabinet voted to shut down the network for as long as the war in Gaza continues. Reuters correspondent Angela Johnston. The death toll from heavy rains that have caused flooding in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul has risen to at least 78, local authorities said on Sunday, with more than 115,000 people displaced. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva arrived in Rio Grande do Sul on Sunday morning with most members of his cabinet to discuss rescue and reconstruction efforts with local authorities. Volunteers using boats, jet skis - and even swimming - have assisted in ongoing rescue efforts. Australia has agreed to strengthen its security cooperation with the United States, Japan and the Philippines. Analysts say the move is in response to China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. From Sydney, Phil Mercer reports. China's ambitions in the South China Sea continue to alarm Australia, its Indo-Pacific allies and the United States. In response, Australia, the United States and Japan have agreed to step up military drills with the Philippines. Defense officials from the four countries met in Hawaii on Friday, declaring their commitment to protecting freedom of navigation in the region. Earlier this week, the Philippines accused China of dangerous maneuvers and harassment after its use of water cannons against two Philippine vessels during a patrol in the South China Sea. Phil Mercer, VOA News, Sydney. Police in the U.S. capital say a driver has died after a vehicle crashed into an outer [perim...] perimeter gate of the White House complex. Washington D.C. police say the incident late on Saturday night is being investigated as a traffic crash. I'm Joe Ramsey, VO... |