Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with Israel during a Workers Day celebration, citing Israel's government as genocidal. Petro has criticized Israel for its actions in Gaza, likening them to Nazi crimes. Israel, a key supplier of military equipment to Colombia, responded by cancelling exports in the security sector. The move makes Colombia the largest country to sever ties amid the Gaza conflict.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro threatened to end diplomatic relations with Israel if the country does not comply with a UN Security Council resolution for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. This threat follows an announcement on Twitter where Petro called for other nations to suspend ties with Israel over its military offensive in Gaza. Israel's Foreign Ministry responded, accusing Petro of supporting Hamas terrorists and defending its actions in protecting its people. The escalating tensions signify a significant deterioration in the once close military and commercial partnership between Colombia and Israel.
The Colombian government ordered the expulsion of all Argentine diplomats from its embassy in Bogota after Argentine President Javier Milei called Colombian President Gustavo Petro a terrorist murderer in a CNN interview. Milei's remarks also included criticism of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The tension escalated following Milei's comments on Petro, Israel's response to the Gaza conflict, and economic policies during the interview with CNN en Espanol and The Miami Herald.
Argentina and Colombia have resolved a diplomatic dispute following Argentine President Javier Milei's derogatory comments towards Colombian President Gustavo Petro, leading to the expulsion of Argentine diplomats. The two nations agreed to mend relations through concrete actions, including the return of ambassadors and approval of Argentina's newly appointed ambassador. Milei, a right-wing figure, labeled Petro a terrorist murderer, sparking tensions rooted in their contrasting political ideologies and approaches to governance.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro suspended a ceasefire with an armed group that violated the truce by attacking an Indigenous community. The group, Estado Mayor Central, broke away from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in 2016. Petro aimed to negotiate peace accords to address the country's long-term conflict and poverty issues, but conflict persists with former rebels rearming against the government. More than 8 million people in Colombia require humanitarian aid due to the armed conflict.
Colombia experienced a series of attacks by FARC dissidents in the southwest, resulting in injuries to a soldier and damage to military facilities. President Gustavo Petro's efforts to achieve total peace in a historically violent country have faced setbacks. The dissidents, formed after the breakdown of the 2016 peace accords, have intensified attacks against military operations and police stations, escalating violence in the region. Various factions of FARC dissidents like Segunda Marquetalia and Estado Mayor Central are involved in these assaults.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel would not agree to a deal forcing an end to its operation against Hamas in Gaza. Secretary Blinken, visiting Israel, urged Hamas to accept a cease-fire proposal and pressed Israel to do more for Gaza's civilians amidst US efforts to support an eventual Palestinian state for regional stability. The US also deployed military assets like a floating pier off the Gaza shore amid the escalating tensions.
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reiterating opposition to Israel's plans to invade Gaza's Rafah city and stressing the need for sustained humanitarian aid delivery. The U.S. opposes the invasion on humanitarian grounds, while Qatar urges Hamas and Israel to show commitment in negotiations. Qatar, along with the U.S. and Egypt, played a crucial role in a previous ceasefire deal. An Israeli delegation is expected in Egypt for negotiations, and a Hamas delegation will also go to Cairo.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has demanded an independent investigation into reports of mass graves in Gaza, urging for forensic experts to access the sites. Israel is urged against invading southern Gaza's city of Rafah, and for aid distribution to northern Gaza. Palestinian authorities state Israel's return of bodies, accusing Israel of war crimes. Tensions rise between Israel and UNRWA, with allegations against UNRWA staff. The Biden administration trusts Israel to investigate reports of mass graves without calling for an independent investigation, sparking controversy.
The UN's aid chief, Martin Griffiths, warned of an imminent Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, expressing concern over the potential for further trauma and deaths in the city. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his intention to enter Rafah, targeting Hamas's last stronghold, regardless of ceasefire proposals. The US opposes the operation until Israel presents a credible evacuation plan. Negotiations for a ceasefire, hostage release, and aid relief are ongoing, with hopes of a truce and prisoner exchange. Over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the seven-month conflict, prompting international calls for peace.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is reportedly planning to charge top Israeli military and political figures with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The ICC investigation was launched in March 2021 and has been expanded to include violence since Israel's latest war in Gaza began in October. Israel, not a signatory to the Rome Statute, does not recognize the ICC's authority, and the US shares this stance.
Former President Donald Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to prevent the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack in which around 1,200 people were killed. Trump mentioned that Netanyahu has been rightfully criticized for the incident and expressed frustration over Israel's lack of awareness despite having sophisticated security equipment. Trump also hinted at supporting Netanyahu's political rival Benny Gantz. The relationship between Trump and Netanyahu soured when Netanyahu acknowledged Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election, leading to Trump feeling betrayed. Trump expressed disappointment over Israel pulling out of a U.S-led operation to kill Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020.
The United States is pressuring for a cease-fire deal in Gaza, presenting a new proposal to Hamas with softened terms by Israel. Hamas demands complete assurance of ending Israel's assault and troop withdrawal, while Israel offers only an extended pause. Israeli commentators debate between a potential deal for peace, potentially normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia, or pursuing plans like attacking Rafah, risking international isolation. The US and others caution against a Rafah offensive, warning of increased casualties in the humanitarian crisis, with over a million Palestinians seeking shelter in the region and 34,000 people killed in Israel's offensive.
The Arab–Israeli conflict is the phenomenon involving political tension, military conflicts, and other disputes between various Arab countries and Israel, which escalated during the 20th century. The roots of the Arab–Israeli conflict have been attributed to the support by Arab League member countries for the Palestinians, a fellow League member, in the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict; this in turn has been attributed to the simultaneous rise of Zionism and Arab nationalism towards the end of the 19th century, though the two national movements had not clashed until the 1920s.Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict arose from the conflicting claims by these movements to the land that formed the British Mandatory Palestine, which was regarded by the Jewish people as their ancestral homeland, while at the same time it was regarded by the Pan-Arab movement as historically and currently belonging to the Arab Palestinians, and in the Pan-Islamic context, as Muslim lands. The sectarian conflict within the British Mandate territory between Palestinian Jews and Arabs escalated into a full-scale Palestinian civil war in 1947. Taking the side of the Palestinian Arabs, especially following the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the neighbouring Arab countries invaded the by-then former Mandate territory in May 1948, commencing the First Arab–Israeli War. Large-scale hostilities mostly ended with ceasefire agreements after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Peace agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt in 1979, resulting in Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula and the abolition of the military governance system in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in favor of Israeli Civil Administration and consequent unilateral annexation of the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem.The nature of the conflict has shifted over the years from the large-scale, regional Arab–Israeli conflict to a more local Israeli–Palestinian conflict, which peaked during the 1982 Lebanon War when Israel intervened in the Lebanese Civil War to oust the Palestinian Liberation Organization from Lebanon. With the decline of the 1987–1993 First Intifada, the interim Oslo Accords led to the creation of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994, within the context of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process. The same year, Israel and Jordan reached a peace accord. In 2002, the Arab League offered recognition of Israel by Arab countries as part of the resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in the Arab Peace Initiative. The initiative, which has been reconfirmed since, calls for normalizing relations between the Arab League and Israel, in exchange for a full withdrawal by Israel from the occupied territories (including East Jerusalem) and a "just settlement" of the Palestinian refugee problem based on UN Resolution 194. In the 1990s and early 2000s, a ceasefire had been largely maintained between Israel and Syria, while limited warfare continued in Lebanon against Iranian proxy militias. Despite the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, the interim peace accords with the Palestinian Authority and the generally existing ceasefire, until the mid-2010s the Arab League and Israel had remained at odds with each other over many issues. Among Arab belligerents in the conflict, Iraq and Syria are the only states who have reached no formal peace accord or treaty with Israel, with both supporting Iran.The Syrian civil war reshuffled the situation near Israel's northern border, putting the Syrian Arab Republic, Hezbollah and the Syrian opposition at odds with each other and complicating their relations with Israel, upon the emerging warfare with Iran. The conflict between Israel and Hamas-ruled Gaza, is also attributed to the Iran–Israel proxy conflict. By 2017, Israel and several Arab Sunni states led by Saudi Arabia formed a semi-official coalition to confront Iran. This move and the Israeli normalization with Gulf states was marked by some as the fading of the Arab–Israeli conflict.
Colombia's President, Gustavo Petro, revealed that inspections of military bases uncovered millions of missing bullets, thousands of grenades, and various missiles, attributing the losses to internal corruption. Investigations are underway, with suspicions that military personnel sold weapons to arms traders. The missing items could have been passed on to armed groups within Colombia or smuggled to Haiti or the international black market. The Colombian military, well-equipped and supported by the U.S. against drug cartels, has faced decades of conflict and corruption issues involving human rights abuses.
The Gaza Strip is experiencing a humanitarian crisis as a result of the Israel–Hamas war. The crisis includes both a famine and a healthcare collapse. At the start of the war, Israel implemented a complete blockade on the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in significant shortages of fuel, food, medication, water, and essential medical supplies. This siege resulted in a 90% drop in electricity availability, impacting hospital power supplies, sewage plants, and shutting down the desalination plants that provide drinking water. Widespread disease outbreaks have spread across Gaza.Heavy bombardment by Israeli airstrikes caused catastrophic damage to Gaza’s infrastructure, further deepening the crisis. By mid-November, Israel had dropped the equivalent of two nuclear bombs on Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry reported over 4,000 children killed in the war's first month. UN Secretary General António Guterres stated Gaza had "become a graveyard for children."Organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, the Red Cross, and a joint statement by UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the UN Development Programme, United Nations Population Fund, and World Food Programme have warned of a dire humanitarian collapse. On November 8, UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk described the Rafah Crossing as "gates to a living nightmare."
Thousands of Colombians protested in various cities, including the capital, against President Gustavo Petro's reform agenda, with growing momentum since his term began in 2022. Protests included calls for rewriting the constitution for social reforms amidst opposition from Congress and conservative groups. President Petro faced a setback in legislation to enhance state control of healthcare, leading to a decree for the takeover of top medical insurers,
The Iran–Israel proxy conflict, also known as the Iran–Israel proxy war or Iran–Israel Cold War, is an ongoing proxy conflict between Iran and Israel. In the Israeli–Lebanese conflict, Iran has supported Lebanese Shia militias, most notably Hezbollah. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran has backed Palestinian groups such as Hamas. Israel has supported Iranian rebels, such as the People's Mujahedin of Iran, conducted airstrikes against Iranian allies in Syria and assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists. In 2018 Israeli forces directly attacked Iranian forces in Syria.Motivated by the periphery doctrine, Imperial Iran and Israel had close relations, seeing Arab powers as a common threat. After the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran cut off relations, but covert ties continued during the subsequent Iran–Iraq War. Iran trained and armed Hezbollah during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, and continued to back Shia militias throughout the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon. Even before 1979, Iranian Islamists had materially supported the Palestinians; after 1979 Iran attempted relations with the Palestine Liberation Organization, and later with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Israel fought a war with Hezbollah in 2006. Israel has fought several wars with Palestinians in and around the Gaza Strip: in 2008-2009, 2012, 2014, 2021 and 2023-2024. The 1982 Lebanon War and Israel–Hamas war have been the deadliest wars of the Arab–Israeli conflict.Various reasons have been given for the Iran-Israel conflict. Iran and Israel had previously enjoyed warm ties due to common threats, but by 1990s the USSR had dissolved and Iraq had been weakened. Iranian Islamists have long championed the Palestinian people, whom they perceive as "oppressed". Scholars believe that by supporting the Palestinians, Iran seeks greater acceptance among Sunnis and Arabs, both of whom dominate the Middle East. Ideologically, Iran seeks to replace Israel with a one-state solution (though Iran has at times also supported the two-state solution) and has predicted Israel's demise. Israel sees Iran as an existential threat, and accuses its regime of harboring genocidal intentions. Consequently, Israel has sought sanctions and military action against Iran to stop it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro revealed that hundreds of thousands of bullets, grenades, and anti-tank missiles have disappeared from two military bases. The stolen ammunition may have reached Colombian rebel groups or been sold illegally to criminal organizations, including Haitian gangs. Petro suspects internal networks within the armed forces are involved in the illegal arms trade, prompting ongoing inspections to separate the military from criminal entities. Concerns arise as Colombia renews fighting against the FARC-EMC rebel group, with critics of Petro's administration claiming persistent rebel violence despite peace efforts.
Google employees who protested the company's work with Israel were fired or placed on leave, leading to a National Labor Relations Board complaint. Around 50 workers were affected, with Google citing the protests as disruptive and unacceptable. The dispute arose from Google's cloud contract with the Israeli government, involving Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion joint venture with Amazon. The workers claimed the contract could enable surveillance and displacement of Palestinians, while Google clarified the contract's focus on commercial cloud services for Israeli government ministries.
On the evening of 27 October 2023, Israel launched a large-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip, with the stated goals of eliminating and destroying Hamas, a military and political movement which led an attack against Israel earlier in October, and to free hostages taken by Hamas. Following the attack, Israel declared a state of war, tightened its blockade, ordered the evacuation of the northern Gaza Strip, and launched "Operation Swords of Iron".More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the Israeli operation, including over 12,500 children and 7,000 women, with another 7,000 people missing and presumed dead under the rubble of destroyed buildings. By mid-December Israel had dropped 29,000 munitions on Gaza, destroying or damaging 70 percent of homes in the Strip. Experts say that the scale and pace of destruction in Gaza is among the most severe in recent history. During the invasion, Israel destroyed at least a third of Gaza's homes and hundreds of cultural landmarks, and desecrated dozens of cemeteries in the strip.A severe humanitarian crisis has developed, with healthcare in a state of collapse, shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel due to the blockade, electricity and communications blackouts, and the UN warning of potential famine. It was widely reported that there is "no safe place in Gaza" as Israel struck areas it had previously told Palestinians to evacuate to. The widespread civilian deaths have led to accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas. Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population have been internally displaced and around 250,000–500,000 Israelis were internally displaced, while thousands of Palestinians have been detained by Israel, and Israel has stated it lost 225 additional soldiers in its invasion as of 4 February 2024.As a result of the invasion, South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), charging that Israel was guilty of committing a genocide, and requesting that the ICJ render provisional measures of protection.
NYPD intervened in Columbia University to disperse anti-Israel protesters, while the Biden administration discusses welcoming Palestinians from Gaza as refugees. Federal U.S. agencies are exploring options to accept Palestinians with U.S. connections, with one proposal involving the Refugee Admissions Program. The U.S. is considering coordinating with Egypt to facilitate the process. Additionally, the Biden administration plans to provide refugee status, permanent residency, and resettlement benefits to eligible Palestinians fleeing the Israel-Hamas war, aiming to offer a lifeline to those impacted. The Hamas-run Health Ministry reports significant casualties and displacements in Gaza.
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict in the Levant. Beginning in the mid-20th century, it is one of the world's longest-continuing conflicts. Key areas of the conflict include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, borders, security, water rights, Palestinian freedom of movement, and the Palestinian right of return.The conflict has its origins in the arrival of Jewish immigrants and settlers to Palestine in the late 19th and 20th centuries and the advent of the Zionist movement. The local Arab population opposed Zionism, primarily out of fear of territorial displacement and dispossession. The Zionist movement garnered the support of an imperial power in the 1917 Balfour Declaration issued by Britain, which promised to support the creation of a "Jewish homeland in Palestine". Following World War I, Mandatory Palestine was established, and tensions grew into open sectarian conflict between Jews and Arabs. In 1936, an Arab revolt erupted demanding independence, which the British suppressed.The 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine triggered the 1948 Palestine war, which saw the expulsion and flight of most Palestinian Arabs, the establishment of Israel on most of the Mandate's territory, and the control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by Egypt and Jordan, respectively. In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which became known as the Palestinian territories), which is now considered to be the longest military occupation in modern history, and has drawn international condemnation for violating the human rights of the Palestinians.The conflict has claimed many civilian casualties, mostly Palestinian, since its inception. Various attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, alongside efforts to resolve the broader Arab–Israeli conflict. Progress towards a negotiated solution between the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was made with the Oslo Accords of 1993–1995. The majority of recent peace efforts have been centred around the two-state solution, which involves the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Public support for a two-state solution, which formerly enjoyed support from both Israeli Jews and Palestinians, has dwindled in recent years. Official negotiations are mediated by the Quartet on the Middle East, which consists of the United Nations, the United States, Russia, and the European Union. The Arab League, which has proposed the Arab Peace Initiative, is another important actor, along with Egypt and Jordan. Since 2006, the Palestinian side has been split between Fatah dominating the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas that gained control of the Gaza Strip. Attempts to remedy this have been repeated and continuing. Since 2019, the Israeli side has also been experiencing political crisis. The latest round of peace negotiations began in July 2013 but were suspended in 2014. Since 2006, Hamas and Israel have fought five wars, the most recent of which began in 2023 and is ongoing as of March 2024.
Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party, criticized Hezbollah for supporting Hamas in the conflict with Israel, stating that this action has harmed Lebanon without significantly impacting Israel's offensive in Gaza.
Student protests are taking place in multiple UK universities, including Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, and Newcastle, in solidarity with Palestinians. Demonstrations are calling for divestment from arms firms supplying Israel and severing links with Israeli universities. Similar protests have occurred in the US, triggering renewed anger and shared solidarity among UK students. Protests in Gaza express gratitude towards US college students. The demonstrations have drawn global criticism of Israel's actions, with accusations of antisemitism rejected by student protesters. The protests, escalating in the US, have resonated with students in Gaza.
Israel is worried that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and senior military officials as part of an ongoing investigation into possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants. The ICC's probe, initiated three years ago, focuses on events during the Israel-Hamas war in 2014. While pressure grows on Israel to stop its Gaza offensive, any potential warrants do not guarantee imprisonment for Netanyahu, but could lead to arrest risks in other countries and signal a significant development regarding Israel's actions in Gaza.
Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡusˈtaβo fɾanˈsisko ˈpetɾo wˈreɣo]; born 19 April 1960) is a Colombian politician, economist, and former member of the M19 armed guerrilla movement. He has been serving as the president of Colombia since 2022. Upon his inauguration, he became the first left-wing president in the recent history of Colombia.At 17 years of age, Petro became a member of the guerrilla group 19th of April Movement, which later evolved into the M-19 Democratic Alliance, a political party in which he was elected to be a member of the Chamber of Representatives in the 1991 Colombian parliamentary election. He served as a senator as a member of the Alternative Democratic Pole (PDA) party following the 2006 Colombian parliamentary election with the second-largest vote. In 2009, he resigned his position to run in the 2010 Colombian presidential election, finishing fourth in the race.Due to ideological disagreements with the leaders of the PDA, he founded the Humane Colombia movement to compete for the mayoralty of Bogotá. On 30 October 2011, he was elected mayor in the local elections, a position he assumed on 1 January 2012. In the first round of the 2018 Colombian presidential election, he came second with over 25% of the votes on 27 May, and lost in the run-off election on 17 June. He defeated Rodolfo Hernández Suárez in the second round of the 2022 Colombian presidential election on 19 June.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; Hebrew: צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , lit. 'The Army for the Defense of Israel'), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym Tzahal (צה״ל), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security apparatus. The IDF is headed by the Chief of the General Staff, who is subordinate to the Israeli Defense Minister.On the orders of David Ben-Gurion, the IDF was formed on 26 May 1948 and began to operate as a conscript military, drawing its initial recruits from the already-existing paramilitaries of the Yishuv—namely Haganah, the Irgun, and Lehi. It was formed shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, and has participated in every armed conflict involving Israel. In the wake of the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty and the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty, the IDF underwent a significant strategic realignment. Previously spread across various fronts—Lebanon and Syria in the north, Jordan and Iraq in the east, and Egypt in the south—the IDF redirected its focus towards southern Lebanon and its occupation of the Palestinian territories, the Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In 2000, the IDF withdrew from Southern Lebanon and in 2005 from Gaza. Conflict between Israel and Islamist groups based in Gaza, notably Hamas, has continued since then. Moreover, notable Israeli–Syrian border incidents have occurred frequently since 2011, due to regional instability caused by the Syrian civil war.Since 1967, the IDF maintains a close security relationship with the United States, including in research and development cooperation, with joint efforts on the F-15I, the Tactical High-Energy Laser, and the Arrow defense systen, among others. The IDF is believed to have maintained an operational nuclear weapons capability since 1967, possibly possessing between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads.
Colombia has stopped exporting electricity to Ecuador due to a drought causing diminished hydroelectric reservoirs. Both countries, heavily reliant on hydropower, are facing energy shortages. Reservoir levels in Colombia are at 29.8% capacity, leading to water rationing in areas like Bogota. Ecuador has declared an energy emergency, with power outages and rationing in place. Officials from both countries, including Colombian Minister Andres Camacho and Ecuadorian Minister Andrea Arrobo Pena, have addressed the need for measures to manage the energy crisis caused by low water-flow levels and infrastructure issues.
An armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups has been taking place chiefly in and around the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. After clearing Hamas militants from its territory, the Israeli military embarked on an extensive aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip followed by a large-scale ground invasion beginning on 27 October. Clashes have also occurred in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and with Hezbollah along the Israel–Lebanon border. The hostilities constitute the fifth war of the Gaza–Israel conflict since 2008 and are part of the broader Israeli–Palestinian conflict. They are considered to be the most significant military escalation in the region since the Yom Kippur War 50 years earlier.The Hamas offensive involved 3,000 militants breaching the Gaza–Israel barrier and attacking Israeli communities and military bases. During this attack, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, while 253 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive to the Gaza Strip. The attack was proclaimed as a response to the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, the prospect of Arab–Israeli normalization, and the plight of Palestinian refugees and prisoners. In response, Israel declared a state of war, tightened its existing blockade of Gaza and launched one of the most severe bombing campaigns in history, before commencing the ground invasion on 27 October. Israeli forces laid siege to Gaza City on 2 November and moved south to attack Khan Yunis a month later on 3 December; both sieges remain ongoing. Israel's next objective is the capture of Rafah. An estimated 6,000-12,000 militants have been killed during the conflict, and Israel has lost over 200 soldiers during its invasion. A United Nations resolution calling for a humanitarian pause passed on 15 November; the seven-day truce took effect at the end of that month.A humanitarian crisis has developed in the Gaza Strip, with healthcare in a state of collapse, shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel due to the blockade, electricity and communications blackouts, and potential famine conditions. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the conflict, including over 12,300 children and 8,400 women. Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population have been internally displaced. The widespread civilian deaths have led to accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas. In February 2024 576,000 people were "facing catastrophic levels of deprivation and starvation", stated The United Nations. More than 100 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops that opened fire when huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.The war has had significant international repercussions. Popular protests that primarily call for a ceasefire have occurred across the world. Israel's actions have been denounced by the Islamic world and much of the Global South; South Africa launched an International Court of Justice case alleging that Israel committed genocide. Israel has however received significant support from its traditional Western allies, especially the United States, which vetoed multiple UN Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire. In response, Iran-backed militias have attacked American military bases in the Middle East, while the Yemeni Houthi movement attacked commercial ships they alleged were linked to Israel, incurring a military response from a number of countries.
Gustavo Petro's term as the 34th president of Colombia began with his inauguration on 7 August 2022. Petro, a leftist leader from Córdoba who previously served as mayor of Bogotá, took office after his victory in the 2022 presidential election over the self-proclaimed "anti-corruption leader" Rodolfo Hernández. Upon his inauguration, he became the first left-wing president in the recent history of Colombia. Petro took office amid the political shadow of his predecessor, an economic crisis and increased political polarization.At the time of his election, Petro was a 62-year-old member of Congress; his victory has been attributed to voter anger at the political class over years of corruption in politics, economic recession, the COVID-19 health crisis and a rise in violent crime. According to the political scientist Paca Zuleta, "the discontent over the economic crisis, it seems to me, was channeled together with a speech about combating poverty and not responding in the way that his detractors expected". Colombia's economy was recovering from the crisis, with an unemployment rate of 28 percent at the time of the elections, twice as high as five years earlier. The crisis was caused, among other factors, by the weakness of the prices of raw materials; the events revealed underlying weaknesses in the economy, including poor infrastructure, excessive bureaucracy, an inefficient tax system, and corruption.
Venezuela's government announced on April 9, 2024, the arrest of former Petroleum Minister Tareck El Aissami on alleged corruption allegations, approximately one year after his resignation from the position.
In 2024, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict escalated to a direct conflict between the two countries. On 1 April, Israel bombed an Iranian consulate annex in Damascus, Syria, killing multiple senior Iranian officials. In response, Iran and its proxies launched strikes inside Israel on 13 April. Israel then carried out retaliatory strikes in Iran on 19 April.
March 1-7, 2024 Haitis former elite police officer Jimmy Cherizier , now the leader of the G9 and Family gang, said he would target government ministers to prevent the prime ministers return to Haiti and force his resignation. Protesters demonstrated against reforms announced by the government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro , and Argentinas President Javier Milei said he would shut down the state-owned Telam news agency. Mexico kicked off its election campaign season with presidential candidates holding rallies ahead of the June 2 contest. This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Latin America and the Caribbean. The selection was curated by Senior Photo Editor for Latin America Leslie Mazoch in Mexico City.
The Gaza–Israel conflict is a localized part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict beginning in 1948, when 200,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes, settling in the Gaza Strip as refugees. Since then, Israel has fought 15 wars against the Gaza Strip. The number of Gazans killed in the most recent 2023 war — 27,000 — is higher than the death toll of all other wars of the Arab-Israeli conflict.Israel fought four wars against the Egyptian-administered Gaza Strip: 1948 Palestine War, border attacks of 1949–1956, first occupation of Gaza during the Suez Crisis and the capture of Gaza in 1967. During the first occupation, 1% of Gaza Strip's population was either killed, tortured or imprisoned by Israel. Following two periods of low-level insurgencies, a major conflict between Israelis and Palestinians erupted in the First Intifada (523 Gazans killed). The 1993 Oslo Accords brought a period of calm. But, in 2000 the Second Intifada erupted. Towards the end of the Second Intifada, Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005, Hamas won the 2006 election and seized control of Gaza in 2007.In 2007, Israel imposed a land, air and sea blockade of the Gaza Strip, turning it into an "open-air prison". The blockade was widely condemned as a form of collective punishment, while Israel defended it as necessary to stop Palestinian rocket attacks. Hamas considered it a declaration of war. A 2008–2009 Israeli invasion of Gaza resulted in more than 1,000 deaths and widespread destruction of homes, schools and hospitals. A 2012 Israeli operation also killed more than 100 people.In 2014, Israel invaded Gaza in a major war that resulted in the deaths of 73 Israelis (mostly soldiers) and 2,251 Palestinians (mostly civilians). The invasion resulted in "unprecedented" destruction, damaging 25% of homes in Gaza city and 70% of homes in Beit Hanoun. After 2014, notable events in the conflict included the "Great March of Return" (2018-2019) and clashes in November 2018, May 2019 and November 2019. The 2021 crisis saw 256 Palestinians and 15 Israelis killed.On October 7, 2023, Palestinian militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people (mostly civilians). Israel responded with bombing Gaza Strip and launching an invasion that has killed more than 29,000 Gazans as of February 2024.
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, the Red Sea to the south, Egypt to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and the Palestinian territories – the West Bank along the east and the Gaza Strip along the southwest. Tel Aviv is the financial, economic, and technological center of the country, while its seat of government is in its proclaimed capital of Jerusalem, although Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem is unrecognized internationally.Israel is located in the Southern Levant, a region known historically as Canaan, Palestine, or the Holy Land. In antiquity, it was home to several Canaanite, Israelite and Jewish kingdoms, and is referred to as the Land of Israel in Jewish tradition. The region was ruled by powers such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Achaemenids, Greeks, and Romans. During Roman rule, Jews became a minority in Palestine. The region later came under Byzantine and Arab rule. In the Middle Ages, it was part of the Islamic Caliphates, the Crusader Kingdom, and the Ottoman Empire. The late 19th century saw the rise of Zionism, a movement advocating for the establishment of a Jewish homeland. Under the British Mandate placed by the League of Nations after World War I, Jewish immigration to the region increased considerably leading to intercommunal conflict between Jews and the Arab majority. The 1947 UN partition plan triggered a civil war between these groups which would see the expulsion or fleeing of most Palestinians from Mandatory Palestine. The British terminated the Mandate on 14 May 1948, and Israel declared independence on the same day.On 15 May 1948, the armies of five neighboring Arab states invaded the area of the former Mandatory Palestine, starting the First Arab–Israeli War. An armistice in 1949 left Israel in control of more territory than the UN partition plan had called for; no new Arab state was created, as the rest of the former Mandate territory was divided between Egypt, which occupied the Gaza Strip, and Jordan, which annexed the West Bank. The 1967 Six-Day War ended with Israel occupying both the West Bank and Gaza alongside the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and the Syrian Golan Heights. Israel has since effectively annexed both East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, and has established settlements across the occupied territories, actions which are deemed illegal under international law. Since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt, returning the Sinai Peninsula, and with Jordan, and more recently normalized relations with several Arab countries. However, efforts to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict have not succeeded. Israel's practices, in the longest military occupation in modern history, have drawn international condemnation for violating the human rights of the Palestinians.The country has a parliamentary system elected by proportional representation. The prime minister serves as head of government, and is elected by the Knesset, Israel's unicameral legislature. Israel has the highest Human Development Index of all countries in the Middle East and is one of the richest countries in the Middle East and Asia, and an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member since 2010. It has the highest standards of living in the Middle East, and has been ranked as one of the most advanced and technological countries, with a population of nearly 10 million people, as of 2023. It has the world's 29th-largest economy by nominal GDP and 16th by nominal GDP per capita.
Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted multiple ships in the Red Sea, including the MSC Orion and a Malta-flagged vessel, as part of their campaign against international shipping to express solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's actions in Gaza. The attacks have led to rerouting cargo and raised concerns of destabilizing the Middle East. The US and Britain have retaliated against Houthi targets. Italian frigate shot down a Houthi drone. The rebels aim to pressure Israel to end the conflict in Gaza, despite facing reduced weapons due to US-led airstrikes.
Gustavo Petro assumed office as President of Colombia on August 7, 2022. The President has the power to nominate members of his Cabinet at his own discretion, in accordance with the Constitution of Colombia.After the confirmation and ratification of the ruling coalition, along with the other Majority Parties in Congress, the presidents of the three respective Conservative, Liberal and U parties met to obtain cabinet representation through one, two or three departments executives. The creation of the Cabinet was part of the transition of power after the 2022 Colombian presidential elections.As a result of the political alliance between Petro and the other majority parties, the ministers of Justice and Law Néstor Osuna and Catalina Velasco of Housing, City and Territory were confirmed as political representatives of the Liberal Party, this after Petro did not accept the curriculum of other people suggested by the party who In their opinion, they did not meet the requirements for the post, so the Liberals considered withdrawing from the government, but a meeting between the two ministers with parliamentarians and party president César Gaviria consolidated support.The Minister of Transport Guillermo Reyes is the representation in the cabinet of the Conservative Party, as confirmed by Minister Reyes himself in several interviews. For her part, the Minister of Information Technology and Communications, Sandra Urrutia, is the representation in the cabinet of the Party of the U, as confirmed by different media.In addition to the 6 heads of executive departments and the 5 members attached to the Administrative Department of the presidency, there are eleven cabinet-level officials.This page documents the confirmation process for cabinet candidates in the Gustavo Petro administration. They are listed according to the order of precedence of Colombia.
The Gaza Strip ( ; Arabic: قِطَاعُ غَزَّةَ Qiṭāʿ Ġazzah [qɪˈtˤɑːʕ ˈɣaz.za]), or simply Gaza, is a polity and the smaller of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the West Bank). On the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Gaza is bordered by Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the east and north.The territory came into being when it was controlled by Egypt during the 1948 Arab–Israeli war, and became a refuge for Palestinians who fled or were expelled during the 1948 Palestine war. Later, during the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured and occupied the Gaza Strip, initiating its decades-long military occupation of the Palestinian territories. The mid-1990s Oslo Accords established the Palestinian Authority (PA) as a limited governing authority, initially led by the secular party Fatah until that party's electoral defeat in 2006 to the Sunni Islamic Hamas. Hamas would then take over the governance of Gaza in a battle the next year, subsequently warring with Israel.In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its military forces from Gaza, dismantled its settlements, and implemented a temporary blockade of Gaza. The blockade became indefinite after the 2007 Hamas takeover, supported by Egypt through restrictions on its land border with Gaza. Despite the Israeli disengagement, the United Nations (UN), the International Committee of the Red Cross, and many human-rights organizations continue to consider Gaza to be held under Israeli military occupation, due to what they consider Israel's effective military control over the territory; Israel disputes that it occupies the territory. The land, sea, and air blockade prevents people and goods from freely entering or leaving the territory, leading to Gaza often being called an "open-air prison." The UN, as well as at least 19 human-rights organizations, have urged Israel to lift the blockade. Israel has justified its blockade on the strip with wanting to stop flow of arms, but Palestinians and rights groups say it amounts to collective punishment and exacerbates dire living conditions.The Gaza Strip is 41 kilometres (25 miles) long, from 6 to 12 km (3.7 to 7.5 mi) wide, and has a total area of 365 km2 (141 sq mi). With around 2 million Palestinians on approximately 365 km2 (141 sq mi) of land, Gaza has one of the world's highest population densities. More than 70% of Gaza's population are refugees or descendents of refugees, half of whom are under the age of 18. Sunni Muslims make up most of Gaza's population, with a Palestinian Christian minority. Gaza has an annual population growth rate of 1.99% (2023 est.), the 39th-highest in the world. Gaza's unemployment rate is among the highest in the world, with an overall unemployment rate of 46% and a youth unemployment rate of 70%. The population has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Gaza has throughout the years been seen as a source of Palestinian nationalism and resistance.
On 13 April 2024, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran, in coordination with the Popular Mobilization Forces of Iraq, Lebanese group Hezbollah, and the Houthis of Yemen, launched attacks on Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, with drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles. The retaliatory attacks, codenamed Operation True Promise (Persian: وعده صادق, romanized: va'de-ye sādeq), were launched in response to the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus on 1 April that killed 16 people. It was Iran's first direct attack on Israel and the first direct conflict since the start of the Iran–Israel proxy war.Iran launched a massive standoff attack on Israel on 13 April 2024 with about 170 drones, over 30 cruise missiles, and more than 120 ballistic missiles. 99 percent were shot down by defensive measures, most before entering Israeli airspace. Only a few missiles were not downed; one caused minor damage to the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel, which remained operational. Israel used Arrow 3 and David's Sling systems to shoot down the incoming weapons; the United States, the United Kingdom, and Jordan also used their own forces to down Iranian drones. France deployed its navy.The IRGC's Tasnim News Agency said the downed drones were "kamikaze" Shahed 136 drones meant to saturate and overwhelm Israeli air defenses to clear the way for dozens of ballistic missiles in the second wave, which damaged the bases used in the attack on the Iranian consulate.Jordan reported some shrapnel falling on its territory, causing no significant damage or injuries. In Israel, one child, a 7-year old Israeli Bedouin girl, was struck and injured by part of a missile. Thirty-one other people suffered either minor injuries while rushing to protected areas or were treated for anxiety. The next day, Iran's envoy to the United Nations said that the attacks "can be deemed concluded".The attack was the biggest drone strike to date and the first time since 1991 that Israel itself was attacked by the military of a UN member state.Iran's attacks have drawn criticism from the United Nations, several world leaders, and political analysts, who warned that they risk escalating into a full-blown regional war.
Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, reached an agreement with protest organizers on April 30, 2024, to largely end anti-war demonstrations that had been ongoing. Students at the university had set up tent encampments to demand divestment from funds linked to Israel's actions in Gaza. The agreement marked the conclusion of days of protests at the campus.
The Israeli army is strengthening its positions in the Gaza Strip, specifically targeting Rafah and Hamas brigades, amidst a surge in population due to families fleeing Israeli attacks. Pressure from allies and threats of invasion have led to the construction of a refugee camp at Khan Younis. Plans for housing evacuees in tents and determining safer zones remain unclear. Right-wing members of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet are pushing for a ground offensive on Rafah, emphasizing the importance of protecting Israel.
Venezuela's main opposition coalition, the Unitary Democratic Platform, agreed to support former diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez as their challenger to President Nicolas Maduro in the upcoming July 28 election. This decision was made unanimously by the 10 parties in the coalition after replacing their initial candidate, Maria Corina Machado, who was disqualified by the government. Despite promises of fair elections, Maduro's administration faces criticism and sanctions, including oil sanctions reimposed by the Biden administration. Other countries expressing concern include Colombia, Brazil, and Guatemala. The election may have over 10 candidates, but Gonzalez is seen as the primary opposition threat to Maduro's power base.
The petro (₽), or petromoneda, launched in February 2018, is a crypto token issued by the government of Venezuela. Announced in December 2017, it is supposed to be backed by the country's oil and mineral reserves, and is intended to supplement Venezuela's plummeting hard bolívar currency, as a means of circumventing U.S. sanctions and accessing international financing. On 20 August 2018, the sovereign bolívar was introduced, with the government stating it would be linked to the petro coin value.As of January, 2020, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro decreed it mandatory to pay with petro for government document services and airplane fuel for planes flying international flights.On January 15, 2024, the token was shut down and any remaining holdings were liquidated.
Colombia's government has implemented measures to reduce electricity usage due to a severe drought affecting hydroelectric plants. Homes and businesses exceeding average electrical consumption face additional fees, while those using less receive discounts. The country's reliance on hydroelectric power has decreased to 70%, with natural gas-powered plants now supplying 50% of electricity. Additionally, Colombia's capital, Bogota, has initiated water rationing. The drought has also led to power cuts in Ecuador, where daily grid disconnections are enforced to conserve energy and aid reservoir recovery.
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