Israeli forces attack Gaza-bound aid Ship ‘Madleen’; Activists on board kidnapped in international waters

Gaza City, July 5: Israeli strikes have killed around 50 Palestinians across Gaza since the early hours of Saturday, with dozens of the fatalities identified as aid seekers, according to reports from the besieged territory’s hospitals.

These attacks have taken place across the Gaza Strip from Gaza City in the north to the area around Rafah in the south.

Medical sources at Nasser Hospital have told the media that nine Palestinians, including three children, have been killed by Israeli forces near an aid center north of Rafah.

A medical source at al-Ahli Hospital says one Palestinian was killed and others injured in an Israeli attack on Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood.

At least six people were killed and more than 10 injured in an Israeli shelling of displaced tents in the al-Mawasi area west of the city of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, according to Nasser Medical Complex.

Al-Mawasi was designated as a “humanitarian zone” by Israel.

Israeli forces bombarded the al-Shafi School, killing at least five people and injuring others in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood.

Two people were killed after Israeli military jets targeted a house in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.

Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat, also in central Gaza, says four people were killed after the Israeli army targeted an aid distribution point on Salah al-Din Street, south of Wadi Gaza.

The Gaza Civil Defense says it rescued 11 injured individuals, including children, after an air strike targeted a house belonging to the al-Zinati family near the Gifted School in Sheikh Radwan, northwest Gaza City.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 57,268 people and wounded 135,625 since the start of the onslaught on October 7, 2023, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The United Nations human rights office has said it recorded at least 613 killings of Palestinians, both at controversial aid points run by the Israeli and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and near humanitarian convoys, as of June 27.

The OHCHR said 509 of the 613 people were killed near GHF distribution points. The Gaza Health Ministry has put the number of deaths at more than 650 and those wounded as exceeding 4,000.

The GHF began distributing limited food packages in Gaza at the end of May, overseeing a new model of deliveries that the UN says is neither impartial nor neutral, as killings continue around the organization’s sites, which rights groups have slammed as “human slaughterhouses.”

Tehran, July 1: Iran’s Judiciary has announced that the death toll from the recent Israeli military onslaught—backed by the United States—has risen to at least 935, including dozens of women and children.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir cited updated figures from the Forensic Medicine Organization, saying that the victims include 38 children and 102 women, several of whom were pregnant. The 12-day assault by the “illegitimate Zionist regime,” he said, constituted a clear act of aggression against a sovereign nation.

Jahangir highlighted that the attack on Tehran’s Evin Prison alone resulted in 79 deaths, including prisoners' family members, aid workers, and prison employees.

“The world saw who started this war. Iran was attacked in the middle of diplomatic negotiations and had every right to defend itself on the battlefield,” Jahangir said.

He accused both Israel and the United States of violating international law, particularly by targeting Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities—despite Iran being a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Jahangir warned that Iran remains vigilant and ready to deliver a “proportionate response” to any future aggression. He also accused foreign powers of attempting to stir unrest inside Iran by targeting key figures, including military commanders and scientists. However, he said that Iran's internal stability was preserved through national unity and swift action by authorities.

“Despite assassination campaigns and sabotage plots, the enemy failed to break Iran’s resilience. Under the guidance of Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, capable successors were quickly appointed and infiltration networks were dismantled,” he added.

The crisis escalated on June 13 when Israel launched a surprise military operation against Iran, killing numerous military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Days later, the US joined the assault by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites—a move Tehran labeled a serious breach of the UN Charter and the NPT.

In retaliation, Iran targeted strategic Israeli positions and struck the US-operated al-Udeid air base in Qatar.

By June 24, Iranian armed forces had carried out a series of retaliatory operations, ultimately forcing a halt to what Tehran called “illegal and unjustified aggression.”

Mangaluru, July 6: The Mangaluru City Crime Branch (CCB) has arrested two more key accused in a massive overseas job visa scam that duped nearly 300 job seekers and siphoned off over ₹4.5 crore.

With these latest arrests, the total number of individuals held in the case has now risen to three.

Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the two newly arrested as: Dilshad Abdul Sattar Khan (45), a resident of Navi Mumbai, and Sahukari Kishore Kumar, alias Anil Patil (34), from Dombivli, Thane district, Maharashtra.

How the Scam Worked

According to the police, the accused opened an office in Bendoorwell, Mangaluru, under the name: Hireglow Elegant Overseas International (OPC) Pvt Ltd

Using newspaper advertisements and false promises of guaranteed overseas jobs, the suspects allegedly lured hundreds of job seekers. Victims were charged hefty amounts for visa processing and placement services, none of which materialized.

Investigations revealed that at least 289 individuals were defrauded, with the total loss amounting to approximately ₹4.5 crore. No genuine visas were issued to any of the victims.

Legal Action and Previous Arrest

The case is being pursued under sections 316(2), 318(4) read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and was initially registered at the Mangaluru East Police Station.

Earlier, police had arrested Masiwulla Khan, a Mumbai-based accomplice, who is currently in judicial custody. The latest arrests are believed to be of the prime accused in the case.

More Arrests Likely

Both newly arrested suspects were produced before a magistrate and have been remanded to police custody for further investigation.

Police have not ruled out more arrests, as the investigation continues into the full extent of the racket and whether more victims or agents are involved.