Israel Releases Video Showing Hamas Escaping In Ambulance After Airstrike

A squad of Palestinian terrorists in the Zeitoun area of Gaza were caught on film escaping in an ambulance in footage released on Sunday by the Israel Defense Forces.

According to the military, soldiers from the IDF's 162nd Division and 401st Brigade were searching for and destroying rocket launchers and launch pits when a Hamas terror squad fired an anti-tank missile at close range. Israeli aircraft responded, killing most of the members of the squad.

However, surveillance footage from an Israeli drone filmed the armed survivors entering an ambulance with Palestinian Red Crescent markings.

More than 100 terrorists were eliminated and 35 locations in Zeitoun belonging to the two terror groups were destroyed, including rocket launching sites, weapons manufacturing and storage facilities, tunnel shafts, and operational centers.

24hr operational update:

?Zaytun:
IDF troops eliminated terrorists, destroyed tunnel shafts, located weapons and 5 rocket launching pits.

?Central Gaza:
Soldiers identified a terrorist cell approaching ground troops and directed an aircraft to eliminate the cell.

?Khan… pic.twitter.com/nJf2JLWnWb

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 29, 2024

In a separate incident, Israeli forces spotted a Hamas sniper firing from an adjacent building and directed an airstrike killing him.

Israeli forces also destroyed terrorist infrastructure belonging to Ad Aladdin Haddad, a senior commander in Hamas's Gaza City Brigade.

According to IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 85 per cent of Gaza's hospitals have been used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for terror.

In December, Ahmed Kahlot, director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, confirmed to Israeli interrogators that he and other staff were Hamas operatives.

During the interrogation, Kahlot described how Hamas used hospitals and ambulances to hide operatives, launch military activity, transport members of terror squads and even deliver a kidnapped Israeli soldier.

Other Gazans have told Israeli interrogators deeply embedded themselves in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society to use hospitals as a base for attacks.

As reported by the Tazpit Press Service, Hamas made extensive use of the Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest medical center. Hamas launched rockets from its compound, hid hostages in the bowels of the building, tortured collaborators, and dug tunnels connecting Shifa to nearby sites. Israel also released a recording of a phone call confirming that Hamas also stores at least a half-million liters of fuel underneath the compound.

And in Jenin, in northern Samaria, Israeli soldiers disguised as doctors and nurses killed three terrorists hiding inside the Ibn Sina Hospital and planning an imminent terror attack.

At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Iceland Evacuates Blue Lagoon Ahead Of "Imminent" Volcanic Eruption

Iceland's world-famous Blue Lagoon has been evacuated due to nearby seismic activity that suggests an "imminent" volcanic eruption, reported CNN, citing the country's public broadcaster RUV.

The magma has begun flowing after "intense seismic activity" in the area around the lagoon, a popular geothermal spa known for its milky-blue, comforting warm waters, according to RUV.

According to volcanologist Thorvaldur Thordarson, the depth of the magma, around four kilometers (2.5 miles), means an eruption could take place within hours.

The nearby town of Grindavik is also being evacuated, CNN reported.

The police said that the evacuation was "going well" and there had been only a few people in the town in recent days.

Blue Lagoon, on its website, said that it had initiated an evacuation of its premises due to "increased seismic activity in a known area, a few kilometers away."

Moreover, the operations would be closed at least until the end of Saturday when the situation would be reassessed, according to CNN.

"We will continue to closely follow the guidelines and recommendations of the authorities, working collaboratively with them to monitor the progression of events," the statement added.

The iconic Blue Lagoon is located just under an hour's drive from Iceland's capital and largest city Reykjavik, and is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions.

It is also part of southwest Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula - a thick finger of land pointing west into the North Atlantic Ocean from Reykjavik.

Moreover, the Blue Lagoon, the peninsula is home to Iceland's main airport, Keflavik International.

Reportedly, Iceland is one of the most active volcanic areas on the planet, as reported by CNN.

It is pertinent to mention that in November last year, the Blue Lagoon was closed for a week after 1,400 earthquakes were measured in 24 hours.

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"Right Now Ball Is In The Camp Of Hamas": US Official On Gaza Ceasefire

Israel has broadly accepted a deal for a six-week Gaza ceasefire and it is now up to Hamas to agree to release the most vulnerable hostages for the deal to take effect, a senior US official said Saturday.

"There's a framework deal. The Israelis have more or less accepted it," the Biden administration official told reporters on a call, speaking on condition of anonymity. 

"Right now, the ball is in the camp of Hamas."

Negotiators from regional powers were working "around the clock" to secure the deal by the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is due to start in about one week.

"It will be a six-week ceasefire in Gaza starting today if Hamas agrees to release the defined category of vulnerable hostages... the sick, the wounded, elderly and women," the official added.

"I just want to kind of emphasize that we would have a ceasefire if Hamas addresses that final issue."

US officials hope such a deal would create space for a "more enduring" peace settlement between Israel and Hamas, at war since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on Israel.

A Hamas delegation was expected to fly to Cairo on Saturday for talks on a truce, a source close to the group told AFP.

The ceasefire would also allow a "significant surge" in humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the UN warning of an imminent famine in the north of the besieged territory.

The United States announced earlier Saturday that it had carried out its first airdrop of aid into Gaza, following a deadly incident at an aid station on Thursday in which more than 100 Palestinians died.

But US officials said this could not replace the need for as much relief as possible to move by land into Gaza. 

"None of these -- maritime corridors, airdrops -- are an alternative to the fundamental need to move assistance through as many land crossings as possible. That's the most efficient way to get aid in at scale," a second US official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

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NDTV Sports-Cricket

India's home supremacy weathered the 'Bazball' storm as Rohit Sharma's men secured a hard-fought five-wicket win over England in the fourth and penultimate Test for a 17th consecutive series triumph in their own backyard on Monday, handing a harsh reality check to the visitors' unidimensional approach. Following the victory, former India captain and spin legend Anil Kumble slammed Bazball and stated that it is never going to be easy to beat India at home. The term 'Bazball' is derived from 'Baz', the nickname of Brendon McCullum, who is the head coach of England's Test team since May 2022.

Bazball is associated with England's drastic change in approach in playing the longest format of the game since the arrival of McCullum in the role.

"See the challenge when England came here was obvious. India is not going to easy. Bazball, whatever ball you call it... but it's not going to be easy beating India at home. That is the reason why India has been so dominant over the years. Last decade, India have never lost a series at home. They knew they had to be different but their bowling attack wasn't certainly something that they believed would be able to penetrate the Indian batting," said Kumble to JioCinema as quoted by Sportskeeda.

"Once they got to know that some of the senior players won't be available, with an inexperienced line-up, they had a chance, but senior batters didn't contribute consistently in that middle order, including Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and even Joe Root - other than this Test match, so that's where I thought they missed a trick there," added Kumble.

England's plan to attack irrespective of circumstances found its match in the unflappable approach of the Indians.

While the visitors remained stubborn barring the conservative hundred by veteran Joe Root in Ranchi Test, the Indians adapted and refused to be bogged down by setbacks.

The result, England would be going back with their first series defeat under Stokes and McCullum. It is also the first time they have lost three back-to-back Tests.

(With PTI Inputs)

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11 Palestinians Killed In Israeli Air Strike On Tent In Gaza's Rafah

At least 11 Palestinians were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a tent in Rafah in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the Gaza health ministry said, in an area where people are seeking sanctuary from Israel's devastating offensive.

The Gaza health ministry said another 50 people were wounded in the strike next to a hospital in the Tel Al-Sultan area of Rafah. One of the dead was a medic at the hospital. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"The strike hit one tent, where people took shelter, directly, shrapnel came inside the hospital where me and friends were sitting, we survived by a miracle," a witness told Reuters by phone from the area, declining to be identified.

The Israeli military said its forces killed eight militants in Khan Younis, around 20 militants in the central Gaza Strip and three more in Rimal, near Gaza City.

The hostilities came amid uncertainty over whether negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire would resume on Sunday.

Well over a million Palestinians have been seeking refuge in the Rafah area, fleeing the Israeli offensive which has laid waste to much of the Gaza Strip, killing more than 30,000 people, according to health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza.

Israel launched the offensive in response to the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group, in which 1,200 people were killed in Israel and another 253 abducted, according to Israeli tallies.

U.S. President Joe Biden has said he hopes a ceasefire will be in place by the time of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10. Speaking to reporters on Friday, he said: "We're not there yet."

International pressure for a ceasefire has grown, with the United Nations warning that a quarter of the population of 2.3 million people are one step away from famine in the territory blockaded by Israel.

Three people searching for food in farmland in the northern Gaza Strip area of Beit Hanoun on Saturday were killed by Israeli strikes, residents and medics said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Thirteen children have died at the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza in the last three days from dehydration and malnutrition, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Doctors at the hospital said more were at risk of dying. "When a child is supposed to eat three meals a day and he only eats one, he obviously suffers from malnutrition, and all the diseases that come because of it," said Doctor Imad Dardonah.

Biden announced on Friday plans to carry out a first military airdrop of food and supplies into Gaza, a day after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid drew renewed attention to the humanitarian catastrophe.

Health authorities in Gaza said 115 people were killed in Thursday's incident, attributing the deaths to Israeli fire and calling it a massacre.

Israel disputed those figures and said most victims were trampled or run over.

CEASEFIRE TALKS

Israel and Hamas have been negotiating via mediators including Egypt and Qatar.

Two Egyptian security sources said Israeli and Hamas delegations were expected to arrive in Cairo on Sunday to resume indirect talks.

But an Israeli report cast doubt on this.

There was no immediate comment from Israel or Hamas.

The Egyptian sources said the parties had agreed on the duration of a Gaza truce, as well as hostage and prisoner releases, adding that the completion of the deal still requires an agreement on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from northern Gaza and a return of its residents.

However, Israel's Ynet news, citing an unnamed senior official, reported that Israel would not be sending a delegation to the Cairo talks until it received a full list of hostages held in Gaza who were alive.

According to the report, the central issue being worked on was how many hostages would be released from Gaza, and in turn how many Palestinians would be freed by Israel in exchange for each of them.

"Until clear answers are given, a delegation would not be leaving to Cairo," Ynet cited the official as saying.

A Palestinian official familiar with mediation efforts did not immediately confirm the Cairo talks. "When it comes to ending the war and pulling out forces out of Gaza, gaps remain unbridged," the official said.

During the war, Israel has also stepped up raids in the occupied West Bank, where U.N. records show that at least 358 people have been killed since Oct. 7, a quarter of them children.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Saturday that Israeli forces shot a 16-year-old in the head near the hub city of Ramallah, killing him.

The Israeli military said its forces were conducting "routine activity" in the town of Kafr Ni'ma near Ramallah when dozens of people began hurling rocks and explosives at its forces, who responded with live fire, hitting one person.

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NDTV Sports-Cricket

Yuvraj Singh on Friday denied reports that claimed that the former Indian cricket team star would be contesting elections from Gurdaspur, Punjab. Yuvraj is one of the best known Indian cricketers who emerged in  the new millennium. With his stylish left-handed batting and effetive spin blwoing, he won India many a matches. His exploits were crucial in the Indian cricket team winning the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup. It led to the rise in his immense popularity that went beyond the cricket field. 

Though, Yuvraj Singh retired from cricket, he is very active off the field with his charitable work. He has said he will continue to do so but will not be contesting elections. 

"Contrary to media reports, I'm not contesting elections from Gurdaspur. My passion lies in supporting and helping people in various capacities, and I will continue to do so through my foundation 
@YOUWECAN. Let's continue making a difference together to the best of our abilities," Yuvraj Singh wrote in a post on X.  

Contrary to media reports, I'm not contesting elections from Gurdaspur. My passion lies in supporting and helping people in various capacities, and I will continue to do so through my foundation @YOUWECAN. Let's continue making a difference together to the best of our abilities

— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) March 1, 2024

Recently, Yuvraj Singh was asked about the captaincy change at Mumbai Indians with Hardik Pandya taking over the reins from Rohit Sharma. He said that the franchise had to think long term, but the experience that Rohit Sharma brings, can't be replaced.

"In franchise cricket, it always gets tough as you get old. Every franchise is always looking to promote a young player on whom they have spent a lot, and that is only fair. I have faced this situation too. But then, there can't be a replacement for experience. Rohit has huge experience and has delivered. But a franchise has to think long term," Yuvraj told the Times of India.

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Abu Dhabi's First Hindu Temple Inaugurated By PM Modi Opens For Public

The UAE's first Hindu stone temple, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14, was opened to the general public on Friday. The temple was built by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) on a 27-acre site in Abu Mureikhah, near Al Rahba off the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Sheikh Zayed Highway at a cost of around Rs 700 crore.

The land for the temple was donated by the UAE government.

A grand ceremony attended by almost 5,000 people marked the inauguration of the architectural marvel by PM Modi on February 14. Overseas devotees were allowed to visit between February 15 and 29.

"The wait is over! #AbuDhabiMandir is now open for all visitors and worshipers," a post on X handle by the BAPS Hindu Mandir handle (@AbuDhabiMandir) said along with a little over one-minute video of the stunning place of worship.

It also mentioned that the temple would be open from 9 am to 8 pm on all days except Monday when it would be closed for visitors.

The temple website (https://www.mandir.ae/) gave detailed guidelines for visitors, including what type of clothing is preferred and what is banned, rules for photography etc.

These guidelines are necessary to be followed "to preserve the tranquil ambience and ensure the orderly management of our premises," the temple authorities said.

Constructed using sandstone and marble, the temple has been made in the Nagara style of architecture as per the ancient style of construction and creation mentioned in the Shilpa and Sthapatya Shastras, the Hindu scriptures which describe the science of temple design and construction.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has at least 3.5 million Indians who are part of the Indian workforce in the Gulf.

The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi is the largest in the Gulf region. The UAE has three other Hindu temples in Dubai.

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