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A member of Israel’s three-man war cabinet has threatened to resign from the government if it does not adopt a new plan for the war in Gaza.

The move by Benny Gantz escalates a divide within Israel’s leadership more than seven months into the war.

Israel is yet to accomplish its stated goals of dismantling Hamas and returning scores of hostages abducted during the attack on 7 October.

Mr Gantz, a long-time political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has now set out a six-point plan that includes the return of hostages, ending Hamas’ rule, demilitarising Gaza and establishing an international administration of civilian affairs.

Mr Gantz’s plan also supports efforts to normalise relations with Saudi Arabia.

He said if it is not adopted by 8 June he will quit the government.

His departure would leave Mr Netanyahu even more beholden to far-right allies who have taken a hard line on negotiations over a ceasefire and the release of hostages, and who believe Israel should occupy Gaza and rebuild Jewish settlements there.

“If you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation to the abyss – we will be forced to quit the government,” Mr Gantz has said.

The centrist politician joined Mr Netanyahu’s coalition and the war cabinet in the early days of the conflict.

Mr Gantz’s six-point plan comes days after Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, the third member of the war cabinet, openly said he has repeatedly pleaded with the other two members to decide on a post-war vision for Gaza.

Mr Gallant said this should involve the creation of a new Palestinian civilian leadership.

It comes as Mr Netanyahu is under growing pressure on multiple fronts.

Hardliners in his government want the military offensive on Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah to press ahead with the goal of crushing Hamas.

However, Israel’s most important ally, the US, and others have warned against the offensive on a city where more than half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million had sheltered.

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Hundreds of thousands have now fled Rafah and Israel’s allies have threatened to scale back support over the humanitarian crisis.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan will be in Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend to discuss the war and is scheduled on Sunday to meet with Mr Netanyahu, who has declared that Israel would “stand alone” if needed.

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From left: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet minister Benny Gantz at a news conference in October 2023
Image:
From left: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with defence minister Yoav Gallant and cabinet minister Benny Gantz. Pic: Reuters

Meanwhile, many Israelis are accusing Mr Netanyahu of putting political interests ahead of all else. They also want him to agree a deal to free the hostages and stop the fighting.

There was fresh frustration Friday when the military said its troops in Gaza found the bodies of three hostages killed by Hamas in the 7 October attack.

The discovery of the body of a fourth hostage was announced Saturday.

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Father of hostage ‘relieved’

The latest talks in pursuit of a ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, the United States and Egypt, have brought little progression.

A vision for Gaza beyond the war is also uncertain.

The conflict started after Hamas militants carried out an attack on Israel on 7 October – killing 1,200 people and capturing around 250 hostages.

Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.

The Israeli offensive has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to its Hamas-run health ministry, while hundreds more have been killed in the occupied West Bank.

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Amsterdam: Police break up pro-Palestinian protest after ‘antisemitic’ violence following football game

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Amsterdam: Police break up pro-Palestinian protest after 'antisemitic' violence following football game

More than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters have been taken away by police during a banned demonstration in Amsterdam following “antisemitic” violence in the wake of a football game.

Hundreds of people had defied an order banning protests and gathered in the city’s Dam Square on Sunday, chanting “Amsterdam says no to genocide” and “free Palestine”.

A three-day ban on demonstrations was brought in on Friday, following violence that erupted on Thursday after a Europa League game between Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv and local side Ajax.

The ban was later extended for four more days until next Thursday.

Explained: What we know about violence in Amsterdam

Police crouched over a man during the pro-Palestine protests. 
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Police crouched over a man during the pro-Palestinian protest. Pic: Reuters

Hundreds of people defied the order and gathered in Amsterdam.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Hundreds of people defied the order and gathered in Amsterdam. Pic: Reuters

The aftermath of the football game was marred by violence that the mayor of the Dutch city and the country’s prime minister described as antisemitic.

At a hearing challenging the protest ban, a senior police officer said it was still needed as people thought to be Jewish were targeted on Saturday night, with some being ordered out of taxis and others asked to produce their passports.

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A local court ratified the ban and the people who were rounded up were put on buses and dropped off on the outskirts of the city, police spokesperson Ramona van den Ochtend said, without confirming how many had been detained.

One protester was taken to an ambulance bleeding.

After the initial violence, five people were treated in hospital and more than 60 were held by police.

The attacks followed a Palestinian flag being torn down in the Dutch city, and another being set on fire, before Maccabi Tel Aviv fans shouted anti-Arab chants as they were escorted to the game.

The initial attacks on Israeli fans were carried out by what Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema described as “hit-and-run squads”.

Prosecutors said that four suspects remained detained, including two minors, and 40 people have been fined.

Police broke up the pro-Palestine protest in Dam Square.
Pic: Reuters
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Police broke up the pro-Palestinian protest in Dam Square. Pic: Reuters

Dutch police detain a pro-Palestine protester during the banned demonstration.
Pic: Reuters
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Dutch police detain a pro-Palestinian protester during the banned demonstration. Pic: Reuters

Pic: Reuters
Image:
Pic: Reuters

A night that ‘defied description’

Tensions began to build the day before the match when some of the 3,000 visiting Maccabi supporters had minor altercations with locals, including taxi drivers and Ajax supporters, police said.

According to officers, on Wednesday a Palestinian flag was set on fire in Dam Square, and another was pulled down from a nearby building as a taxi was also vandalised.

On game day, the Maccabi supporters chanted anti-Arab slogans including “Let the IDF win, and f*** the Arabs,” as they were escorted by police to the stadium.

A planned pro-Palestinian demonstration on Thursday was moved away from the ground to Anton de Komplein square, in an attempt to prevent any clashes, but after the game on Thursday night violence spread in the city.

Attacks broke out and police rounded up and escorted some Maccabi fans back to their hotels.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof described the violence as “antisemitic” and said it “defied description”.

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A video which was circulated on social media showed a man being chased through the street with the caption “watch and enjoy six Zionists chased away. Free Palestine”.

A statement by Amsterdam police and prosecutors said Thursday evening “was very turbulent, with several incidents of violence aimed at Maccabi supporters”.

They added: “There is no excuse for the antisemitic behaviour exhibited last night [Thursday] by rioters who actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and assault them.”

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Mackenzie Michalski: Irish man allegedly admits killing US nurse at Budapest flat and dumping body near lake, say police

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Mackenzie Michalski: Irish man allegedly admits killing US nurse at Budapest flat and dumping body near lake, say police

An Irish man is suspected of killing a 31-year-old US nurse during an “intimate encounter” at his Budapest flat before dumping her body in woodland, according to police.

Hungarian police said Mackenzie Michalski, from Portland in the US state of Oregon, was killed after meeting the 37-year-old man at a nightclub while she was on holiday in the city.

Officers identified the suspect by the initials LTM and said he cleaned up his rented apartment in the Hungarian capital and put Ms Michalski’s body in a wardrobe and then into a suitcase.

He allegedly rented a car and drove 90 miles (150km) to Lake Balaton, where he is said to have disposed of the body in a wooded area near the village of Szigliget.

Police video showed the suspect guiding them to where he left the body.

Officers said he also searched online for how to dispose of a body, and about the competence of Budapest police. Police said he also conducted online searches about procedures in missing person cases, whether pigs eat dead bodies, and if there are wild boars around Lake Balaton.

He was arrested on 7 November but claimed the killing was an accident, police said.

Ms Michalski had been reported missing two days before, and the suspect was identified after CCTV showed the pair together at a nightclub, where police said they danced and left for his flat.

Pic: Facebook/Find Mackenzie Michalski
Image:
Pic: Facebook/Find Mackenzie Michalski

Crime scene photos show a rolling suitcase, items of clothing and a handbag next to a credit card with Ms Michalski’s name on it.

The victim’s family flew to Hungary to help find her, but on the way found out she had been killed.

“There was no reason for this to happen,” her father Bill Michalski said at a candlelight vigil in Budapest on Saturday night.

“I’m still trying to wrap my arms around what happened… I don’t know that I ever will.”

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Friends attended a candlelight memorial in the city on Saturday. Pic: AP
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Friends attended a candlelight memorial in the city on Saturday. Pic: AP

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Wearing a cap she had given him, Mr Michalski said his daughter had been to Budapest before and called it her “happy place”.

“The history… she just loved it and she was just so relaxed here,” he said.

A Facebook group set up last week to find Ms Michalski said she was known as “Kenzie” and worked as a nurse.

It said she would “forever be remembered as a beautiful and compassionate young woman”.

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Tributes paid to ‘brave’ Briton, 22, killed while fighting in Ukraine

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Tributes paid to 'brave' Briton, 22, killed while fighting in Ukraine

Tributes have been paid to a “brave” 22-year-old British man who was killed while fighting in Ukraine. 

Callum Tindal-Draper, from Gunnislake, Cornwall, died while serving with the foreign volunteer platoon in the country’s struggle against Russia.

It is believed he was defending an observation point when he was killed on 5 November.

Callum Tindal-Draper. Pic: Handout
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Callum Tindal-Draper. Pic: Handout

Callum’s mother Caroline Tindal said in a post on Facebook that “he fought till he could no longer hold them off any more”.

“His platoon are calling him a ‘hero’ and ‘as brave as they come’,” she said.

“22 is a young age. But you lived and died following your heart, soul and morals.

“May you rest in peace and help watch over those who have passed.”

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Mr Tindal-Draper was a former student of Duchy College, in Stoke Climsland, Cornwall.

In a tribute on Facebook, the college’s Military and Protective Services Academy said he was a “model student” with a “strong moral compass”.

“He was a passionate, articulate and bright student, who was keen to learn,” the post said.

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“He was very proud of his family history in the services,” the post added.

“He was well-liked and respected by his peers, and was not one to shy away from causes he believed in and was instrumental in collecting the three minibus loads of humanitarian equipment for civilians that the learners gathered when the war in Ukraine initially kicked off.”

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The post said Mr Tindal-Draper worked for the NHS after finishing the course.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are aware that a British national has reportedly died in Ukraine and stand ready to assist the family in the UK.”

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