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Children among 13 killed as Israel strikes Gaza
Israeli air strikes on Gaza killed three Islamic Jihad militant group leaders early Tuesday and left 10 others dead, including several children, according to officials in the Hamas-controlled Palestinian territory.
Islamic Jihad vowed to “avenge” the deaths after the pre-dawn raid in which more than 40 Israeli jets hit targets for nearly two hours in the crowded coastal enclave from just after 2:00 am (Monday 2300 GMT).
The Gaza health ministry said four children were among those killed and 20 people were wounded, some of them in serious or critical condition, after the attacks which left buildings ablaze and reduced others to rubble.
Violence also flared later in the occupied West Bank when Israeli forces launched a raid in Nablus that left at least a dozen people suffering bullet wounds, according to Palestinian medics.
The Israeli army said that in its Gaza air strikes it had targeted three leaders of Islamic Jihad, which it considers a terrorist group, as well as its “weapon manufacturing sites”.
Israel “achieved what we wanted to achieve” in the operation, said army spokesman Richard Hecht. Asked about child casualties, he said: “If there were some tragic deaths, we’ll look into it.”
Islamic Jihad confirmed three of its senior members were killed in Gaza.
It named them as Jihad Ghannam, secretary of the Al-Quds Brigades military council, Khalil al-Bahtini, commander of the military wing in northern Gaza, and Tareq Ezzedine, a military leader in the West Bank who operated from Gaza.
AFP photographers saw the body of a man identified as Ghannam in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, and also a boy’s body in the morgue of Gaza City’s Shifa hospital, where mourners had gathered.
Islamic Jihad vowed to retaliate, with spokesman Daoud Shehab warning that “the resistance considers that all cities and settlements in the Zionist (Israeli) depths will be under its fire”.
Hecht said the military was “looking where this thing will develop”, while instructing Israeli residents within 40 kilometres (25 miles) of the Gaza border to stay near bomb shelters until Wednesday evening.
‘Avenge the leaders’
Israel last week traded air strikes on Gaza for rocket fire from the enclave, an exchange sparked by the death in Israeli custody of a Palestinian hunger striker with ties to Islamic Jihad, which ended with an Egypt-brokered truce.
Islamic Jihad charged on Tuesday that Israel had “scorned all the initiatives of mediators” and vowed it would “avenge the leaders” killed in the latest air strikes.
The Israeli military described Ghannan as “one of the most senior members” of Islamic Jihad who had coordinated weapons and money transfers with Hamas.
Bahtini was “responsible for the rocket fire toward Israel in the past month”, Israel said.
And Ezzedine had been planning “multiple attacks against Israeli” civilians in the West Bank, it charged.
He was sentenced to 25 years in prison by Israel for his involvement in suicide attacks in the 2000s, before being freed in a 2011 prisoner exchange and transferred to Gaza, according to the army.
An Islamic Jihad source told AFP that Ezzedine was part of a delegation from the group that had been due to travel to Cairo for a meeting Thursday, which had now been cancelled
‘Treacherous operation’
The army later Tuesday said its troops had entered Nablus in the West Bank, which has been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967, with residents telling AFP they heard explosions during the raid.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its medics treated 145 injuries in Nablus, including a dozen people who were shot with live fire and many more who suffered tear gas inhalation.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement on the Gaza attacks that “assassinating the leadership in a treacherous operation will not bring security to the occupier, but instead greater resistance”.
The militant group’s spokesman, Hazem Qassem, warned that Israel “bears responsibility for the repercussions of this escalation”.
Israel and Gaza militants have fought multiple wars since Hamas took control of the enclave in 2007.
A three-day conflict in Gaza last August left 49 Palestinians and no Israelis dead, with Cairo playing a key role in securing a ceasefire.
Tuesday’s deaths bring to 121 the number of Palestinians killed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict so far this year.
Nineteen Israelis, one Ukrainian and one Italian have been killed over the same period, according to an AFP count based on official sources from the two sides.
The South West Guild of Online Publishers (SWEGOP) has congratulated Dr. Abisoye Fagade on his recent appointment as the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).
Fagade, a distinguished professional in marketing communications, is the Chairman of Sodium Group and a philanthropist known for his commitment to community development. Over the years, his expertise and contributions have earned him accolades across various industries, particularly in marketing and communications.
In a congratulatory statement signed by the Guild’s Chairman, Mr. Olayinka Agboola, SWEGOP commended Fagade’s leadership qualities, describing him as a “charismatic and insightful leader” whose appointment heralds a new era for Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality sectors.
“We are confident in your capacity to inspire transformation and growth within the tourism sector,” the statement read.
“Your wealth of experience and dedication to service are assets we believe will bring about meaningful impact.”
SWEGOP also conveyed its best wishes to him offering prayers for divine guidance in his new role.
“We trust that your leadership will pave the way for substantial advancements, enriching both the sector and the nation at large,” the Guild added.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, on Thursday, donated the sum of fifty million naira (₦50 million) toward the construction of the proposed Sheikh Agbotomokekere Mosque building project.
Oseni joined other dignitaries, religious leaders, and Muslim clerics to honour the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Grand Imam of Oyo State, and Grand Patron of the League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Edo, and Delta States, His Eminence Sheikh AbdulGaniy Abubakre Agbotomokekere, during the annual Maolud Nabiyy celebration at the Ibadan Central Mosque, Oja Oba.
It was during the event that he announced the generous donation.
The Maolud Nabiyy celebration, organised by the Al-Imam Agbotomokekere Islamic Foundation, also featured the unveiling of the proposed mosque project and an award presentation ceremony.
Delivering an insightful lecture at the event, the Chief Imam of Ogbomosoland, Dr. Yunus Tolhat Ayilara, who served as the Guest Lecturer, highlighted the importance of perseverance in the face of challenges.
In a statement issued on Friday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker, who also chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), reaffirmed his commitment to supporting initiatives that strengthen the spiritual and social development of his constituency and state.
He commended the Al-Imam Agbotomokekere Islamic Foundation for its dedication to fostering a sense of community through faith, education, and shared values.
According to him, the mosque project symbolises unity and the determination of the people.
Reflecting on the significance of the proposed Agbotomokekere Mosque, the APC chieftain described it as a beacon of unity and religious harmony.
“This mosque project reflects our shared values and our commitment to building a community grounded in faith, love, and unity. I am honoured to contribute to this vision and support the Agbotomokekere Foundation in its efforts to promote peace and spiritual growth,” Oseni stated.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a record revenue collection of N5.7 trillion as of November 12, 2024, surpassing its yearly target by 10 percent.
This was disclosed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the ongoing 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference in Abuja.
Themed “Nigeria Customs Service: Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose,” the conference showcased the Customs Service’s progress in modernizing its operations and fostering collaborative partnerships.
“Today, I stand before you to demonstrate how our commitments in 2023 have evolved into tangible achievements,” Adeniyi stated.
He attributed the revenue growth to a series of reforms, including the implementation of a one-stop solution for cargo alerts, a revamped ICT infrastructure, streamlined inspection procedures, and enhanced automation.
Adeniyi explained that these changes reflect the agency’s commitment to elevating operational transparency and efficiency.
“We pledged to re-align our free trade operations, elevate cargo integrity standards, and expand our scanning capacities,” he said.
“Above all, we promised to usher in a new era of customs operations—one built on transparency, efficiency, and genuine collaborations with our partners.”
As of Tuesday, November 12, Adeniyi confirmed that the NCS collected N5.07 trillion, achieving the anticipated 10 percent revenue surplus.
“This performance validates our partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation,” he added.
Adeniyi also highlighted recent strides in trade facilitation, revealing that six companies have been selected to benefit from the Authorised Economic Operators programme, which provides fast-tracked customs clearance and other trade facilitation benefits.
Similarly, the NCS has processed 21 requests under an advance ruling programme, designed to expedite customs decisions on import and export cargoes before they reach Nigerian ports.
The Comptroller-General expressed optimism about the NCS’s potential to drive further economic growth, citing the agency’s commitment to fostering partnerships and advancing innovative practices within the customs sector.
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