At Least 100 Killed, Dozens Injured in Israeli Strike on Gaza City School – Reports
At least 100 people were killed and dozens others wounded in Israel’s bombing of a school in Gaza City, Press TV reported on Telegram.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) earlier on Saturday said it carried out an airstrike on a school in Gaza City, claiming it housed fighters from the Palestinian movement Hamas.
“A short while ago, directed by IDF and ISA intelligence, the IAF precisely struck Hamas terrorists operating within a Hamas command and control center embedded in the Al-Taba’een school and located adjacent to a mosque in Daraj Tuffah, which serves as a shelter for the residents of Gaza City. The command and control center served as a hideout for Hamas terrorists and commanders, from which various attacks were planned and advanced against IDF troops and the State of Israel,” it said.
The IDF said that prior to the strike, “numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and intelligence information.”
Media later reported that the Israeli army attacked the school during the morning prayers of displaced Gazans sheltering there.
On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. In addition, Hamas fighters infiltrated the border areas, opened fire on the military and civilians and took more than 200 hostages.
Israeli authorities say that about 1,200 people were killed during the raid. In retaliation, the IDF launched Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip. The death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since October 7 has exceeded 39,700, according to the enclave’s health ministry.
Nick Fuentes on Israeli False Flags and the 2024 Election
Venezuela Discussing Sanctions Free Economic Zone With Group of Allies – Official
Venezuela’s Deputy Ambassador to the UN Joaquin Perez told Sputnik that Caracas is discussing with allies the establishment of a sanctions-free zone, expressing confidence that it will not take long.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil first introduced the initiative in September 2023.
“We propose creating a zone free from unilateral coercive measures in which we can carry out our financial transactions and interbank payments and which will allow us to guarantee direct investment and legal trade between our countries without risks, arbitrary or punitive obstacles from Western powers,” Gil said at the UN General Assembly.
According to Perez, “discussions are ongoing” on this initiative. Now, Venezuela is considering options on gaining support for the idea in order to make it a reality.
“I think it will take some time, but not too much. Because we are gradually working in this direction,” the Venezuelan diplomat emphasized.
The Group of Friends in Defense of the United Nations Charter was established on July 6, 2021, in New York. It currently includes 18 member states, such as Russia, Syria, Iran, and China.
Nick Fuentes on Israeli False Flags and the 2024 Election
Panama Hits ‘VIP’ Chinese Migrant-Smuggling Route Through Notorious Darien Gap
In the latest indication that new President Jose Raul Mulino may be serious about his campaign pledge to end the country’s role as a major funnel of masses of illegal immigrants bound for the United States, Panamanian border police on Wednesday arrested 15 people linked to an illicit “VIP” migrant-smuggling operation that caters to Chinese clients, AFP reports.
The detainees — who face 15 to 20 years in prison — are all Panamanian, but are accused of working for Colombian gangs.
While the Pan-American Highway stretches some 19,000 miles through South, Central and North America, there’s a 66-mile gap that starts just inside Colombia and stretches into Panama. That means migrants have to make a harrowing journey on foot through a mountainous and marshy region called the Darien Gap. They not only have to survive dangerous natural conditions, but also criminal gangs known to rape, murder, kidnap and rob them.
The VIP service targeted this week promised a faster, easier and safer passage into Panama — but at a higher price. Migrants pay about $500 for a standard escort through the gap, but fees for this expedited trip range from $2,600 to $8,000, local prosecutor Emeldo Marquez told AFP. Given the price, most customers who can afford the first class experience are Chinese.
The VIP trip is shortened in a variety of ways, starting with boat service that bypasses a portion of the jungle trip by departing the Colombian coast from Capurgana or Necocli and dropping migrants in Carreto or Caledonia, Panama. Smugglers then whisk them through the remaining wilderness using canoes, horses and ATVs. That helps cut the average VIP jungle jaunt down to just two days, instead of upwards of eight days or more for everyone else.
About a half-million migrants made the Darien Gap trek in 2023, and about 200,000 so far this year. They come from many countries, but most of the recent migrants are Venezuelan. While still a small percentage, Chinese traffic has soared, with more than 55,000 Chinese crossing the Mexican border since 2023.
On the campaign trail, President Jose Raul Mulino emphasized his intent to end Panama’s role as a critical link in a path that funnels northbound migrants into Central America. He reiterated that intention in his inaugural address, saying, “I will not allow Panama to be a path open to thousands of people who illegally enter our country supported by an entire international organization related to drug trafficking and human trafficking.”
Earlier this summer, Panama started installing concertina-wire fences inside the Darien Gap. “The patrol at the national border service has begun to block the majority of border passages,” said Frank Abrego, Panama’s minister of public security during a June 28 visit to the area.
On July 1 — the same day that Mulino was sworn into office, Panama announced it had signed an agreement with the United States with a goal of cutting the flow of migrants through the isthmus. Under the deal, the US government has committed to covering Panama’s expenses for deporting people who enter Panama illegally, and to help with “equipment, transportation and logistics.”
Nick Fuentes on Israeli False Flags and the 2024 Election
Rep Jim Banks: Release Waltz’s Service Records
“The American people deserve transparency,” Rep. Jim Banks said in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, demanding that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s military records be released.
Rep. Banks sent a letter to Secretary Austin on Thursday, as Governor Walz comes under intense scrutiny due to claims about his military service in the National Guard.
“The American people deserve transparency into the military records of service-members who serve in public office and especially when they represent such service as credentials for public office,” wrote Rep. Banks.
“Misrepresentation and deceit intended to mislead the public about their service erode the integrity of our military and impact all Americans who choose to serve.”
Banks also asked Secretary Austin whether “falsely claiming to have carried a combat weapon in war constitutes stolen valor.” Walz claimed at a campaign event to have carried weapons “in war,” despite never having served in a combat theater.
Tim Walz misled the American people about his rank for decades.
— Jim Banks (@Jim_Banks) August 9, 2024
He lied about carrying weapons of war in a war.
What else has he been untruthful about? Voters deserve answers.
I just sent a records request to SecDef Austin. I hope he provides them quickly. https://t.co/mJL9ry8unW
Walz made misleading claims about his military rank, which were picked up on by Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, himself a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, and other veterans. Walz claimed to be a “retired command sergeant,” when in fact he was only a master sergeant when he retired in 2005 to run for Congress.
Walz has claimed to be a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, the US mission in Afghanistan, despite never setting foot in Afghanistan. The closest he came was a support role in Italy. As reported by The Post Millennial, Walz’s staff were confronted by an Iraq War veteran in 2009 over claims Walz had served in Afghanistan.
“Operation Enduring Freedom is limited to Afghanistan and the airspace directly above,” the veteran told an aide in Walz’s office. “Congressman Walz is clearly claiming… to be an Enduring Freedom veteran.”
Supporters of Walz, including former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, are now trying to obfuscate Walz’s claims. In a CNN interview on Friday night, in which he gave his endorsement to Kamala Harris, Ventura said he thought the attacks on Walz as a veteran were “shameful,” especially the claim that Walz may have retired from the National Guard to ensure he didn’t have to go on an actual battlefield deployment, in Iraq.
“I think it’s shameful that a veteran would attack another veteran. Governors Walz served honorably for 24 years in the National Guard. After 20 years you are eligible to retire at any time you deem necessary.”
Ventura went on to say that the main issue with Walz missing deployment to Iraq was that the war itself was illegal, and the National Guard should not have been sent there in the first place.
Overnight Drone Attack Targets US Troops Occupying Syria
American troops occupying northeast Syria have come under overnight attack by a drone, which some reports say was sent by ‘pro-Iran’ militants.
US officials did not indicate that there were any initial casualties, in what is the second such attack on a US base in less than a week. “Initial reports do not indicate any injuries, however medical evaluations are ongoing. We are currently conducting a damage assessment,” a defense official told Reuters.
The U.S. Military Base at Kharab al-Jir Airport in Northeastern Syria has reportedly been Struck by several Iranian-Backed Drones within the last hour, with Fire and Smoke seen coming from the Base. pic.twitter.com/dUgFLmuccN
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 9, 2024
But it’s not just Iran-linked militants who have upped the pressure on the US occupation of late – Arab tribes have been attacking US-backed Kurdish positions in the oil and gas rich eastern region as well.
The whole region is still on edge awaiting a likely Iranian attack on Israel, which would likely see stepped-up activity from Hezbollah and from militias in Syria and possibly even Iraq.
A drone attack on US forces at Kharab al-Jir base in Syria resulted in a massive explosion and destroyed at least one building a few hours ago.
— Shoe (@samosaur) August 10, 2024
An individual told me “I’ve never been so terrified in my life dude. That shit was way too close. Once we heard the actual drone there… https://t.co/kukfjfDdmk pic.twitter.com/hbOquWwdYO
With the Middle East on the brink of a possible major war between Iran and Israel, also involving Lebanese Hezbollah, the White House and its regional partners are desperately trying to salvage ceasefire talks.
The United States, Qatar, and Egypt are calling on Israel and Hamas to step back to the negotiating table. They say it is urgent “to resume urgent discussion” on August 15 in Doha or Cairo “to close all remaining gaps and commence implementation of the deal without further delay.” Gaps?
While the statement speaks of “remaining gaps” – a fresh Axios report cites a diplomatic source strongly suggests the situation is a far cry from mere closing gaps…
A source familiar with the negotiations said the planned summit is a “Hail Mary” attempt by the Biden administration to get a deal and prevent a regional war.
The White House also needs to present to the American public that it has helped secure a ceasefire, which would be a boost to Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and her supposed foreign policy credentials going into the November election.
The statement from the US, Qatar, and Egypt continued: “It is the time to conclude a ceasefire agreement and release hostages and prisoners,” they said.
“We have worked for months to reach framework agreement and it is now on the table, with only details of implementation missing.”
But this is the same language that negotiators have presented to the public for several months at this point. They are always and ever “near the goal line,” we are told. Yet Israeli and Hamas officials themselves constantly suggest the opposite. There also doesn’t seem to be much US pressure on Israel, or serious efforts to reign in its adventurism in places like Iran.
Additionally, Washington policy itself is schizophrenic: President Biden has criticized Israel at times, lamenting the mass civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip, while at the same time he continues to arm Israel’s military to the teeth.
Consider too the rosy picture of negotiations painted by Secretary of State Antony Blinken last month at the Aspen Security Forum: “I believe we’re inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a cease-fire, get the hostages home and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability,” Blinken said July 19.
Perhaps it’s past time for Blinken and US officials to retire the football metaphors when it comes to Hamas negotiations?
Nick Fuentes on Israeli False Flags and the 2024 Election
Boeing Rockets Built by Inexperienced Workers – NASA
NASA’s inspector general has issued a damning report on Boeing’s rocket division, stating that the aerospace giant’s next-generation spacecraft is years behind schedule, significantly over budget, and built by “inexperienced technicians” led by ineffective managers.
In development since 2014, the Block 1B variant of NASA’s Space Launch System was originally scheduled to lift off as part of the agency’s Artemis II lunar flyby mission next year. The rocket’s debut has since been pushed back to the 2028 Artemis IV moon landing mission, which NASA’s Office of Inspector General warned on Thursday could be delayed even further.
Boeing, which was contracted in 2014 to build the rocket’s powerful upper section, is partly to blame for this delay, the inspector general declared in a report.
NASA inspectors visiting Boeing’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana found glaring “deficiencies in quality,” the report stated. Inspectors issued 71 Corrective Action Requests to remedy these deficiencies, which they noted was “a high number…for a space flight system at this stage in development.”
These deficiencies “are largely due to the lack of a sufficient number of trained and experienced aerospace workers at Boeing,” the report continued, citing one example of how the company’s “inexperienced technicians” were unable to weld a fuel tank in accordance with NASA standards. This shoddy welding directly led to a seven-month delay in the development of the rocket’s upper stage.
“Boeing’s process to address deficiencies to date has been ineffective, and the company has generally been nonresponsive in taking corrective actions when the same quality control issues reoccur,” the report declared.
Boeing initially promised to deliver the upper stage by February 2021, and now insists that it will be ready by April 2027. Costs have soared in the meantime, with NASA estimating that the stage will set it back $2.8 billion by 2028, more than double Boeing’s 2017 estimate of $962 million.
The inspector general’s office recommended that Boeing be fined for its “noncompliance with quality control standards.” However, NASA’s deputy associate administrator, Catherine Koerner, announced on Thursday that the company would not be penalized.
With its aviation division already reeling after a door panel blew off one of its 737 MAX 9 planes in mid-air in January, Boeing was thrust into the headlines again in June when its Starliner spacecraft malfunctioned, leaving two astronauts marooned on the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts were originally meant to stay on the ISS for a week, but NASA announced on Wednesday that they could be stranded in space until 2025, when SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is scheduled to drop off a fresh crew of astronauts.
Nick Fuentes on Israeli False Flags and the 2024 Election