The Israeli government says it has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza because the first phase of the ceasefire with Hamas has expired. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Hamas had so far refused to accept a temporary ceasefire extension under a proposal by US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff. A Hamas spokesman called the move “cheap blackmail” and a “coup” on the ceasefire agreement and urged mediators to get Israel to resume the supply of aid. The Palestinian group wants phase two of the deal to go ahead as originally negotiated, with the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. On Friday night, Hamas said it would not agree to any extension of phase one without guarantees from
Author Archives: The Esbec Team
Feb
Feb 27, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (90) steals the puck from Winnipeg Jets center Vladislav Namestnikov (7) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images First-period goals by Filip Forsberg and Tommy Novak held up as the host Nashville Predators snapped the Winnipeg Jets’ 11-game winning streak with a 2-1 victory on Thursday. Goaltender Juuse Saros made 23 saves as Nashville ended a two-game losing skid, arguably the most important coming in the final minute as Saros turned away a wrist shot by Nikolaj Ehlers on a golden chance to tie the affair. Neal Pionk scored the lone goal for the Jets, whose franchise-record winning spree began on Dec. 22. Eric Comrie finished with 28 saves for Winnipeg. The Jets failed
Feb
The tenth season of the six-team Pakistan Super League (PSL) will begin on April 11 with a fixture between defending champions Islamabad United and two-time champions Lahore Qalandars in Rawalpindi. The matches – 34 in total – will be played across Rawalpindi, Karachi, Multan and Lahore, with the playoffs slotted for Rawalpindi (May 13) and Lahore (May 14 and 16) and the final also in Lahore on May 18. The refurbished Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the most matches, 13, including two of the playoff fixtures and the final, while Rawalpindi will host 11, including the opener and the first qualifier, and Karachi and Multan will host five matches each. There will be a total of three double-headers: Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators in Rawalpindi and Karachi Kings vs
Feb
Freed hostage Eli Sharabi shared harrowing details of his 491-day captivity, the loss of his family, and the struggle to survive, in an interview with Channel 12’s ‘Uvda’. By JERUSALEM POST STAFF FEBRUARY 28, 2025 00:51 Updated: FEBRUARY 28, 2025 01:13 Released hostage Eli Sharabi is reunite with his family, 08/02/2025. (photo credit: HAIM ZACH/GPO) According to released hostage, Eli Sharabi, Hamas’s tunnels were so well fortified and protected that military operations to get hostages out the tunnels alive would have been nearly impossible. Sharabi, who was held hostage by Hamas for 491 days, was interviewed by Ilana Dayan on Channel 12’s “Uvda” program on Thursday evening, where he shared his experiences living in the terror tunnels. “If there’s one thing I’ve been saying to everyone from the start—family, medical
Feb
Gene Hackman Death: 911 Call & Autopsy Findings Released The moment police were notified about Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa ‘s deaths has surfaced. Shortly after the legendary actor, 95, and his wife, 64, along with one of their three dogs, were found dead in their Sante Fe, N.M., home, a 911 call was released revealing new details about how their bodies were discovered on Feb. 26 by two maintenance workers. “I think we just found two or one deceased person inside the house,” one of the workers, who identified himself as the “subdivision’s caretaker,” said on the call obtained by NBC News Feb. 27. “There’s no one here. I’m going to wait for you at the gate. Please send somebody.” However, the caller had trouble relaying where officials should
Feb
Marvel Studios By Jaron Pak Feb. 27, 2025 4:00 pm EST This article contains spoilers for “Captain America: Brave New World.” “Captain America: Brave New World” may have been Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) first feature-length foray as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it also felt an awful lot like a sequel to 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk.” That strange outlier of the otherwise interconnected MCU feels different, doesn’t quite fit, and in many ways was left behind for years. Even its titular character was recast as Edward Norton’s moody, skulking Hulk was abandoned for Mark Ruffalo’s more upbeat, chummy Avengers alternative. The fourth “Captain America” film flipped the script by integrating Sam’s first world-saving adventure as Cap into a continuation of multiple storylines that directly connected to that second-ever
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, seen here in early February, has pledged to collaborate with Washington. Photo: Yuri CORTEZ / AFP/FileSource: AFP Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday that she hoped to talk to her US counterpart Donald Trump as part of efforts to avoid being hit with his threatened tariffs. She spoke shortly after Trump wrote on social media that he would move ahead with imposing levies on Mexico and Canada next week. A high-level Mexican delegation is in Washington in search of an agreement and “we hope that we can talk to President Trump once these meetings take place,” Sheinbaum said at her morning news conference. “I hope we can reach an agreement,” she added. Sheinbaum has repeatedly expressed optimism that tariffs between the two countries can be avoided.
Feb
The CW This article contains a discussion of addiction. Based (very loosely) on Cecily von Ziegesar’s book series, “Gossip Girl” started its run on The CW in 2007 and, in the hands of Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, let us into the exclusive world of a bunch of uber-wealthy Manhattan teenagers, all of whom were played by beautiful twenty-somethings. The whole story begins with the return of the troubled but beautiful socialite Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), who ran away to boarding school in Connecticut after some sort of traumatizing life experience before the show’s narrative began — and when she does come back to New York, she tries to start fresh. Unfortunately for her, that’s not an option thanks to one conniving, unhinged troublemaker: Georgina Sparks, played to perfection by
Feb
Sarah Rainsford Europe correspondent in Rome Catholics gathered to pray for the health of the Pope beneath the steps of St Peter’s Basilica for a third night, as his doctors said his condition showed further slight improvement. Nuns dangling rosary beads, tourists and student priests were among those who joined the gentle incantation of the rosary in the Vatican. They were led by a cardinal in a scarlet skull cap who prayed for Pope Francis to be able to resume his duties as soon as possible. The nightly gatherings began on Monday after the 88-year-old’s health took a dramatic dip at the weekend. He was fighting to breathe and needed blood transfusions. But the latest statements suggest the Pope is able to sit in his chair, is eating normally and
Feb
The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily delayed a court-mandated deadline requiring the Trump administration to pay nearly $2 billion to contracted aid organizations for work they already completed. Chief Justice John Roberts, in an order Wednesday night, stayed a lower court order that the administration pay out $1.9 billion by midnight. In his order, Roberts asked the aid groups that sued the Trump administration to provide a response by noon Friday after which the court will decide its next steps. Roberts’ order came after the Trump administration sought emergency intervention by the high court after a panel of federal appeals court judges denied the administration’s earlier request to push the deadline. Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris asked the justices to impose an administrative stay — freezing the status quo for a
Feb
Bernd Debusmann Jr BBC News, White House Getty Images Donald Trump held his first cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, turning the occasion into an extended question-and-answer session that lasted for more than an hour. Speaking alongside his cabinet – and billionaire Elon Musk who wore a “tech support” T-shirt – Trump covered a wide range of topics, ranging from Doge’s efforts to cut government spending to immigration, the economy and the war in Ukraine. Here are a five takeaways from his remarks. 1) Trump praises Rubio and Musk Trump was asked by reporters which government department – and, by extension, which cabinet members – were most resistant to his policy changes. “So far, I’m happy with all of those choices,” he said. He added, however, that “some
Feb
In the give-and-take of negotiations, Trump expects Zelensky to do all the giving and Putin and Trump the taking. By DOUGLAS ALTABEF FEBRUARY 27, 2025 03:34 UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with US President Donald Trump by phone, earlier this month. In his first weeks in office, Trump dramatically reversed US policy on Ukraine, even falsely accusing Zelensky of starting the war with Russia, the writer notes. (photo credit: UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/REUTERS) President Donald Trump marked the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Monday by siding with Moscow and its closest allies on the losing side of two UN General Assembly resolutions concerning Moscow’s unprovoked invasion on February 24, 2022. One condemned the brutal Russian aggression by name, and the other called for an end to the
Feb
NBC By Jaron Pak Feb. 26, 2025 10:00 am EST “The Office” featured a ton of guest appearances along with its core set of recurring characters. Some of these started as guests and moved into full-time roles, like Ed Helm’s Andy Bernard. Others made a brief appearance and were out, like Will Ferrell’s Deangelo Vickers. And then there were those who rode the line for a while, like Rashida Jones’ Karen Filippelli. Karen arrives in season 3 as Jim Halpert’s new love interest. She follows him to Scranton when the Stamford branch closes, and spends the rest of the season becoming a regular fixture of the show. The sweet, sincere nature of Karen’s character helps her get along with the group, both in Stamford and Scranton. As far as audiences are
Feb
“Of course, Hamas will agree. Once again, Israel fails to understand: Hamas has already reaped the internal benefits of these events,” said Eyal Ofer. By PELED ARBELI FEBRUARY 25, 2025 11:25 Eliya Cohen and Omer Shem Tov escorted by Hamas, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, February 22, 2025 (photo credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90) Eyal Ofer, an expert on Hamas and Gazan economics, explained the rationale behind why Hamas may cease the hostage release ceremonies—and why, in his view, Israel is missing the bigger picture in an interview with 103FM on Tuesday. A surprising statement from a Hamas spokesperson suggests the group may change its approach to what Israel has called “shows of force” celebrating the release of hostages in Gaza. After repeated delays in prisoner exchanges due to Hamas violations, the
Feb
Japan ’s decision to skip a major nuclear weapon ban summit – despite the efforts of Nobel Prize-winning campaigners – has sparked condemnation from activists, who have said Tokyo is missing a critical chance to advocate for disarmament. The domestic debate over Japan’s position on nuclear weapons intensified after Nihon Hidankyo , or the Japan Confederation of A- and H-bomb Sufferers Organisations, won the Nobel Peace Prize in December for its 68-year campaign against nuclear weapons. The government’s decision not to attend the meeting of signatory states to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in New York from March 3 to 7 is “extremely unfortunate”, according to Hajime Matsukubo, secretary general of the Tokyo-based Citizens’ Nuclear Information Centre. Adopted in 2017, the TPNW is the first legally