Israel
Israeli media and officials report that six people were killed and more than 20 others hospitalized after two gunmen from Ramallah opened fire on a busload of passengers at Ramot Junction, north of the city.
The gunmen, believed to be Palestinians, were shot dead by both Israeli security forces and civilians. The attackers had boarded the bus and opened fire on commuters, instantly killing four people. Two others later died of their injuries at a nearby hospital, where survivors were also treated.
The incident drew the personal attention of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside senior security officials, including members of Shin Bet, the internal security agency, and Mossad, the external intelligence service.
It marks the first major attack in Israel since the October 2024 assault in central Tel Aviv, in which seven people lost their lives.
Today’s attack occurred as Israel continued its controversial military operation aimed at capturing and occupying Gaza City, despite mounting global opposition.
The shooting came amid reports of an aerial drone attack on Israel by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, a pro-Iranian group whose leaders, including its prime minister, were killed in an Israeli strike on Sanaa the previous week. In addition, a recent attack on a small Israeli airport by an unidentified group has raised concerns over a possible major security breach.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the Jerusalem attack, Hamas, which Israel designates a terrorist organization, praised it. In response, Israeli troops have launched a siege on Ramallah and other parts of the occupied West Bank.
Australia
Mushroom Poison Murders: Erin Patterson Jailed for Life
Erin Patterson, convicted in Australia’s infamous mushroom poisoning case, was today sentenced to life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court of Victoria, which had earlier found her guilty, ruled that she must serve her sentence without parole until the age of 81.
The court described Patterson as a “grave offender” who deliberately invited her guests, prepared, and served them a poisoned mushroom meal, and declared she deserved no leniency.
Three guests died from the poisoning, while a fourth, Ian Wilkins, survived. Speaking after the verdict, Wilkins praised Australia’s security and judicial systems for their thorough work.
Patterson has 28 days to appeal the ruling.
Palestine
Israel Kills 21 in Strikes on Gaza
At least 21 people were killed in Israeli military strikes on the Gaza Strip today, most of them in Gaza City. Many others were injured.
The fresh casualties bring the death toll to around 63,000 since Israel launched its campaign on Gaza 701 days ago.
This figure does not include the thousands who have died from starvation caused by Israel’s blockade of the territory, which has cut off access to food, water, medicine, electricity, and fuel. The United Nations, rights groups, and the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health estimate that hunger-related deaths have reached 2,100.
In addition, more than 140,000 Palestinians have been wounded during the conflict, according to the UN and other credible agencies.
Israel, for its part, says it has lost about 900 troops in the fighting, with over 3,000 more wounded. This number does not include the 1,200 people—soldiers, police, and civilians—killed during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, when around 250 others were abducted.
America
U.S. President Donald Trump has issued what he described as a “final warning” to the militant Palestinian group Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal or face dire consequences.
Trump gave no deadline for Hamas’s response. Details of the proposal remain unclear at press time, though the U.S. president has repeatedly called for the release of all hostages—both living and dead—still in Hamas custody.
It is believed that around 50 hostages remain with Hamas, including about 20 thought to be alive.
The warning comes as Israel insists that any ceasefire must include the full release of hostages and the disarmament of Hamas, while also retaining security control of the Gaza Strip. Hamas, however, has rejected both conditions.
