Morning Briefing: July 30, 2024

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Tuesday with, including Israel facing war crime accusations, Hezbollah attacking Israeli military sites, and Venezuela severing ties with Latin American countries amid an election crisis.

TOP STORIES

• Israel faces backlash amid fresh evidence of war crimes

Israel faced a fresh wave of war crimes accusations after it demolished a reservoir of drinking water in the southern Gaza Strip, along with reports of soldiers gang-raping a Palestinian detainee at a prison.

In Rafah, the 401st Brigade of the Armored Corps “blew up the central reservoir last week on the orders of the brigade commanders,” said Israel’s Haaretz daily.

In a separate development, Israeli media reported that 10 soldiers gang-raped a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman prison in southern Israel, leaving him severely injured and unable to walk.

• Hezbollah attacks Israeli military sites

The Lebanese group Hezbollah said it struck several military posts in northern Israel amid fears of a full-blown war with Tel Aviv.

The group said its fighters attacked with “appropriate weapons” newly installed espionage equipment at the Al-Malikiyya post.

Hezbollah fighters also targeted with guided missiles the positions of Israeli soldiers at Al-Raheb site and fired dozens of Katyusha rockets at the Al-Baghdadi site, the group said.

No information was available on injuries or damage.

• Venezuela severs diplomatic ties with Latin American countries

The Venezuelan government announced a diplomatic standstill with several Latin American countries following the preliminary results of weekend elections which gave President Nicolas Maduro six more years in power.

The leader of the opposition, María Corina Machado, disavowed the preliminary results presented by the electoral council, denouncing alleged fraud and saying that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won the election with 70% of the vote.

The Venezuelan government announced the withdrawal of all diplomatic staff from the embassies of Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Right-wing Israeli protesters stormed a military base in central Israel to protest the arrest of soldiers accused of gang-raping a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman prison in the Negev desert.

• Two children were killed and nine others injured in a knife attack in northwest England, police said.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office denied that he made changes to a US-backed truce proposal after Hamas accused him of setting new conditions.

• Egypt has established contacts with "relevant parties" in an attempt to contain Israel's escalation against Lebanon and prevent the region from devolving into a major war.

• The UN coordinator in Gaza said there should be compliance with international law after Israel’s bombing of a drinking water reservoir in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

• Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Caracas and other Venezuelan cities following the disputed victory of President Nicolas Maduro in weekend presidential elections.

• Palestinian groups called for an international investigation to look into the conditions of Palestinians in Israeli jails following the gang-rape of a detainee by Israeli soldiers in Israel’s Sde Teiman prison.

• Druze demonstrators protested a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

• The US announced security aid assistance for Ukraine totaling $1.7 billion.

• The French Meteorological Service, Meteo France, issued an orange alert for 41 departments in the southern and central regions over an ongoing heat wave.

• Evidence suggests life on Earth may have started earlier than previously thought as scientists uncovered evidence from an inland sea that suggests life forms existed 2.1 billion years ago

SPORTS

• South Korea beat Olympic hosts France to win gold in men's archery

South Korea won an Olympic gold in men's team archery at the Paris 2024 Games, beating hosts France 5-1 at Invalides.

South Korea have so far won nine medals. France took silver after losing in the final.

Meanwhile, a Mete Gazoz-led Türkiye bagged Olympic bronze after a 6-2 win against China at Invalides, winning Türkiye's first medal in the Paris Olympics.

• Novak Djokovic beats his longtime rival Rafael Nadal at Paris 2024 Olympics

Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic won against his longtime rival Rafael Nadal from Spain to proceed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion and an Olympic bronze medalist in 2008, will play against either Germany's Dominik Koepfer or Italy's Matteo Arnaldi.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Airlines suspend flights to Beirut amid Middle East tensions

Due to escalating tensions between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, many flights to and from Beirut airport were either canceled or delayed.

The German airline group Lufthansa announced the suspension of flights to the Lebanese capital Beirut, citing current developments in the Middle East.

This suspension affects flights from carriers SWISS, Eurowings and Lufthansa until at least Tuesday, according to a spokesperson.

• Ethiopia clinches deal with IMF for $3.4B in financing

Ethiopia has secured an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new financing program valued around $3.4 billion, the IMF announced.

The new four-year loan program will help support the country's economic reform agenda.

The approval of the loan agreement allows for the immediate disbursement of around $1 billion, the IMF said in a statement.