Jewish star Ben Stiller breaks silence on Israel-Hamas war: 'I want the violence to end'

Ben Stiller, a Jewish actor, expressed his views on the ongoing war between Israel and Gaza in an opinion piece published in Time magazine.
Stiller grieved for the victims of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and for the innocent Palestinians who lost their lives in the conflict.
The actor denounced Hamas' attack as "barbaric" and "unconscionable", stating that terrorism must be fought by all people of conscience.
Stiller called for an end to the violence, the provision of humanitarian aid to Palestinians, and a two-state solution that ensures peace and safety for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Efforts to secure Gaza ceasefire and hostage release gain momentum

Israel has announced that it will resume stalled negotiations with Hamas regarding a potential ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The announcement comes amid rising hopes for a ceasefire, as both sides have been engaged in intense fighting for several days.
The negotiations are expected to focus on a long-term truce and the easing of the blockade on Gaza
, which has been in place since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007.
Egypt, which has been mediating the talks, has been pushing for a ceasefire to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
The latest round of violence began after Israeli forces killed three Islamic Jihad militants in the West Bank, prompting the group to launch rockets into Israel

A clothing workshop in Gaza, destroyed during the 2021 conflict, has been rebuilt and is now providing jobs for local residents.
The workshop, run by Samar Derbas, was able to reopen with the help of a $10,000 grant from a local charity.
The workshop now employs 15 women who lost their jobs due to the conflict, allowing them to support their families.
The workshop produces traditional Palestinian dresses and embroidery, which are sold both locally and internationally.
Reopening the workshop has provided a boost to the local economy in Gaza, which has been struggling with high unemployment and poverty following the conflict.

Four Palestinians were killed during an Israeli military offensive in the West Bank city of Jenin, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The offensive involved Israeli ground forces and air strikes, which targeted what Israel described as a "terrorist stronghold" in Jenin refugee camp.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group said two of those killed were members of its armed wing, while the other two were civilians.
The Israeli military has conducted near-daily raids in the West Bank over the past year in response to a spate of Palestinian attacks that have killed 19 people in Israel.
The latest violence comes amid heightened tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, with the United Nations warning of a "dangerous downward spiral" in the conflict.

Iranians are voting in a run-off election for president on July 5, 2024 amid widespread apathy and low turnout.
The election is between hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi and moderate technocrat Abdolnaser Hemmati, after no candidate secured a majority in the first round.
Raisi is the frontrunner and expected to win, continuing the trend of hardliners consolidating power in Iran.
The election comes as Iran faces economic challenges, ongoing protests, and tensions with the West over its nuclear program.
Many Iranians are boycotting the vote due to disillusionment with the political system and lack of real choice between candidates

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya discussed recent developments in the Gaza Strip and ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
The meeting examined the latest security and political advancements in Gaza, the evolving negotiations, and suggestions to halt harmful acts against Palestinians.
A U.S. government representative expressed optimism that Hamas' altered stance on a potential prisoner exchange agreement with Israel could pave the way for a lasting truce.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in exchanges of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border since October, coinciding with the conflict in Gaza and raising concerns of a broader confrontation.
The discussions between Hezbollah and Hamas focused on the current situation in Gaza and the progress of ceasefire talks, with the U.S. seeing Hamas' flexibility on a prisoner swap as a positive step towards a long-term truce.

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