Trump says Hamas must be ‘confronted and destroyed’
As Israeli-imposed hunger, bombs and displacement ravage Gaza, US President Donald Trump appears to voice support for expanding Israel’s military operations in the Palestinian territory despite pleas to end the war.
“We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
His statement comes amid ongoing protests in Israel to secure a deal that would lead to the release of Israeli captives in Gaza.
The US president went on to laud his own perceived foreign policy achievements, including the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June.
“Play to WIN, or don’t play at all! Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump said.
Err you lost against the Houthis as well as Iran and Israel broke your Gaza ceasefire.
Release of Israeli official charged with child sex crimes in US sparks outcry
The administration of US President Donald Trump has denied intervening to ensure the release of Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, a senior Israeli cybersecurity official who was arrested earlier this month in the US state of Nevada as part of an undercover law enforcement operation targeting “child sex predators”.
Alexandrovich’s release and subsequent return to Israel had sparked controversy and speculations that he may have been freed by pressure from the US federal government and Israeli authorities. But today, the US State Department distanced itself from the case.
“The Department of State is aware that Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, an Israeli citizen, was arrested in Las Vegas and given a court date for charges related to soliciting sex electronically from a minor,” the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said in a statement.
“He did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date. Any claims that the US government intervened are false.”
Court records from Nevada’s Clark County show that Alexandrovich was charged with luring or attempting to lure a child online to engage in sexual conduct – a felony that carries up to 10 years in jail in the case of a conviction.
Alexandrovich posted a $10,000 bond on August 7, nearly a week before his arrest was publicly announced, according to court records.
While it is common for suspects accused of crimes to be released on bail, it is not clear why Alexandrovich’s passport was not withheld to ensure that he does not flee to Israel.
Defendants at high risk of flight are also often put under electronic monitoring when released, but it appears that Alexandrovich was freed with minimal conditions despite the severity of the charge against him.
The Israeli official’s next court appearance is set for August 27.
