Investigation reveals Israeli army used artificial intelligence to spot 'suspected militants'
In the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army has used a program based on artificial intelligence called “Lavender”, which in the first weeks of the conflict identified up to 37,000 Palestinians as suspected militants for possible air strikes. This is what six intelligence sources, all involved in the use of artificial intelligence systems to identify the objectives of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad during the conflict, reported to the Israeli-Palestinian newspaper +972 Magazine and to the Hebrew language site Local Call.
The investigation found that during the early stages of the war, the Army approved the use of Lavender's target lists without requiring further scrutiny of the reasons for the designation or analysis of the raw intelligence data on which they were based. One source said that human personnel often served only as a “rubber stamp” for the machine's decisions, adding that, normally, it would only personally spend about “20 seconds” on each target before authorizing a bombing run, to ensure that the target was male. Furthermore, the Israeli army systematically attacked targeted individuals while they were in their homes, usually at night, when all their families were present, rather than in the course of a military activity. This led to the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, most of them women and children or people not involved in the fighting. “We were not interested in killing the officers [di Hamas] only when they were in a military building or engaged in military activity – an intelligence officer told +972 and Local Call – on the contrary, the Israel Defense Forces bombed them in homes without hesitation, as a first option. It's much easier to bomb a family's home. The system is built to look for them in these situations.”
Hamas leader Haniyeh: “Without Israel's withdrawal from Gaza there will be no agreement. A permanent ceasefire is necessary”
A “permanent ceasefire, the global and complete withdrawal of the enemy from the Gaza Strip, the return of all displaced people to their homes, the lifting of the blockade”. These are the conditions reiterated by the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in the new round of negotiations in Cairo, for the agreement with Israel that leads to the release of the hostages and a truce in Gaza. Hanyeh spoke on TV on the occasion of 'Jerusalem Day'.
13 NGOs call for international action to protect civilians in Gaza
“One week after the United Nations Security Council passed the resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, and just days after the International Court of Justice issued further interim measures in the genocide case supported by South Africa against Israel, states must still act urgently to ensure its implementation and prevent atrocity crimes in Rafah as the escalation of attacks continues.” AND the alarm raised today by 13 humanitarian and human rights organizations in a joint press release. It was signed by Save the Children, International Federation for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Doctors of the World/Médecins du Monde France, Spain and Switzerland, ActionAid International, Oxfam International, Norwegian Refugee Council, Plan International, Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), International Rescue Committee (IRC), Danish Refugee Council, DanChurch Aid.
NATO, Stoltenberg: “We condemn the killing of NGO workers in Gaza”
“What we see in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe. We condemn the attack on aid workers and welcome the fact that Israel has said it will investigate the incident. At the same time we welcome the efforts of Britain, the US and many allies to facilitate a sort of ceasefire and a political solution to the conflict.” She said it NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference after the first day of the Alliance's foreign ministerial meeting.
White House: “WCK attack will not impact Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks and hostage release”
US expresses 'outrage' over deadly attack on Israeli humanitarian convoy. This was stated by the communications spokesperson of the US National Security Council, John Kirby. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre also told reporters that the United States and President Joe Biden expressed their solidarity with the renowned founder of World Central Kitchen, chef Jose Andres.
The security spokesperson reiterated the need for a thorough investigation into the matter of the incident by the Israeli authorities, adding that a first available assessment had been made. And there is still discussion about the maritime effort to bring aid to Gaza.
Additionally, the White House said the United States does not expect the Israeli attack that killed seven World Center Kitchen workers in Gaza to impact Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks and the release of Palestinian hostages and prisoners . “Ceasefire and hostage negotiations are ongoing,” John Kirby told reporters. Finally, that the US delegation will not participate in the trip to Saudi Arabia, and that this will be rescheduled.
Anger is growing in GB, 'raid on volunteers in Gaza deliberate' names of 3 Britons killed by Israel revealed: 'they are heroes'
Outrage is mounting in the United Kingdom, from the political world to the voluntary sector and the press, over the Israeli attack in which 7 humanitarian workers from the US NGO WCK were killed, including three Britons, who were busy bringing food aid to the now starving Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip. Attack reconstructed in the media as apparently “deliberate”, even if the IDF reiterates: “A mistake that should not have happened”.
The names of the three citizens of the United Kingdom have been made known in the last few hours: they are John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby, aged 57, 33 and 47, who were responsible for the security of the expedition and who died together with a American-Canadian activist Jacob Flickinger, an Australian, a Polish chef and a Palestinian driver-interpreter. Erin Gore, CEO of Wck, called them “heroes” of solidarity, adding that “the smiles” portrayed in the photos will remain a reminder of their altruism and saying he was “horrified” by the raid. Raid condemned today also by the neo-moderate leader of the Labor opposition Keir Starmer, in the past criticized by his base for an attitude considered too pro-Israeli, who defined the incident as “unacceptable” – exactly as the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister did yesterday conservatives, Rishi Sunak and David Cameron, not without summoning the Israeli ambassador to London in protest – and “outrageous”.
Iran: “Deadly attacks against Israel coming soon”
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned Israel, saying deadly attacks on the country will be carried out soon. The resistance front will do its duty''. Ynet News writes it. Tehran's threat comes after Monday's attack on Damascus blamed on Israel, in which a senior Iranian commander and several other officers were killed.
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