Defrin said in a briefing that as part of the assault, which he said began “in recent weeks,” tens of thousands of reservists have been mobilized to join regular forces currently maneuvering in the Zeitoun neighborhood in the southeast of the city and in Sheikh Radwan in the north.
“Hamas will meet the full force of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) in Gaza City,” Defrin said. “We will increase the pressure on Hamas until its defeat.”
Defrin showed aerial video footage of several blocks exploding, which he said was the destruction of underground infrastructure in Zeitoun.
His remarks came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ offer to pursue a “comprehensive deal” to end the war and secure the release of hostages, describing it as “spin.”
Israel’s new assault on Gaza City, already devastated by nearly two years of intensive attacks, drew condemnation over its impact on civilians. Israeli strikes have destroyed much of the city’s infrastructure, large parts of the population have been displaced multiple times, and aid groups say famine is taking hold.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed 64,232 people and injured 161,583 others, Gaza-based health authorities said Thursday, adding that starvation and malnutrition in Gaza have caused 370 deaths, including 131 children.
Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference following the meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing,” Macron said the countries would contribute to a “reassurance force” that could deploy troops in Ukraine or provide support on land, at sea, or in the air.
He added after the summit, participants held a call with U.S. President Donald Trump and the United States is expected to finalize its contributions to the security guarantees in the coming days.
Zelensky welcomed the announcement as a “concrete” step forward and stressed that a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whether bilateral or trilateral, is “necessary” for advancing peace efforts.
The announcement followed a virtual meeting of the coalition on Thursday, co-chaired by Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The group, which brought together around 30 countries, mostly European, has committed to providing security guarantees to Ukraine.
Apuk Ayuel Mayen, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the country was able to receive seven third-country nationals and a South Sudanese national on July 5, based on bilateral engagement with the Trump administration.
“There are no discussions on deportations, and there is no deal that has been signed in regards to that. There was bilateral engagement around deporting the seven deportees between our government and the government of the United States,” Mayen told journalists in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
The third-country nationals deported to South Sudan include two people from Myanmar, two from Cuba, and one each from Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico.
In addition, Mayen said that 23 South Sudanese who were earlier deported from the United States have been reunited with their family members.
The facility, which cost 2.68 billion Rwandan francs, will provide inmates with skills training, family reconnection programs, and opportunities to participate in community activities such as Umuganda (community work).
The center was inaugurated on September 3, 2025, in Muhazi Sector, Rwamagana District, and will accommodate prisoners who have between six months and one year left to serve.
It has a capacity of 2,500 inmates, starting with an initial group of 250 transferred from different prisons across the country.
{{Preparing inmates for life after prison}}
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Internal Security Dr. Vincent Biruta said the center is part of Rwanda’s broader effort to rehabilitate inmates and prepare them for life after prison.
“You will return to your families, joining other Rwandans, including some with whom you may have had conflicts that led you to prison. This program is designed to prepare you for all that—so that when you leave, you are reformed individuals who can contribute to your families and to the nation,” he said.
RCS Commissioner General Evariste Murenzi explained that while many prisoners change for the better during incarceration, reintegrating into society would remain a challenge after years behind bars.
“This is why we created this facility—to train inmates who are close to completing their sentences in how to readjust to family and community life. It is a model project that will be replicated across all provinces, complementing the usual rehabilitation methods,” he said.
{{Unique features of the center}}
Rwanda currently has more than 76,000 inmates held in 13 prisons nationwide. Unlike traditional prisons, which are secured with eight-to-ten-meter-high fences, the new facility is enclosed by walls only two to three meters high. It also operates with fewer warders, most of whom will not carry weapons.
Prisoners admitted to the center are carefully selected based on good behavior and having served at least two years of their sentence.
One of the first beneficiaries, Mukaniyonshuti Jeanette, said life at the center feels different from regular prison.
“Here it feels like home compared to where we came from. In other prisons, warders escorted us everywhere and even visits required long queues. Here we are more at ease,” she said.
Family visits, skills training, and reconciliation
Inmates at the center will be allowed short-term leave to visit family and friends, including attending weddings, funerals, or visiting sick relatives in hospital.
They will also receive six-month to one-year vocational training courses in areas such as hairdressing, beauty, tailoring, weaving, carpentry, and construction. Those already skilled will be supported in finding markets, joining cooperatives, and connecting with private-sector partners.
In addition, inmates will undergo counseling in mental health, social reintegration, and reconciliation, including facilitated dialogue with victims or families they may have wronged in order to seek forgiveness and promote healing.
They will also participate in community development activities such as Umuganda, house construction for vulnerable families, and national commemoration events.
The center was constructed by the Government of Rwanda with support from the Starling Foundation and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement on Thursday that the missile “hit its target and was not intercepted,” forcing Israelis into shelters and disrupting flights.
He said the attack was in support of Palestinians and in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
There has been no immediate comment from the Israeli side so far.
It was the group’s third claimed attack against Israel in two days.
On Wednesday, the group claimed responsibility for launching two missile and drone attacks on “sensitive targets” in Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv.
The escalation came after an Israeli airstrike last Thursday in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa killed 12 senior Houthi figures, as the Houthi forces have no air defense systems.
The Houthis, which control much of northern Yemen, have been frequently launching missile and drone attacks on Israel since November 2023, citing solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Nearly all Houthi attacks were reportedly intercepted.
In response, Israel has retaliated, striking Houthi targets in northern Yemen.
Allison Burroughs, judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, wrote in a ruling that “Defendants (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Justice) used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country’s premier universities.”
On April 11, Trump administration officials sent a letter to Harvard, demanding that the university eliminate antisemitism on campus and dismantle diversity initiatives that favor certain minority groups.
The Trump administration “did so in a way that runs afoul of” the Administrative Procedure Act, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, wrote the ruling.
On April 14, after Harvard rejected the administration’s demands, the Trump administration announced a freeze on 2.2 billion dollars in multi-year grants and 60 million dollars in multi-year contract value to the university.
“We must fight against antisemitism, but we equally need to protect our rights, including our right to free speech, and neither goal should nor needs to be sacrificed on the altar of the other,” wrote Burroughs.
Noting that Harvard “was wrong to tolerate hateful behavior for as long as it did,” the judge wrote that “Harvard is currently, even if belatedly, taking steps it needs to take to combat antisemitism and seems willing to do even more if need be.”
“Now it is the job of the courts to similarly step up, to act to safeguard academic freedom and freedom of speech as required by the Constitution, and to ensure that important research is not improperly subjected to arbitrary and procedurally infirm grant terminations, even if doing so risks the wrath of a government committed to its agenda no matter the cost,” Burroughs wrote.
The judge granted a motion for summary judgment, which means she has ruled in favor of Harvard without a trial.
In a phone call with UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) commander Diodato Abagnara, Aoun expressed solidarity with peacekeepers who came under fire near the border town of Marwahin.
On Wednesday, UNIFIL said Israeli drones dropped four grenades on Tuesday as its personnel cleared roadblocks blocking access to a UN post. One grenade landed within 20 meters of peacekeepers, and three others within 100 meters of staff and vehicles. The mission called it “one of the most serious attacks” on its personnel since last November’s ceasefire.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern, stressing that endangering peacekeepers was “unacceptable” and urging all sides to guarantee their safety.
Lebanon’s presidency said Aoun condemned the strike and demanded swift international measures to hold Israel accountable. He accused Israel of defying UN Security Council resolutions, undermining the immunity of UN personnel, and continuing attacks that kill civilians and damage infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
The incident marked the first direct targeting of UN peacekeepers since the November truce, brokered by the United States and France to stop cross-border clashes linked to the Gaza war.
Israel has continued periodic strikes in Lebanon, citing Hezbollah threats, and has maintained positions at several border sites after missing a Feb. 18 withdrawal deadline.
Also on Thursday, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli airstrikes a day earlier killed four people and wounded 17 in the south. A Lebanese Army intelligence source reported that Israeli aircraft carried out 18 strikes across the region from Wednesday into early Thursday.
According to a joint statement released by the US Department of State, the committee acknowledged delays in implementing some provisions of the agreement but underscored a shared commitment to ensure its complete and timely implementation to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in eastern DRC and the wider Great Lakes region.
Deliberations focused on recent challenges, including reports of violence in eastern DRC, and the need for actionable steps to guarantee compliance with the agreement.
Members welcomed the decision to merge the technical secretariats of the East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the African Union (AU) into a single independent joint secretariat. This, they said, would enhance coordination, with the AU playing a central role in implementation.
The DRC and Rwanda also reaffirmed commitments made during the August 8 Tripartite High-Level Ministerial, particularly regarding the safe return of refugees.
The committee welcomed the upcoming meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM), tasked with accelerating efforts to neutralize support for the FDLR armed group and advancing Rwanda’s lifting of defensive measures as outlined in Appendix A of the Peace Agreement.
Ahead of the JSCM meeting in Doha, the DRC reiterated that it has no policy of supporting the FDLR and pledged concrete action to reflect this position.
Rwanda, in turn, reaffirmed its respect for the DRC’s territorial integrity and committed to ensuring its actions remain consistent with this principle.
Both governments also committed to establish a technical-level intelligence and military channel for direct information exchange.
The committee emphasized that these steps are essential to realizing the Regional Economic Integration Framework, which aims to open key economic corridors and drive long-term development and stability in the region.
Qatar provided an update on the ongoing negotiations in Doha between the DRC government and AFC/M23, describing them as critical to achieving stability in eastern DRC. Both the DRC and Rwanda pledged full support for bringing these negotiations to a successful conclusion.
Among others, the JOC reaffirmed its commitment to holding regular meetings to monitor progress, address challenges, and ensure the Peace Agreement’s effective implementation.
In closing, the DRC and Rwanda expressed appreciation for the United States, Qatar, and the African Union, recognizing their vital contributions and coordinated efforts to advance durable peace in eastern DRC.
A medical report from Kyegera Doctors Center, seen by IGIHE, confirmed that she succumbed to an illness that evening.
The news was also confirmed by Bikem Uwayesu, one of her close representatives, who was with her in Uganda.
He explained that Gogo and her team had travelled from Rwanda to Uganda on August 28, 2025, to attend a gospel crusade in Mbarara, held from August 29 to 31.
Following the event, she and her team continued to Kampala on August 31, where she was scheduled to work on promotional activities with a certain company.
Shortly after arriving in Kampala, Gogo fell ill. At first, those close to her thought it was a mild condition, as she had battled the same illness before. However, her health deteriorated rapidly, and despite being rushed to the hospital, she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Gogo who rose to prominence on social media, gained wider attention after her worship track was remixed by South African musician David Scott, popularly known as The Kiffness.
Gogo was best known online for her heartfelt worship songs, often sung in English with her distinct accent. In the viral clip, she sings: “Everyday, I need the blood of Jesus.”
The Kiffness reworked the video by layering her vocals with trumpet and piano, creating a lively new version that he shared on TikTok and YouTube in January.
By September 4, 2025, the remix had been viewed over 780,000 times on his YouTube channel, which has over three million subscribers.
“The death toll of the boat incident has risen to 60 and the casualty figure is rising,” said Abdullahi Baba Ara, chair of Borgu local government area, adding that 10 people were in serious condition and many others still missing.
Emergency personnel and local divers were searching for the victims, according to the Niger State Emergency Management Agency.
The accident occurred around 11 a.m. local time (1000 GMT) on Tuesday when the overloaded vessel collided with a tree stump and capsized near the Gausawa community in the Borgu local government area.
The boat carried more than 100 people, with women and children being the majority of the fatal victims, said Sa’adu Inuwa Muhammad, the district head of Shagumi.
Boat accidents, often caused by overloading, adverse weather, and operational errors, are common in Nigeria.
