IDF again bolsters forces on Golan as Syrian rebels take area near border * Rebel commander says days of Syrian ‘sectarianism and tyranny’ are over
People walk past photographs of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, December 5, 2024. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)
An anti-government fighter gestures as he poses for a picture in the cockpit of a Syrian army jet after rebels took over a military airbase near the central city of Hama, on December 6, 2024. (OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)
Palestinians inspect the damage after an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee Camp in the central Gaza Strip on December 7, 2024. (Eyad BABA / AFP)
Television screens show live footage of an address by South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol, at an electronic market in Seoul on December 7, 2024. (JUNG Yeon-je / AFP)
The Times of Israel is liveblogging Saturday’s events as they happen.
Police say terrorist wearing ISIS shirt fired flare at checkpoint, ‘neutralized’ by guard
Police say a terrorist was shot and “neutralized” by a civilian security guard at the West Bank Qalandiya checkpoint after launching a flare at security forces.
There were no other injuries in the incident.
Police say that the terrorist was also armed with a knife, and was wearing a shirt emblazoned with the symbol for the Islamic State terror group.
Qatar’s PM says he sees renewed momentum for reaching hostage deal
Qatar’s prime minister says that momentum had returned to talks aimed at cementing a truce and hostage exchange deal in Gaza following the election of Donald Trump as US president.
“We have sensed, after the election, that the momentum is coming back,” Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani tells the Doha Forum for political dialogue, adding there had been “a lot of encouragement from the incoming administration in order to achieve a deal, even before the president comes to the office.”
The Qatari leader also touches on the ongoing rebel advance in Syria, saying that President Bashar al-Assad failed to engage with his people and address issues like the return of refugees during a period of calm in the country’s war.
“Assad didn’t seize these opportunities to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people, and we didn’t see any serious movement, whether it’s on the return of the refugees or on reconciling with his own people,” Al-Thani says.
Muhammad beats Noah as most popular name for baby boys in England, Wales in 2023
LONDON, United Kingdom — Muhammad was the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales last year, topping the annual rankings for the first time, according to the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The name, which has been in the top 10 for newly-named boys in England and Wales since 2016, leapfrogged Noah as the top choice after being the second most popular in 2022.
There were 4,661 boys named Muhammad in the two nations last year, according to the ONS. That figure does not include variants such as Mohamed.
Olivia remained the most popular pick for baby girls, followed by Amelia and Isla — the same top trio as in 2022.
The ONS has previously said it does not have a “definitive answer” for why Muhammad and variants of the name have become so popular in England and Wales.
It has noted as possible explanations the increasing size of the Muslim community and the dominance of the name within it, compared to a greater variety chosen outside of it.
Popular sporting figures named Muhammad and Mohamed — such as Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, boxing legend Muhammad Ali and Mohamed (Mo) Farah — may also be a factor.
It is traditional within the Muslim community to name boys after the prophet of Islam out of respect and honor for him.
The latest census for England and Wales in 2021 counted 3.9 million Muslims from a population of 59.6 million — around 6.5 percent of the total.
That was up from 2011 when there were 2.7 million Muslims (4.9%).
Syrian rebel commander assures minorities of end to ‘era of sectarianism and tyranny’
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Rebel military commander Hassan Abdel Ghani seeks to reassure Syria’s religious communities and minorities after Islamist-led fighters snatched key cities and swathes of territory from government control.
“Our securing of the villages and towns of our people in the newly liberated areas, especially those where different religious sects and minorities live, has become a reality… We ask that all sects be reassured and support the movements of the revolutionaries, for the era of sectarianism and tyranny has gone away forever,” Abdel Ghani says in a statement on Telegram.
IDF again shoring up forces on Golan as Syrian rebels take area close to border
The IDF announces that it is further bolstering forces on the border with Syria in the Golan Heights, following a fresh assessment of the developments in the Syrian civil war.
“The reinforcement of troops will enable the strengthening of defenses in the area, and the preparation of the troops for various scenarios in the area,” the military adds.
Syrian rebels in the past day have largely taken over the Daraa area in southern Syria, close to Israel’s border.
On Friday, the IDF said it was deploying additional ground and air forces to the Golan Heights in light of the developments in Syria.
Romanian police raid houses linked to a probe into alleged irregularities in the first-round presidential election win of far-right outsider Calin Georgescu, a day after the top court canceled the imminent run-off.
Three houses in Brasov city in central Romania are being searched as part of the investigation “in connection with crimes of voter corruption, money laundering, computer forgery,” says a statement from the prosecutor’s office.
Syria’s army says it is redeploying in two southern provinces, after a war monitor reported government forces had lost control of most of Daraa province, the cradle of the country’s 2011 uprising.
“Our forces operating in Daraa and Sweida are redeploying and repositioning, and establishing a… security cordon in that direction after terrorist elements attacked remote army checkpoints,” the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces says in a statement carried by state media.
On Friday evening, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said local factions had taken control of more than 90 percent of Daraa, including the eponymous city. In neighbouring Sweida, the Britain-based monitor and local media said the governor, the police and prison chiefs, and the local ruling Baath Party leader had left their offices as local fighters took control of several checkpoints.
Report: Hamas contacting Gaza groups to check state of hostages ahead of possible deal
London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Hamas has begun efforts to check the status of hostages held by other terror groups in Gaza, as it expects potential movement on a hostage and ceasefire deal with Israel.
Palestinian sources cited by the paper say Hamas officials have contacted other groups to receive updates on the condition of hostages they hold.
Israel says 100 hostages remain in Gaza, alive and dead. Reports have indicated that some half are believed to be alive.
Young man killed in car crash on Route 5, woman seriously injured
A man in his 20s was killed overnight in a collision between two cars on Route 5 in central Israel.
A woman, 20, was rushed to hospital in serious condition.
Air defenses intercept missile launched from Yemen
A missile launched at Israel from Yemen was intercepted by Israeli air defenses, the military says.
According to the IDF, the missile was shot down before crossing into Israeli territory, and no sirens sounded in towns “according to protocol.”
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Content retrieved from: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-december-07-2024/.
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