Israeli police announced early Friday morning that they shot and killed a Palestinian youth in the Damascus Gate area of Jerusalem's Old City, claiming he had attempted to carry out a stabbing attack targeting their officers.
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Israeli police and border guards said in a joint official statement that forces stationed around Damascus Gate thwarted what they described as a "terrorist operation".
Police claimed that the young man approached security and municipal personnel, attempting to attack them and carry out an assault using a "sharp instrument" (a stabbing). The statement added that police and border guards fired directly at the young man, killing him instantly.
Israeli medical and security sources confirmed that no injuries or casualties were recorded among the security forces.
For its part, Palestinian media reported the killing of the young Palestinian man by Israeli forces at dawn, allegedly for attempting to carry out a stabbing attack.
The Damascus Gate area and the entrances to the Old City witnessed a large security mobilization immediately after the incident, as the forces imposed a security cordon and disrupted the movement of citizens heading to perform the dawn prayer.
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Mercenaries, drone shipments, and military technology: A report reveals the reasons behind the escalation of the war in Sudan
A report by the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission confirmed that the influx of fighters strengthens the military capabilities of the parties to the Sudanese conflict, enabling them to carry out operations that prolong the war and complicate the situation.
A UN report released on Thursday revealed alarming details about the situation in Sudan. The report documented the involvement of transnational entities operating in several countries in recruiting, training, and deploying foreign personnel to support the Rapid Support Forces, as well as facilitating the transfer of weapons, ammunition, and military technology, and providing logistical support.
The mission noted that these networks extended into Colombia and utilized transit points in Chad, southeastern Libya, and the Somali city of Bosaso. It also observed the deployment of approximately 2,000 former Colombian military contractors who were involved in operating combat drones, artillery, and advanced weaponry alongside Rapid Support Forces units in Darfur and Kordofan.
Moreover, the report concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that Sudanese forces used foreign-supplied drones that harmed civilians and civilian infrastructure. Expert Mona Rishmawi confirmed that this support fueled Rapid Support Forces operations in Zamzam camp and El Fasher, where serious violations and international crimes bearing the hallmarks of genocide were documented.
Sudanese civilians have borne the brunt of these developments, and the report stated that the consequences of this support do not provide protection for civilians, but rather force them to pay the price through the targeting of homes, hospitals, and schools.
In closing, the investigators urged states to enforce the arms embargo on Darfur, halt military transfers where there is a serious risk, and investigate those involved in illicit support networks. They also called on the Security Council to extend the embargo to cover all of Sudan, stressing the need to translate warnings into action to protect civilians and hold accountable those who contribute to the continuation of the war.
