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About Diplomat Travel

60+ Years of Making Travel Dreams Come True 

For more than 60 years, Diplomat Travel has supported the trips of customers in the Chicagoland area whether traveling for business or pleasure. Located a stone's throw from O'Hare International Airport, has been immersed in travel for six decades!

Diplomat Travel is your destination for family trip planning, crisis management when on the road, and group travel. We provide guidance, handle logistics, and manage issues for all types of travel.

Stop by hour office at 6835 W. Higgins Avenue in Chicago or call us at 773-774-2727 to discuss your upcoming trip.

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Planning a trip for pleasure or business? Diplomat Travel takes care of it all (except packing your bags - but even for that, we can share tips and tricks!). 

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I was an American diplomat for 12 years, traveling and immersing myself in cultures around the world. Here's what you can learn from diplomats when you're traveling

• Diplomats are dispatched all over the world, engaging with different cultures and ideologies.
• Here's what you can learn from them if you're traveling.
• This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.

Diplomats spend their whole careers living and traveling overseas. They have to immediately immerse themselves in a wide range of places around the planet. These ambassadors and attaches deftly manage to cross borders and cultures. I had to learn a lot of these nuanced navigational skills during my 12 years as an American diplomat. So let me share a few of their tricks and tradecraft to try out on your next trip.

Be ready for the worst

The first thing a diplomat does when planning a mission is to prepare for what could go wrong. I've found that too few regular travelers take the time to consider this crucial step. So before you head out on a trip, explore recent risks and consider what you would do in the event of a crisis. 

The State Department has a decent overall guide to the latest threats. But, honestly, you are better off reading some of the news from the country. Don't let it overwhelm you, but even if you don't speak the language, use an online translator to get a sense of what's happening with security, politics, and major upcoming events. Also, make sure you set up an alert to notify you of major news stories in the countries where you will be traveling.

Always have a back up

My second piece of advice is to pack extras. It can be hard to know exactly how easy it will be to locate your essentials when you're traveling or how difficult, expensive it is to acquire. Figure out which are the must-have items — from cables to razors — and make sure you travel with a backup. This also goes for clothes. Packing an extra day or two comes in handy when you're delayed or need to extend the trip.  An extra pair of socks made my return from Nepal substantially less stinky, after the King commandeered our plane in Kathmandu. 

Ditch the guidebook and talk to locals

Even in the past, I never liked the published guidebooks and with so much information online these days, you really don't need one. They end up sending you to a lot of places that are crowded with other tourists. To get a sense of what you're missing out on, try reading a guide to your town. Once you've seen the highlights in the book, use that as a jumping off point to research, read reviews, and actually talk to people who live in the place. 

Let me expand on the last point. Traveling is a great excuse to reach out to someone. It could be someone who works in your field, a local organization related to something you're interested in, or even their embassy.

Related stories

Send this connection an email, "Hey, I'm going to be traveling to your country. Appreciate any insights or recommendations you can share." It's amazing how many people welcome the chance to share a few suggestions about their home with visitors from other countries. You'll also often be surprised by the opportunities that arise from those personal connections.

Look, and talk, like a local

If you don't want to stick out as a tourist or at the very least aim to be less of a target for hawkers or unsavory opportunists, then try to blend in. One of the best ways you can project savviness is by carrying a local newspaper or magazine. It will give pickpockets and peddlers pause.

Speaking of local, it's a good idea to learn a few phrases of the language before you go. Using a greeting when you enter a store or a taxi helps to also project a level of familiarity with your surroundings and respect for their culture. 

It's also worthwhile to spend a little time learning about some of the major linguistic differences, which tend to explain a lot about how the world can be viewed through various lenses. In Spanish, for instance, there is no word for "compromise." While in the Niarafolo language of Northern Ivory Coast, there is no word for yesterday or tomorrow.  That can be useful information to know before you go. 

Keep an open mind

Too many times on our trips we are myopically focused on getting from point A to point B. One of the best parts of being in a foreign country is the chance to experience a whole different way of life. Take in the unique smells, sounds, and rhythms. 

Henry David Thoreau was fond of sauntering. It's a kind of experiential walking, where you are taking in the small, subtle elements. This is one of my favorite things to do, wandering streets and often making exceptional, unexpected discoveries.

Diplomats are undoubtedly some of the world's best travelers. While you may not be able to spend as long or go as far on the road, there is a lot to be gained by deploying some of the same tactics. It may help keep you out of trouble and also to see less-discovered side of the country. 

Perhaps the last diplomatic lesson is to remember that travel is a two-way road. You are experiencing a new place and people. But, they too are exposed to a bit of your country through your presence. So, be a good ambassador.

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Diplomat travel because

Travel agency with 36 years of experience.

The history of the travel agency, starts almost 36 years ago, where the first company had been created and it is well known as DIPLOMAT TRAVEL.The diplomat travel is a travel agency with 36 years of experience ( since 1987) with IATA licence, which was one of the first companies, that had be given . It consists from a young and highly experienced people in tourism industry.

Diplomat Travel bought by mr George Karavatakis on 2016 . His dream was to expand the business out of Greece and built strong portfolio with corporate accounts . His focus was to add the online services to the company so hi started building he technology – booking engine with some of the most successful developers who knew very well what the travel market needs.  

The development

In 2017 Diplomat started offering its   services online through the hotels and air ticket booking platform : Ask2go.com and Diplomattravel.gr . This made the company stronger and more experienced, but also it has greatly increased our clientele. These days, the clientele of our company serves a large part of tourism in Greece and Europe, but also in America. The client database reached the number of 500.000.

In 2018 and 2019 Diplomat awarded as one of the Best Performing Companies in Travel Industry  by Creative Greece and Treasure Travel Awards .

What makes us better

The booking engine, that we have created handles more than 3 million travel requests per minute so that our customers can get a complete set of options and prices for airplane, train or ship routes. Having collected a huge part of data from daily bookings, we are able to use and process them for our sole purpose to make your search experience smoother and more functional.

In 2022, the form of the company Diplomat Travel Tourism EE with registration number 068388203000  was changed into IKE Private Equity with shareholders Georgios Karavatakis with 99% and Michaela Agapi Karavatakis 1%.

In 22 of December 2022 100% of the company’s shares were transferred to Snowfall LTd with registered office at Leeds  10-12 East Parade, Avenue HQ, Leeds, LS1 2BH, United Kingdom

. The share capital of the company is set at 11,400 euros and the total of shares at 11,400. Administrator of the company remains Georgios Karavatakis .

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If the return falls outside of this time period, or if the item is damaged, worn, or not in its original packaging, We cannot accept the returned items and cannot give a refund. Should you wish to return only a particular item included in an order, you do not have to return the entire order.

If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase for any reason, please review our return, refund and exchange information below.

general conditions

Simply return it for an exchange or refund within 30 days of purchase pick up/delivery to any of our stores or ship back to our warehouse. We do not accept returns made after the 30 days

All return requests must be accompanied with the original proof of purchase or printed copy of the receipt/invoice; in unused, unworn and undamaged condition with all original tags attached, in addition to original packaging. It must be deemed sellable by Diplomat's store associates and/or Diplomat's warehouse employees. All returns are subject to validation and approval at Diplomat's discretion.

Returns of any portion of the purchase will require equal forfeiture of offer or amount equal to offer.

In the case of incorrect items shipped or damaged during shipment, please contact our Customer Service team by email [email protected]

Refunds with the receipt are based on the price paid at the time of purchase.

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Shipping  policy.

We offers free shipping on orders of $75 and over before taxes and after discounts, unless otherwise noted. Orders under $75 have a flat rate of $10 for standard shipping.

At online checkout, you will be prompted to choose your desired shipping method for your shipment(s). Each shipping method chosen has its own restrictions and charges that will be automatically applied to your order. As you update your shipping method, your order total will also adjust accordingly.

Shipping rates are subject to change at any time.

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• Orders ship only on business days, which are Monday through Friday (excluding statutory holidays).

• All orders are shipped through Canada Post.

• We do not ship gift cards; they can only be redeemed in store.

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• Shipping estimates do not include processing times (between 1 to 2 business days).

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service team via Email: [email protected]

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Due to a large increase in shipping volume at Canada Post, we are experiencing delays in delivery time and how soon tracking information is updated.

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If you are a diplomat or government official who is physically present in the United States on assignment:

Requesting to renew (reapply for) your visa or that of an immediate family member,  select  Renewing an A-1 or A-2 Visa in the United States  to learn more. A-3 visa holders must reapply for their visas outside the United States.

Requesting to change status into or out of A status,  select  Change of Status  to/from A,G, NATO to learn more.

Diplomats and other foreign government officials traveling to the United States to engage solely in official duties or activities on behalf of their national government must obtain A-1 or A-2 visas prior to entering the United States. You cannot travel using visitor visas or under the Visa Waiver Program. With the exception of a Head of State or Government -- who qualifies for an A1 visa regardless of their purpose of travel -- your position within your country’s government and your purpose of travel determines whether you need an A-1 or A-2 visa. Immediate family members of diplomats and government officials receive A-1 or A-2 visas, with few exceptions. Personal employees, attendants, or domestic workers for diplomats and government officials (holding a valid A-1 or A-2 visa) may be issued A-3 visas.

To qualify for an A-1 or A-2 visa, you must be traveling to the United States on behalf of your national government to engage solely in official activities for that government. The specific duties or services that will be performed must be governmental in character or nature, as determined by the U.S. Department of State, in accordance with U.S. immigration laws. Government officials traveling to the United States to perform non-governmental functions of a commercial nature, or traveling as tourists, require the appropriate visas and do not qualify for A visas. The fact that there may be government interest or control in a given organization is not in itself the defining factor in determining if you qualify for an A visa.

Diplomats and Officials Requiring A-1 Visas - Examples:

• Head of State or Government, regardless of the purpose of travel
• Ambassador, Public Minister, Career Diplomat or Consular Officer coming to serve at a foreign embassy or consulate in the United States, such as an ambassador or consul
• Certain government ministers in positions equivalent to U.S. cabinet level secretaries coming to the United States to perform official, government related duties for not more than 90 days
• European Union (EU) and African Union (AU) delegation representatives
• Immediate family members  of an A-1 visa holder

Officials and Employees Requiring A-2 Visas - Examples:

• Other foreign government official or full-time employee assigned by that government, coming only to work at a foreign embassy or consulate in the United States, to perform duties which take place at an embassy or consulate
• Government official representing your government, coming to the United States based on written request of your country to perform official, government related duties for not more than 90 days
• Staff of European (EU) and African Union (AU) delegation representatives
• Foreign military members stationed at a U.S. military base or assigned to a foreign embassy or consulate in the United States
• Immediate family members  of an A-2 visa holder

Travel Purposes Not Permitted on A-1 and A-2 Visas - Examples:

• Government officials coming to perform non-official or non-governmental functions of a commercial nature, or traveling as tourists, must apply for the appropriate visa category for the specific travel purpose, such as a B-2 visa for tourism. (Note: A Head of State or Government must travel on an A-1 visa regardless of the purpose of travel.)
• Local government officials representing their state, province, borough, or other local political entity require visitor (B) visas.

How to Apply

There are several steps to apply for a visa. The order of these steps and how you complete them may vary at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you apply. Please consult the instructions available on the  embassy or consulate website  where you will apply.

About Visa Interviewers

As part of the visa application process, an interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate is required for most visa applicants applying abroad.  Embassies and consulates generally do not require interviews for those applying for A-1 and A-2 visas, although a consular officer can request an interview.

Personal employees, domestic workers, and attendants of A-1 or A-2 visa holders applying for A-3 visas are required to be interviewed.  Review information in the  Personal Employees  section below.

Complete the Online Visa Application

• Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application,  Form DS-160  –  Learn more  about completing the  DS-160 . You must: 1) complete the online visa application and 2) print the application form confirmation page. You must submit the confirmation page as part of your application. ( Important Notice:   For A-1 or A-2 visa holders on assignment in the United States reapplying for an A visa, use Form DS-1648, not DS-160. Review instructions on the  Renewing A, G, or NATO Visas in the U.S.  webpage.)
• Photo  –You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. Your photo must have been taken within the past six months, and must be the format explained in the  Photograph Requirements .

Submit Required Documentation

All applicants for A visas should gather and deliver the following required documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your home country:

• Passport  valid for travel to the United States - Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by  country-specific agreements ). If more than one person is included in your passport, each person who needs a visa must submit a separate application.
• Nonimmigrant Visa Application,  Form DS-160  confirmation page  (For applicants applying outside the United States)
• Photo  – You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the  photo upload fails,  you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the  Photograph Requirements .
• the government official's or employee's name, date of birth, position and title, place of assignment or visit, purpose of travel, a brief description of his or her duties, travel date, and the anticipated length of the tour of duty or stay in the United States, and
• the names, relationships, and dates of birth of any dependents and other members of household who will be accompanying or joining the government official or employee.
• For an immediate family member applying separate from the principal visa applicant  - A copy of both the visa and the I-94 (both front and back) for the principal visa holder is required.

Additional Documentation May Be Required

Review the instructions for how to apply for a visa on the website of the  embassy or consulate  where you will apply. Additional documents may be requested to establish if you are qualified.

Individuals who qualify for an official visa classification ( A, G, C-3, NATO) are exempt from paying visa fees.

More About Visa Fees  - Individuals holding diplomatic passports may also be exempt from visa fees regardless of visa classification and purpose of travel, if they meet one of the qualifying categories. Possession of a diplomatic passport or the equivalent is not by itself sufficient to qualify for a no-fee diplomatic visa. The consular officer will make the determination whether the visa applicant qualifies for an exemption of fees under U.S. immigration laws.  Official passport holders are not charged for official visas, but are required to pay visa application and reciprocal issuance fees, if applicable, for all non-official visas.

Immediate Family Members

Visa application procedures for your immediate family members are the same as for you.  Important Notice:  Effective immediately, U.S. embassies and consulates will adjudicate visa applications that are based on a same-sex marriage in the same way that we adjudicate applications for opposite gender spouses.

Immediate family members are defined as the spouse and unmarried sons and daughters who are members of your household, even if studying in a different location. An immediate family member may also be a person who will reside regularly in your household, is not a member of some other household, and is recognized as your immediate family member by the sending Government, as demonstrated by eligibility for rights and benefits, such as the issuance of a diplomatic or official passport or travel and other allowances.

In addition to a spouse and unmarried sons and daughters, immediate family members who may qualify to receive A-category visas include:

• any other relative, by blood, marriage, or adoption, of you or your spouse;
• a domestic partner; and
• a relative by blood, marriage, or adoption of the domestic partner.

The term "domestic partner" means a same-sex domestic partner. Domestic partners may be issued A-category visas if the sending country would provide reciprocal treatment to domestic partners of U.S. diplomats and government officials in that country.

A family member who does not qualify as immediate family, as described above, may qualify for a  visitor (B-2) visa . Visitor visa applicants are required to pay visa application and issuance fees, if applicable.

Important Notice: Same-sex Marriage

Effective immediately, U.S. Embassies and Consulates will adjudicate visa applications that are based on a same-sex marriage in the same way that we adjudicate applications for opposite gender spouses. Please reference the specific guidance on the visa category for which you are applying for more details on documentation required for derivative spouses. For further information, please see our  FAQ’s .

Personal Employees

Personal employees, attendants, domestic workers, or servants of individuals who have a valid A-1 or A-2 visa may receive an A-3 visa, if they meet  the requirements in 9 FAM 402.3-9 . As part of the application process, the applicant must have an interview at the embassy or consulate. A written contract must be provided to the consular officer.  The employer must provide proof that the applicant will receive the minimum wage and be provided working conditions in accordance with U.S. law. In addition, the applicant needs to demonstrate that s/he will perform the contracted employment duties. The consular officer will determine eligibility for the A-3 visa. Applicants for A-3 visas must apply outside the United States.

If the employer is not the principal officer or deputy principal officer or does not carry the diplomatic rank of minister or higher, the employer must demonstrate that he or she will have sufficient funds to provide the minimum wage and working conditions, as reflected in the contract. Consideration is also given to the number of employees an employer would reasonably be able to pay.

To apply for an A-3 visa, the visa applicant must submit each of the items explained in the  How to Apply: A-3 Visas .

Important Notices for Employers and Personal Employees/Domestic Workers

Please keep your own passport and a copy of your employment contract with you while in the United States. You should not let your employer keep your contract or passport or other personal property for any reason. You and your employer will be subject to U.S. law while in the United States, and your contract describes the work arrangement your employer is expected to respect.

Certain employment-based nonimmigrants have legal rights under U.S. Federal immigration, labor, and employment laws, and you should have received information about protections and available resources. As a temporary visitor to the United States, it is important that you are aware of your rights, as well as protections and resources available, when you come to work or study here. Before your interview, review the “Know Your Rights” pamphlet and learn about additional information on our  webpage .

The U.S. Government considers "involuntary servitude" of domestic workers, as defined under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), to be a severe form of trafficking in persons (TIP) and a serious criminal offense. Victims of involuntary servitude are offered protection under the TVPA. "The term 'involuntary servitude' includes a condition of servitude induced by means of any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that, if the person did not enter into or continue in such condition, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraints, or the abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process." While in the U.S., domestic workers are advised that the telephone number for police and emergency services is 911, and that the U.S. Government maintains a telephone hotline for reporting abuse of domestic employees and other TIP-related crimes, 1-888-373-7888.

How to Apply: A-3 Visas

How you complete the several steps required to apply for a visa vary according to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you apply. As part of the application process, an interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate outside the United States is required.  The employer and/or recruitment agent does not attend the interview.

Schedule an Interview

You must schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your home country, in the country where you are currently residing, or in the country where you are physically present.  Please consult the instructions available on the  embassy or consulate website .

Prepare for Your Interview

A-3 Visa applicants must submit each of the items explained in this webpage and How to Apply sections including:

• Complete Online Visa Application  and
• Gather Required Documentation  and  
• Obtain Employment Contract from Employer -  The contract must be in English and signed by both you and your employer. (If the personal employee does not understand English, then a translation of the contract in a language the employee understands is required to ensure that the employee understands the job duties and rights regarding salary and working conditions.)  The contract must contain all of the information listed in 9 FAM 402.3-9(B)(3).  Use the following link located here to download the recommended employment contract in English: https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/259370.docx

Legal Rights and Protections

Learn about your rights in the United States and protection available to you by reading the  Legal Rights and Protections  pamphlet, before applying for your visa.

Attend Your Visa Interview

During your visa interview, a consular officer will determine whether you are qualified to receive a visa based on your purpose of travel and other requirements. You must establish that you meet the requirements under U.S. law to receive an A-3 visa.

Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be taken as part of your application process. They are usually taken during your interview, but this varies based on location.

After your visa interview, your application may require further  administrative processing . The consular officer will inform you if your application needs further processing.

If the visa is approved, the Embassy or Consulate will let you know how the office will return your passport with visa to you.

For Employers and Personal Employees or Domestic Workers

Personal employees should keep their passport and a copy of their contract in their possession.  They should not surrender their contract and passport to their employer under any circumstances.  Personal employees should understand that their contracts provide working arrangements that the employer is expected to respect.

Recent changes to U.S. law relate to the legal rights of certain employment-based nonimmigrants under Federal immigration, labor, and employment laws and the information to be provided about protections and available resources.  Employers, as well as personal employees, should review the Nonimmigrant Rights, Protections and Resources pamphlet explained above.

Personal employees and domestic workers should understand that they must follow U.S. laws while in the United States.

Additional Information

• We cannot guarantee that you will be issued a visa.  Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
• Qualified A visa applicants traveling to the United States for assignments of less than 90 days will be issued visas annotated “TDY” (temporary duty).
• Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date. Therefore, a valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.

Change of Status Into, Within, Between, or Out of Diplomatic (A) Status in the U.S.

Select  Change of Status  to learn about:

• Changing into, within, or between A, G, or NATO status if you are in the United States and accept employment with a diplomatic mission, an international organization (including the UN), a permanent or observer mission to the UN, or NATO; and
• Changing out of A status into another nonimmigrant status because you left your assignment, but plan to remain in the United States.

Misrepresentation or Fraud

Attempting to obtain a visa by the willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or fraud, may result in the permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry into the United States.

Review  Ineligibilities for U.S. Visas .

Further Questions

• Case-Specific Questions  - Contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate handling your visa application for status information.  Select  U.S. Embassy or Consulate  for contact information.

More Information

A-Z Index Legal Rights & Protections Lost/Stolen Travel Documents Denials Fraud Warning Find a U.S. Embassy or Consulate Customer Service Statement Visa Renewals in the United States

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Travel chaos caused by tri-state area earthquake: flights grounded, holland tunnel traffic halted.

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There was chaos on the ground and in the air in the New York metro area Friday morning as the Holland Tunnel was temporarily closed for inspection and New York-area flights were grounded after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake.

Traffic in and out of the crucial New York City tunnel was halted for inspection shortly after the quake, which struck New Jersey around 10:23 a.m. and was felt from Boston to Delaware.

The tunnel reopened around 11:15 but was still experiencing delays due to volume an hour later, officials shared on X.

Follow The Post’s coverage on the NYC and tri-state earthquake

• NYC and tri-state rocked by biggest area earthquake since 1884, sending terrified residents into the streets
• Travel chaos caused by tri-state area earthquake: Flights grounded, Holland Tunnel closed
• Scary security video captures earthquake rattling New Jersey
• Yankee Stadium ‘definitely felt’ earthquake ahead of home opener: ‘The field was shaking’
• Totally nuts! Pennsylvania man was getting a vasectomy when 4.8 earthquake struck

Flights out of LaGuardia and Newark airports were also temporarily grounded, resulting in delays of up to 45 minutes, according to the New York Times.

A ground stop at JFK Airport was lifted shortly before 11:40, but Newark’s was extended through 12:30 p.m., CNN aviation correspondent Pete Muntean wrote on X.

New York’s MTA services were all operating “safely and normally” after the quake, Muntean wrote.

“Our structural teams out there our teams, surveying our bridges, our roads, any areas that there could be a fault line that is not easily detectable to make sure that passengers on our rails as well as our commuters are safe” Hochul noted during a press conference.

Residents were urged to remain vigilant due to the possibility of aftershocks.

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Israeli diplomat refutes reports of Gaza starvation in closed address to Arizona Legislature

An Israeli diplomat praised Arizona lawmakers for their support and condemned the international community's lack of outrage at the harm Israel has suffered from the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

In a speech punctuated by three standing ovations, Israel Bachar, the country's counsel general for the Pacific Southwest, refuted reports of starvation in Gaza and rebuffed calls for a ceasefire unless Hamas meets certain conditions.

Hamas, which attacked Israeli homes in Gaza on Oct. 7, still holds 144 hostages, Bachar said.

“Where is the outrage?" he asked. "Where is the international community? We will not stop until all of the hostages are home.”

A ceasefire can't happen unless Hamas stops fighting and releases the Israeli hostages, he said, explaining Israel's stance. But that has been rejected even as negotiations continue.

"For Hamas, this isn't about territory, it is about terrorism," Bachar said. "Their goal is the destruction of us as a people.

"Hamas must be eradicated."

That comment brought another standing ovation. It echoed the call at the session's start from Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert.

Hamas produces nothing and "only destroys, ruins and tears down," Petersen said. "It should be wiped off the face of the earth.”

Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Glendale, invited the consul general to address lawmakers and provide an update on the Israel-Hamas war. A majority of the Legislature attended the half-hour session, although many Democrats were not present.

Bachar's visit comes a month after a House delegation visited Israel on a trip sponsored by a pro-Israeli organization.

He thanked Arizona lawmakers for their "moral clarity" on Israel's position and cautioned: "When an enemy tells you they are going to do something, believe them."

He closed his comments with the reminder that "what starts with the Jews doesn't end with the Jews."

Palestinians, supporters criticize GOP leaders for closed session

Outside the House chamber, Palestinians and their supporters criticized Republican legislative leaders for keeping members of the public out of the state House during Bachar's address. Media were allowed to attend and the event was livestreamed on the Legislature's website.

Maher Arekat, a Palestinian refugee who came to the United States with his family in 1970, said at a Capitol news conference he and other Arizonans don’t wish to be “complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people.”

“Our state lawmakers obstinately ignore us and instead try to cement further ties with a regime that is currently being tried for genocide in the International Court of Justice,” he said.

Arekat, the founder of the Palestinian Community Center of Arizona, urged the public to encourage their elected officials to support a permanent ceasefire by Israel.

Several Democratic lawmakers attended the news conference, including state Sen. Anna Hernandez, D-Phoenix, and Reps. Mariana Sandoval, D-Goodyear, and Betty Villegas, D-Tucson. Rep. Analise Ortiz, D-Phoenix, also showed up but left before the news conference started. The four were among 17 Arizona lawmakers who signed a letter in November accusing Israel of “crimes.”

Hernandez told reporters she disagreed with the decision to close off the meeting with Bachar to members of the public.

“All of our collective constituency deserves access to any meetings of any joint floor sessions that happen on these premises,” she said. “It should be always open to all public, especially when matters are discussed that affect every single person in Arizona.”

Cindy McCain wrong on Palestinian starvation, Israeli official says

In a brief interview after his speech, Bachar doubled down on his argument that there is no starvation in Gaza.

“There are challenges in distribution," he said, saying Hamas disrupts effective distribution of aid. "There is food that gets in.”

He said Cindy McCain, the head of the World Food Programme, was working with limited information when she complained that only nine trucks were able to enter Gaza last weekend.

"We just cannot continue this way, as you know, we know famine is imminent in the north (of Gaza)," she said on Face the Nation last weekend.

"We need our diplomatic groups and our political groups around the world to convince Israel we must get in and we must do it in a sustained and unfettered way," McCain said. "People are going to die otherwise, and they already are dying."

Nearly half the population in Gaza — more than 1 million people — have completely exhausted their food supplies and are grappling with catastrophic hunger, according to the World Food Programme .

Bachar said McCain didn't get the full picture of what happened last weekend.

“She didn’t mention that there were 400 trucks on the border waiting for their international bodies to pull the aid into Gaza," he said.

It shouldn't be hard to get the full picture if people would listen to Israeli officials, he said, adding: "The army will tell you the truth."

The Israeli Defense Forces releases information daily on the aid reaching Gaza, he said.

He acknowledged some pockets of hunger in Gaza, and attributed that to distribution networks disrupted by Hamas.

In a statement in advance of Wednesday's speech, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said lawmakers should be focused on pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza rather than hearing speeches from Israeli diplomats.

"We urgently need a ceasefire resolution to halt the senseless violence and prevent further loss of life," said Azza Abuseif, executive director of the council in Arizona. "It is disheartening to witness the apparent disregard for Palestinian lives displayed by so many lawmakers.”

Reach the reporter at  [email protected]  or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter  @maryjpitzl Ray Stern is at [email protected]

Middle East Crisis C.I.A. Director Is Heading to Cairo for New Truce Talks

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• A destroyed house in Rafah in southern Gaza. Reuters
• Mourning relatives killed during strikes in Rafah. Fatima Shbair/Associated Press
• Blocking a road in Tel Aviv to call for the return of hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attack led by Hamas. Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
• A camp for displaced people in Rafah. Mohammed Abed/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
• A house destroyed in a strike in Deir al Balah, in central Gaza. Mohammed Saber/EPA, via Shutterstock
• Aid dropped into northern Gaza. Leo Correa/Associated Press
• Palestinians searching for survivors under the rubble of a house after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah. Haitham Imad/EPA, via Shutterstock
• Israeli soldiers near the Israel-Gaza border. Hannah Mckay/Reuters
• A poster on Wednesday in Tehran of Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Damascus, Syria. Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times

The C.I.A. director is heading to Cairo for new hostage talks.

The C.I.A. director, William J. Burns, is expected to travel to Cairo this weekend for further talks on releasing Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, according to two people briefed on the plans.

American officials believe negotiating a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas and the exchange of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel is the only way to put a temporary cease-fire into effect and increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

Mr. Burns, a key figure in the continuing negotiations, is expected to be joined by David Barnea, the head of Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, and negotiators from Egypt and Qatar. Neither the Americans nor the Israelis speak directly to Hamas. Instead, their proposals are relayed through Egyptian and Qatari officials, who speak to members of Hamas.

Mr. Burns’s travel plans were earlier reported by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

The talks between Mr. Burns, Mr. Barnea and the other officials are set to begin on Sunday, according to one of the people briefed on the talks.

American officials said U.S. negotiators intend to deliver the message that the United States wants Israel to work toward a deal and not let small requests from Hamas or details of proposals derail the larger goal of beginning a phased approach of freeing the hostages.

The cease-fire talks have been stuck for weeks. This round will be taking place after President Biden spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel by phone on Thursday, repeating his call for a negotiated deal that would result in an “immediate cease-fire” and the release of hostages taken by Hamas.

Negotiators have at times seen the possibility of breakthroughs, only to have setbacks. A push for a deal before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan last month also was unsuccessful .

The current sticking point appears to be the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, a main Hamas demand that Israel has been reluctant to give in to, according to people briefed on the talks.

Mr. Burns, a seasoned diplomat and negotiator before he became the C.I.A. leader, has put various proposals on the table, prodding parties to endorse plans to take to Hamas. It is not clear if Mr. Burns will be taking a new deal to the meetings.

Negotiations have been slow in part because it can take two days or more to relay proposals from negotiating sessions to Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza and the presumed mastermind of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Mr. Sinwar has been approving all Hamas counterproposals on hostage negotiations. He is believed to be hiding in the tunnels under Gaza, protected from Israeli raids by a group of hostages he is using as human shields.

— Julian E. Barnes reporting From Washington

Israel to open another crossing for aid after pressure from Biden.

Israel has agreed to open another crossing and increase the flow of aid getting into Gaza, a move seemingly aimed at tempering the U.S. president’s growing frustration over the dire humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

The Israeli government confirmed the new measures in an overnight statement, after the Biden administration announced them late Thursday after a tense phone call between President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the call, Mr. Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council said that Israel had agreed to open the Erez crossing to allow aid into northern Gaza, to use the port of Ashdod to direct aid into the enclave and to significantly increase deliveries from Jordan — “at the president’s request.”

“These steps,” the spokeswoman, Adrienne Watson, said, “must now be fully and rapidly implemented.”

The Israeli government did not say when it would open Erez crossing, a checkpoint between Israel and northern Gaza that Hamas attacked on Oct. 7 and that Israel had refused to re-open since. It said only that Israel would allow the “temporary delivery” of aid through the Erez crossing and the port of Ashdod, which sits about 16 miles north of Gaza on Israel’s Mediterranean coast.

Israel has come under rising pressure from U.S. officials and humanitarian agencies to open more border crossings for aid amid warnings from the United Nations that famine looms after nearly six months of war.

Mr. Biden has grown increasingly critical of Israel’s approach to the war against Hamas in Gaza, saying that more must be done to protect civilians. The killing of seven aid workers this week by Israeli forces appeared to bring that to a head, with Mr. Biden saying he was “outraged” and that Israel has “not done enough to protect civilians.”

That frustration carried over into his call with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday, when Mr. Biden tried for the first time to leverage American aid to influence the conduct of the war against Hamas — prompting Israel to commit to letting more food and supplies into Gaza.

“As the president said today on the call, U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these and other steps, including steps to protect innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers,” Ms. Watson said in the statement.

The most dire shortages are in northern Gaza, where desperation has prompted people to swarm trucks carrying assistance and where aid groups say they have struggled to deliver supplies because of Israeli restrictions and widespread lawlessness.

Nearly all of the aid allowed into Gaza since the war began has entered through two main crossing points: Kerem Shalom and Rafah, which are both in the southern part of the enclave. But getting truck convoys from the southern border crossings to the north is difficult and dangerous, and the route is sometimes blocked by roads damaged by Israeli bombardment, Israeli checkpoints or battles between Hamas fighters and Israeli troops.

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, in a call with his Israeli counterpart on Wednesday, also “raised the need for the rapid increase of aid coming through all crossings in the coming days,” according to the Pentagon.

Late last month, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ordered Israel to ensure the “provision of unhindered aid” into Gaza, using some of its strongest language yet. Israel has rejected accusations that it is responsible for delays in the delivery of aid.

Patrick Kingsley contributed reporting.

— Cassandra Vinograd and Erica L. Green

Biden tells Netanyahu that U.S. support hinges on treatment of Gaza civilians.

President Biden threatened on Thursday to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, prompting Israel to commit to permitting more food and other supplies into the besieged enclave in hopes of placating him.

During a tense 30-minute call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Mr. Biden for the first time leveraged U.S. aid to influence the conduct of the war against Hamas that has inflamed many Americans and others around the world. The announcement of additional aid routes hours later met some but not all of Mr. Biden’s demands.

“President Biden emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable,” according to a White House summary of the call. “He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

The statement was the sharpest the White House has issued on Israel’s conduct in the six months of its war against Hamas, underscoring the president’s growing frustration with Mr. Netanyahu and his anger over this week’s killing of seven aid workers by Israeli military forces. But while the president repeated his call for a negotiated deal that would result in an “immediate cease-fire” and the release of hostages taken by Hamas, White House officials stopped short of saying directly that he might limit U.S. arms supplies if not satisfied.

By the middle of the night in Jerusalem, Israel made its first gestures to Mr. Biden. In a statement, the government said it would increase aid deliveries to Gaza, including through the port of Ashdod and the Erez crossing, a checkpoint between Israel and northern Gaza that Hamas attacked on Oct. 7 and Israel had kept closed ever since. The statement did not say when the crossing would be reopened.

Biden administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private call in more detail, said that Mr. Netanyahu agreed to additional commitments intended to assuage the president. Among others, the officials said, Israel would promise to institute more measures to reduce civilian casualties and to empower negotiators brokering a temporary cease-fire deal in exchange for the release of hostages.

The reported agreement came as American officials held out the prospect of consequences if Mr. Netanyahu resisted. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, who dialed into the call between the president and prime minister, said afterward that Israel needed to do more to increase the flow of humanitarian supplies to Gaza, a challenge that has expanded exponentially since the attack on aid workers prompted some groups to reconsider their activities on the ground .

“If we lose that reverence for human life, we risk becoming indistinguishable from those we confront,” Mr. Blinken said during a stop at NATO headquarters in Brussels. “Here’s the current reality in Gaza despite important steps that Israel has taken to allow assistance into Gaza: The results on the ground are woefully insufficient and unacceptable.”

The secretary of state made clear that the Biden administration was now ready to exact a price if Israel continued to rebuff its counsel. “If we don’t see the changes that we need to see, there’ll be changes in policy,” he said.

The president has long refused to curb the arms flow to influence Israel’s approach to the war. Mr. Biden said after Hamas killed 1,200 people and took hundreds of hostages in October that his support for Israel was “rock solid and unwavering.” While he has increasingly criticized what he sees as the excesses of the military operation, he has until now stuck by his vow.

But with rising agitation on the political left, particularly in electoral swing states like Michigan, even some of Mr. Biden’s closest Democratic allies are coming around to the view that Washington should exercise more control over the weaponry, including Senator Chris Coons, a fellow Democrat from Delaware and confidant of the president.

“I think we’re at that point,” Mr. Coons said on CNN on Thursday morning. If Mr. Netanyahu were to order the Israeli military into the southern Gaza city of Rafah in force and “drop thousand-pound bombs and send in a battalion to go after Hamas and make no provision for civilians or for humanitarian aid,” he added, then “I would vote to condition aid to Israel.”

Mr. Netanyahu did not immediately release a description of his call with Mr. Biden, but in other comments on Thursday he appeared unbowed. In a meeting in Jerusalem with visiting Republican lawmakers organized by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, known as AIPAC, the prime minister pushed back strongly against Mr. Biden’s longstanding insistence on a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict.

“There is a contrary move, an attempt to force, ram down our throats a Palestinian state, which will be another terror haven, another launching ground for an attempt, as was the Hamas state in Gaza,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “That is opposed by Israelis, overwhelmingly.”

In a separate video statement, he focused on the threat he sees from Iran. “For years, Iran has been acting against us, both directly and through its proxies, and therefore Israel is acting against Iran and its proxies, in both defensive and offensive operations,” Mr. Netanyahu said, referring to an Israeli airstrike that killed seven Iranian military officers in Syria this week.

“We will know how to defend ourselves,” he added, “and we will operate according to the simple principle by which those who attack us or plan to attack us — we will attack them.”

The White House statement noted that Mr. Biden stood by Israel against Iran during his Thursday call with Mr. Netanyahu, which in addition to Mr. Blinken included Vice President Kamala Harris and Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser.

“The two leaders also discussed public Iranian threats against Israel and the Israeli people,” the statement said. “President Biden made clear that the United States strongly supports Israel in the face of those threats.”

Unlike previous comments, however, the latest White House statement made no mention of Oct. 7 nor the by-now ritual defense of Israel’s right to respond to Hamas. Instead, it emphasized that “an immediate cease-fire is essential” and said that Mr. Biden “urged the prime minister to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home.” A person briefed on the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said negotiators including William J. Burns, the C.I.A. director, will travel to Cairo on Saturday for further talks on such a deal.

At a briefing after the call between the leaders, John F. Kirby, a White House spokesman, said the president wants to see “concrete tangible steps” to reduce the violence against civilians and increase access for humanitarian aid to Gaza and predicted that Israel would make announcements of specific changes within hours or days.

But Mr. Kirby would not outline specific metrics for judging Israel’s response or what Mr. Biden would do if not satisfied. “What we want to see are some real changes on the Israeli side and, you know, if we don’t see changes from their side, there will have to be changes from our side,” he said.

Some Israel supporters criticized Mr. Biden for giving in to pressure from the left, arguing that it could prolong the war by emboldening Israel’s enemies. “Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah, and the rest of the destroy-Israel axis are sitting back and reveling in the growing tensions and signs of a coming breach between Washington and Jerusalem,” said John Hannah, a senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America.

The pivot stemmed from the killing of the seven aid workers, who were deployed in Gaza by World Central Kitchen, the humanitarian group founded by the celebrity chef José Andrés. Mr. Biden called himself “ outraged and heartbroken ” over the incident and made a point of calling Mr. Andrés to express his condolences.

Inside World Central Kitchen’s Work in Gaza

World central kitchen has suspended its relief efforts in gaza after seven aid workers were killed in israeli airstrikes on monday. videos reveal the challenges of food distribution in a territory under siege..

Zomi Frankcom and Damian Soból arrived in Gaza on a mission to feed Palestinians, documenting their efforts in social media videos like these. Then on April 1, they were killed by Israeli airstrikes, along with five other colleagues, bringing the work of the World Central Kitchen in Gaza to a halt. The charity’s videos offer a rare window into the challenges of food distribution in Gaza, a territory on the brink of famine that’s been cut off from the outside world. Celebrity chef José Andrés started World Central Kitchen in 2010 in response to the earthquake in Haiti. The organization brings meals to areas impacted by natural disasters or conflict, including communities displaced inside Israel after the Oct. 7 attacks. Since October, the group said it delivered more than 43 million meals to Palestinians through community kitchens, truck convoys and airdrops. In mid-March, they were the first to deliver aid by sea with a ship carrying nearly 200 tons of food from Cyprus. The Israeli military released footage of the coordination behind that effort, which brought food to northern Gaza, where the U.N. says people are facing catastrophic levels of hunger. “I’m very hopeful that we can be bringing millions and millions of meals daily. We may fail, but the biggest failure will be not trying.” A second maritime delivery arrived just hours before the attack. In a video statement, the Israeli military called the attack a grave mistake. Since Oct. 7, nearly 200 aid workers have been killed in Gaza, according to the U.N. And for now, the World Central Kitchen has suspended its operations there.

The seven workers were killed by three successive strikes on three cars traveling along a road in Gaza. Israeli officials have called the episode a tragic mistake based on a misidentification of the vehicles, but have not explained more expansively how it happened. The cars were marked with World Central Kitchen logos, although the attack took place at night. Mr. Andrés has said his organization kept in touch with Israeli officials about movement plans.

As of Thursday morning, the Israelis had not yet communicated any initial findings of their promised investigation into the strikes to the United States, according to a senior Biden administration official who insisted on anonymity to detail internal conversations.

Mr. Biden’s shift on Thursday came as he absorbed withering criticism from Democrats. Among those speaking out have been former colleagues in the administration he served as vice president under President Barack Obama, who assailed him for voicing shock without taking action against Mr. Netanyahu, known by the nickname Bibi.

“The U.S. government is still supplying 2 thousand pound bombs and ammunition to support Israel’s policy,” Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser to Mr. Obama, wrote on social media on Wednesday. “Until there are substantive consequences, this outrage does nothing. Bibi obviously doesn’t care what the U.S. says, its about what the U.S. does.”

Jon Favreau, a former chief speechwriter for Mr. Obama, was even more derisive of Mr. Biden. “The president doesn’t get credit for being ‘privately enraged’ when he still refuses to use leverage to stop the IDF from killing and starving innocent people,” he wrote, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. “These stories only make him look weak.”

Some Palestinian advocates reacted with aggravation to Mr. Biden’s articulation of anger over the deaths of the aid workers because in their view he has not responded with nearly enough indignation over the killing of more than 32,000 people living in Gaza, most of them civilians.

The president evidently has taken heat even from within his own family. Mr. Biden told Muslim community leaders at the White House on Tuesday evening that the first lady, Jill Biden, had weighed in , telling him, “Stop it, stop it now, Joe.”

Julian E. Barnes , Katie Rogers and David E. Sanger contributed reporting from Washington, Patrick Kingsley from Jerusalem and Lara Jakes from Brussels.

— Peter Baker Reporting from Washington

A call for early elections by a member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet highlights the domestic pressure he is under.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is facing challenges on multiple fronts, with his domestic support appearing to erode at a time when international frustration with the war in Gaza has reached new heights.

The Israeli leader has come under ever-sharper criticism from allies like the United States as the civilian death toll climbs in Gaza, and the Israeli military’s killing there this week of seven aid workers has heightened global anger. President Biden spoke with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday, telling him that “the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable.”

At home, Mr. Netanyahu has been confronted with protests and divisions within his governing coalition.

A call Wednesday night for early elections from a former general who is a key member of Mr. Netanyahu’s war cabinet heaped more pressure on the prime minister. Benny Gantz, a popular political rival to Mr. Netanyahu, said that elections should be held in September — around the one-year mark of the war. (New elections in Israel are not legally required until late October 2026.)

“This agreed-upon date for elections will leave us time to continue the security effort, and it will allow Israeli citizens to know that we will soon need to renew the trust between us,” he told a news conference. “It will prevent the rupture among the people.”

Mr. Gantz’s remarks — which featured prominently on Israeli news websites on Thursday — underscored how government unity in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel is showing signs of strain nearly six months into the war.

A departure by Mr. Gantz’s party would not topple Mr. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition on its own, which holds 64 seats in the 120-member Parliament. But it would dismantle the emergency wartime unity government formed after the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, potentially creating even more momentum in favor of a push for elections.

Mr. Gantz’s words also echoed the calls of thousands of anti-government protesters who filled the streets outside the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem this week in a four-day demonstration to demand early elections and Mr. Netanyahu’s ouster.

At the same time, Mr. Netanyahu is facing sharp criticism from his far-right coalition partners , Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, over any indication that he is hesitating in the war against Hamas or in the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The pressure comes as the Biden administration’s frustration with Mr. Netanyahu appears to be coming to a head. The 30-minute call between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Biden on Thursday came a day after Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III had a tense call with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant.

Mr. Austin upbraided Mr. Gallant over Israel’s deadly attack on the aid workers, according to the Pentagon’s account of the call , expressing “outrage” in remarks that demonstrated a significant change in tone from the American secretary’s previous calls with the Israeli defense minister.

Despite the tough language, there was no indication that Mr. Austin had threatened to halt the flow of American munitions to Israel or place conditions on their transfer, as many congressional Democrats are now urging.

Adam Rasgon , Aaron Boxerman , Johnatan Reiss , Peter Baker and Eric Schmitt contributed reporting.

— Cassandra Vinograd reporting from Jerusalem

World Central Kitchen demands an independent investigation into Israel’s deadly strike.

World Central Kitchen on Thursday called for an independent investigation into the killing by Israeli forces of seven of its staff members this week as they worked to deliver aid in Gaza.

Governments around the world have condemned the killing of the workers . They included a man from Gaza and citizens of Australia, Britain and Poland, as well as a dual citizen of Canada and the United States.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has said that Israel “deeply regrets” the strikes, in which the military fired upon three vehicles carrying the aid workers on a coastal road in Gaza on Monday night. He said that Israel would make sure it did not happen again.

Israel’s military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, said on Tuesday that the attack followed a misidentification, and that the Israeli military had started an investigation. But World Central Kitchen, the disaster relief organization founded by the Spanish chef José Andrés, issued a statement Thursday saying that was not enough.

“We have asked the governments of Australia, Canada, the United States of America, Poland and the United Kingdom to join us in demanding an independent, third-party investigation into these attacks, including whether they were carried out intentionally or otherwise violated international law,” the group said .

Other Israeli actions in Gaza have prompted similar calls. In one example, António Guterres, the U.N. secretary general, said in February that there needed to be an independent investigation of an incident in which dozens of people died while trying to collect aid, after Israeli forces opened fire and there was a stampede. To date, no such investigation has begun.

World Central Kitchen also called on Israel to preserve any documentation related to the strikes, and pushed back on Mr. Netanyahu’s assertion that the mistake was something that “happens in war.”

“This was a military attack that involved multiple strikes and targeted three W.C.K. vehicles,” the statement said. “All three vehicles were carrying civilians; they were marked as W.C.K. vehicles; and their movements were in full compliance with Israeli authorities.”

— Matthew Mpoke Bigg

Israel’s military cancels leave for combat units and jams GPS signals.

Israel’s military said on Thursday that it was canceling leave for combat units, calling up more reservists and blocking GPS signals.

The Israeli military did not explicitly cite the reason behind the moves. Israeli newspapers said they came amid fears of an increased threat from Iran , a prospect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alluded to in remarks to his Security Cabinet on Thursday night.

“For years, Iran has been acting against us both directly and via its proxies; therefore, Israel is acting against Iran and its proxies, defensively and offensively,” he said, without directly referring to the military’s moves. “We will know how to defend ourselves, and we will act according to the simple principle of whoever harms us or plans to harm us, we will harm them.”

President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran has vowed to punish Israel for killing top Iranian commanders this week in an airstrike in Syria. The attack was one of the deadliest in a decades-long shadow war between the two enemies, and American officials have voiced concerns that it could prompt retaliatory strikes against Israel or its ally, the United States.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday night that it had decided to draft reserve soldiers for its aerial defense unit. It did not provide further details.

An announcement about pausing leave for all combat units came in another brief statement, issued on Thursday morning. The military said the decision — which it described as temporary — was taken given “the latest situational assessment,” adding that Israel is “at war and the deployment of forces is under continuous assessment.”

A military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said later on Thursday that Israel also had been disrupting GPS signals over the past day to intercept any threats. He did not attribute those threats to Iran or any group or country in particular.

“During the war, we dealt with a large number of threats launched toward Israel — missiles, UAVs and cruise missiles,” he told a news briefing, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles, like drones, and adding that “most of them were manufactured in Iran.”

The moves come as Israel’s military is under strain from months of fighting against Hamas in Gaza. Reservists have been called to serve longer or additional tours of duty, and a fierce national debate over whether ultra-Orthodox Jews should be required to join the army has been reignited.

Mr. Netanyahu has vowed to press on in Gaza with a ground invasion of the southern city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have sought refuge. His promise to invade Rafah comes despite mounting calls for a cease-fire and international criticism over Israel’s conduct in the war.

U.S. officials have expressed alarm over the scale of civilian deaths in Gaza and warned that Israel’s plans to invade Rafah could lead to catastrophe. Israel’s deadly strikes on a convoy of aid workers this week amplified those concerns, prompting sharp critiques from President Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III.

Johnatan Reiss contributed reporting.

— Cassandra Vinograd Reporting from Jerusalem

More than 600 lawyers and retired judges call on the U.K. government to end arms sales to Israel.

The British government is coming under escalating pressure to suspend arms sales to Israel after the strike on a convoy in Gaza that killed seven aid workers , including three Britons. More than 600 lawyers and retired judges sent a letter to the government, arguing that the sales violated international law.

Citing the risk of famine among Palestinians, a potential Israeli military assault on the city of Rafah and a finding of the U.N.’s top court that there was a “plausible risk” of genocide in Gaza, the lawyers urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to “suspend the provision of weapons and weapons systems” to Israel.

“Serious action,” the 17-page letter sent on Wednesday concluded, “is moreover needed to avoid U.K. complicity in grave breaches of international law, including potential violations of the Genocide Convention.”

Among the signatories are Brenda Hale, a former president of Britain’s Supreme Court; Jonathan Sumption and Nicholas Wilson, former justices on the court; and dozens of the country’s most prominent lawyers.

Mr. Sunak has hardened his criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war in recent weeks, while stopping short of punitive measures. On Tuesday, he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel that the strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy, in which the three Britons were killed, was “appalling.”

But Mr. Sunak has not signaled he is considering a halt to arms sales. Speaking to The Sun, a London tabloid, on Wednesday, he said, “We’ve always had a very careful export licensing regime that we adhere to. There are a set of rules, regulations and procedures that we’ll always follow.”

Britain’s arms trade with Israel is nowhere near that of the United States. Grant Shapps, the defense secretary, told Parliament that British exports to Israel totaled 42 million pounds ($53 million) in 2022, a figure he described as “relatively small.” It sells parts for military aircraft, assault rifles and explosive devices. Under a 10-year agreement reached in 2016, the United States provides $3.8 billion in annual military aid to Israel.

But the strike on the aid convoy has provoked fury across Britain, dominating the front pages of newspapers and TV news broadcasts. The family of one of the three British victims, John Chapman, said in a statement, “He died trying to help people and was subject to an inhumane act.”

Britain summoned Israel’s ambassador to lodge a formal objection and demanded an investigation into the strike, which Mr. Netanyahu characterized as a tragic accident in the fog of war.

That explanation is unlikely to quiet the growing chorus of condemnation. Several members of Parliament from Mr. Sunak’s Conservative Party have also demanded that arms sales be halted, as has Peter Ricketts, who was national security adviser to David Cameron, the current foreign secretary, when he was prime minister.

“Sometimes in conflict you get a moment where there is such global outrage that it crystallizes a sense that things can’t go on like this,” Mr. Ricketts said to the BBC on Wednesday. “I hope that this awful incident will serve that purpose.”

Mr. Cameron, who was in Brussels on Thursday for a second day of meetings of NATO foreign ministers, said Israel needed not only to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, but also to make sure that the convoys were able to transport it throughout the enclave without further lethal incidents.

“Britain will be watching very closely to make sure that that happens,” Mr. Cameron said to reporters on Wednesday.

The Labour Party, which holds a double-digit lead over the Conservatives in opinion polls, said Britain should suspend arms sales if Israel is found to have violated international law. “I must say that I do have very serious concerns,” David Lammy, the party’s shadow foreign secretary, told reporters.

— Mark Landler reporting from London

Netanyahu Faces Pressure at Home and Abroad, From Foes and Friends

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is facing challenges on multiple fronts, with his domestic support appearing to erode at a time when international fury and frustration over the war in Gaza have reached new heights.

The Israeli leader has come under sharper criticism from allies like the United States as the civilian death toll climbs in Gaza, and the Israeli military’s killing there this week of seven aid workers has heightened global anger.

On Thursday, President Biden and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken both suggested that American support for Israel was not unconditional in remarks that laid bare the growing divisions between Washington and Jerusalem.

In a phone call with Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Biden called the strikes on relief workers and the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza “unacceptable,” according to a White House statement.

“He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers,” the White House statement said. “He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

Speaking to reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Mr. Blinken said, “With regard to our policy in Gaza, look, I’ll just say this: If we don’t see the changes that we need to see, there’ll be changes in our own policy.”

Within hours of the phone call, a spokeswoman for the U.S. National Security Council had released a statement announcing that, at Mr. Biden’s request, Israel would allow more aid crossings in Gaza. The statement said Israel had agreed to use the Ashdod port to direct aid into Gaza, to open the Erez crossing into northern Gaza for the first time since the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7 and to significantly increase deliveries from Jordan.

At home, Mr. Netanyahu, who has outlasted many predictions of his political demise, has been confronted with protests, divisions within his government and falling approval ratings in opinion polls.

On Wednesday night, Benny Gantz, a former general who is a key member of Mr. Netanyahu’s war cabinet, heaped more pressure on the prime minister by calling for early elections . A popular political rival to Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Gantz said that elections should be held in September — just before the one-year mark of the war. (New elections in Israel are not legally required until late October 2026.)

Elections in September “will leave us time to continue the security effort, and it will allow Israeli citizens to know that we will soon need to renew the trust between us,” he said at a news conference. “It will prevent the rupture among the people.”

Mr. Gantz’s remarks, which Israeli news websites featured prominently on Thursday, underscored how government unity since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel was showing signs of strain nearly six months into the war. An opposition leader, Mr. Gantz crossed parliamentary lines after the attack to join the Netanyahu war cabinet as an emergency measure.

Mr. Gantz did not suggest he would quit the war cabinet, and if he were to, that alone would not topple the government; his centrist party is not part of Mr. Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition, which holds 64 seats in the 120-member Parliament. But it would dismantle the emergency wartime leadership team formed after Oct. 7, along with the air of solidarity it created, potentially creating more momentum for new elections.

Mr. Gantz’s words echoed the calls of thousands of anti-government protesters who filled the streets outside the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem this week in a four-day demonstration to demand early elections and Mr. Netanyahu’s ouster.

At the same time, Mr. Netanyahu has faced sharp criticism from his far-right coalition partners , Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, over any indication that he is hesitating in the war against Hamas or in the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Unlike Mr. Gantz, they have the power to make the government fall and to force elections by leaving the coalition.

The pressure comes as Biden administration officials are expressing more open frustration with Mr. Netanyahu’s prosecution of the war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In a tense phone call on Wednesday, the U.S. secretary of defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, criticized his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, over the deadly attack on the aid workers, including a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen. According to a Pentagon account of the call, Mr. Austin expressed “outrage” at the attack — a significant change in tone from their previous calls.

Despite the tough language, the Biden administration did not directly threaten to halt the flow of American munitions to Israel or place conditions on their transfer, as many congressional Democrats are now urging.

“I’m not going to preview any potential policy decisions coming forward,” John F. Kirby, a White House spokesman, told reporters at a news conference on Thursday. “What we want to see are some real changes on the Israeli side,” he said, including a significant increase in humanitarian aid, additional border crossings into Gaza and a reduction in violence against civilians and aid workers.

Israel has called the strike a tragic mistake that resulted from a “misidentification” but has not offered further details.

Another Israeli ally, Britain, is also coming under more pressure to curtail its support for Israel; three of the seven World Central Kitchen workers who were killed were Britons. On Wednesday, more than 600 lawyers and retired judges sent a letter to the British government urging it to suspend weapon sales to Israel, arguing that they violated international law.

The letter cited the risk of famine in Gaza, a planned Israeli military assault on the crowded city of Rafah in southern Gaza and a finding by the U.N.’s top court that there was a “plausible risk” of genocide in Gaza.

Among the signatories were Brenda Hale, a former president of Britain’s Supreme Court; Jonathan Sumption and Nicholas Wilson, former justices on the court; and dozens of the country’s most prominent lawyers.

The international pressure to suspend military sales to Israel came as the Israeli military said that it was canceling leave for combat units and blocking GPS signals. The Israeli military did not explicitly cite the reason behind the moves, but Israeli newspapers noted that it came amid fears of an increased threat from Iran .

Israeli officials have also suggested that increased cross-border fighting between their forces and Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia backed by Iran, could prompt a much larger military response by Israel than it has mounted so far.

Iranian leaders have vowed to punish Israel for killing top Iranian commanders this week in an airstrike in Syria. The attack was one of the deadliest in a decades-long shadow war between the two enemies, and American officials have voiced concerns that it could prompt retaliatory strikes against Israel or the United States.

Israel said on Wednesday night that it had decided to mobilize reserve soldiers for its Aerial Defense unit. On Thursday, it said it was pausing leave for all combat units given “the latest situational assessment.”

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a military spokesman, said Israel had also been disrupting GPS signals to intercept any threats.

“During the war, we dealt with a large number of threats launched toward Israel” including missiles and drones, he said at a news briefing on Thursday, adding that “most of them were manufactured in Iran.”

As outrage continues to boil over the killing of the aid workers this week, their employer, World Central Kitchen, called for an independent investigation into the attack and asked Australia, Britain, Canada, the United States and Poland, whose citizens were among the victims, to join it in demanding an outside inquiry.

World Central Kitchen also called on Israel to preserve documentation related to the strikes and pushed back on Mr. Netanyahu’s assertion that strikes, while “tragic” and unintentional, were something that “happens in war.”

Reporting was contributed by Lara Jakes , Adam Rasgon , Johnatan Reiss , Eric Schmitt , Mark Landler , Katie Rogers and Michael Levenson .

— Cassandra Vinograd ,  Victoria Kim and Matthew Mpoke Bigg

String of Israeli Errors Led to Fatal Attack on Aid Convoy, Military Says

A series of Israeli failures, including a breakdown in communication and violations of the military’s own rules of engagement, led to the deadly airstrikes that killed seven humanitarian aid workers in Gaza this week, senior Israeli military officials said on Friday.

The military officials said that the officers who ordered the strikes on the aid convoy had violated the army’s protocols, in part by opening fire on the basis of insufficient and erroneous evidence that a passenger in one of the cars was armed.

The attack prompted a wave of international outrage and renewed questions about whether Israeli forces on the ground in Gaza properly vet targets before unleashing deadly force. Israel has come under increasing pressure over the high civilian death toll in its six-month war in Gaza . The strikes on the aid workers prompted President Biden for the first time to say he would leverage U.S. aid to influence the conduct of the war against Hamas.

On Friday, the Israeli military announced that two officers — a reserve colonel and a major — would be dismissed from their positions. Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Israeli military’s chief of staff, had also decided to formally reprimand the head of Israel’s southern command as well as two other senior officers, the military said in a statement .

The military said the “grave mistake” had stemmed from “a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making and an attack contrary to the Standard Operating Procedures.”

“It’s a tragedy,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military’s chief spokesman, told reporters in a briefing on Thursday night. “It’s a serious event that we’re responsible for, and it shouldn’t have happened.”

World Central Kitchen, the relief group whose aid workers were killed, called the Israeli military’s statements “cold comfort” and reiterated its call for an independent inquiry. The aid organization’s operations — which have distributed millions of meals to Gazans — remained suspended, the group said.

“It’s not enough to simply try to avoid further humanitarian deaths, which have now approached close to 200,” the group’s founder, José Andrés, said in a statement . “All civilians need to be protected, and all innocent people in Gaza need to be fed and safe. And all hostages must be released.”

Critics have said that the Israeli military has shown a disregard for Palestinian civilians in its campaign to root out Hamas, the militant group whose attack on Oct. 7 killed 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.

The army said its findings on Monday’s strikes would be sent to military prosecutors to assess whether anyone should face criminal charges. The army is also assessing whether the two officers stripped of their posts should be moved to other roles or be fired entirely.

Though the Israeli military has assigned a special committee to investigate allegations of misconduct during several conflicts over the past decade, rights campaigners have said the military justice system has historically been slow to charge, let alone convict, soldiers accused of crimes against Palestinians.

For Abdu Rahman Mohammad, an accountant from Khan Younis who has lost eight cousins in the war, the Israeli military’s apology for the aid workers’ deaths felt like “a slap in the face” that further demonstrated that Palestinian lives were of lesser value.

According to the military, Israeli forces began striking the World Central Kitchen convoy at 10:09 p.m. on Monday, as the vehicles made their way along Gaza’s coast. The attack killed six foreign nationals and a Palestinian, all of whom had handled the food aid that had arrived in Gaza by sea.

Like many aid groups, the World Central Kitchen had sought to ensure its workers’ safety in Gaza, where, according to local health officials, Israel’s campaign against Hamas has killed more than 32,000 people. The workers had coordinated their mission in advance with the Israeli military, and the roofs of the vehicles had been marked with the World Central Kitchen’s logo.

Despite those safeguards, a series of critical errors led the troops to open fire on the convoy, according to the results of the military’s preliminary inquiry. Drone footage, the inquiry found, had not captured the organization’s logo in the dark; some officers did not review documentation showing that the convoy included civilian cars; and a drone operator had identified incorrectly an aid worker, who was most likely carrying a bag, as a member of an armed Palestinian group with a gun.

The seven aid workers had arrived in northern Gaza earlier on Monday to help deliver more than 100 tons of food aid, according to World Central Kitchen. Their trucks left around 9 p.m. and headed south for the group’s warehouse, according to the Israeli military.

Along the coastal road, the trucks met with cars who joined their convoy, according to the military. Shortly after, a gunman appeared to fire a single round from the roof of one of the trucks, according to Maj. Gen. Yoav Har-Even, a reserve officer who oversees the military’s investigations into potential cases of wartime misconduct.

The drone operator and his commanding officers were unaware that the cars were part of the approved humanitarian convoy and wrongly assumed they were carrying armed Palestinians, the Israeli officials said.

Asked why the soldiers were out of the loop, General Har-Even said that certain officers had not seen the coordination documentation. “No excuses,” Gen. Har-Even said, describing the communication failure.

After the convoy arrived at the warehouse, Israeli drone footage captured what officials said were believed to be more gunmen at the scene. The Israeli military screened videos for reporters at the briefing on Thursday. The New York Times could not independently verify the military’s video.

The officers were convinced that the scene they had witnessed resembled what they said were previous attempts by Hamas militants to seize humanitarian aid in Gaza, the officials said. Basem Naim, a Hamas spokesman, denied that Hamas stole aid, calling the accusation “Israeli propaganda.”

The cars then left the warehouse — three cars went south and one went north, the military officials said. Before they left, a drone operator spotted what he believed — wrongly, General Har-Even said — was a figure bearing a weapon entering one of the three southbound cars.

Within four minutes, at least one Israeli drone struck each of the three vehicles in the convoy as they traveled south one behind the other, killing all seven passengers, the Israeli officials said. Israeli officers fired on the first car without “enough to say this is a legitimate target,” said Benny Gal, one of the Israeli generals who briefed reporters.

Some aid workers in the first vehicle struck fled to the next vehicle for protection, the officials said. That vehicle was hit, too.

The soldiers’ decision to fire on the second and third car, assuming wrongly that they were also harboring militants, failed to meet the Israeli military’s open-fire protocols, the officials said. The Israeli military’s rules of engagement are classified, making it difficult to know what the standard for using deadly force was on Monday night. But General Har-Even indicated the attack categorically broke them .

“This was against the rules of engagement,” he said.

The Israeli military also failed to convey key information about the aid workers’ plans to lower-ranking soldiers operating in the area, General Har-Even said.

Aid agencies had begged the Israeli authorities for months to open a direct line between them and Israeli military forces to avoid disastrous misfires, Jamie McGoldrick, a senior U.N. relief official, said. But those pleas had mostly fallen on deaf ears, he said, contributing to “a lot of near misses.”

Asked whether the military was concerned that more cases of indiscriminate fire had occurred over months of intensive Israeli fire across the Gaza Strip, Admiral Hagari, its spokesman, didn’t provide a substantive answer.

Referring to the strikes on the aid convoy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “deeply regrets the tragic incident.”

During a phone call with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday, the White House said, Mr. Biden described the attack on the aid convoy and the overall humanitarian situation in Gaza as “unacceptable.”

Mr. Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel on how it addresses his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would open up more routes for aid into the besieged enclave.

Abu Bakr Bashir contributed reporting from London and Patrick Kingsley from Jerusalem.

— Aaron Boxerman and Adam Rasgon Reporting from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

In a televised show of unity and defiance, Iran and its proxy militias denounce Israel and the U.S.

The leaders of Iran and the militia groups it backs around the Middle East made an unusual televised show of unity and defiance on Wednesday, railing against Israel and the United States, as war rages in the Gaza Strip.

On a joint broadcast, the leaders of a group that calls itself the Axis of Resistance, speaking from different locations, delivered fiery speeches ahead of the upcoming Quds Day, a show of solidarity with Palestinians held each year on the last Friday of Ramadan.

The war between Israel and Hamas gave this year’s iteration a sharper edge than usual. The broadcast also came just days after Israel struck an Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, killing three generals of Iran’s Quds Force and four other Iranian officers in one of the deadliest attacks in the yearslong shadow war between Israel and Iran.

President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran said that Israel would be punished and made to regret its attack in Damascus. He focused most of his speech on what he called Israel’s demise in world public opinion and said any normalization of ties with the Jewish state — referring to Saudi Arabia — would be akin to “betting on a dead horse.”

Last April, a similar event took place to commemorate Quds Day, with a broader list of speakers representing political and military leaders from across the Arab world and Iran. This year’s event, however, was tightly focused on militant groups supported by Iran that have been fighting Israel on multiple fronts since Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault on Israel, which they refer to as Al Aqsa Flood.

The speakers, in addition to Mr. Raisi, included Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas; Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese group Hezbollah; Ziad al-Nakhaleh, the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which, like Hamas, is active in Gaza; Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthi movement, which controls a large part of Yemen; and Hadi al-Ameri, the leader of Hashd al-Shaabi, an Iraqi Shiite militia.

“The Al Aqsa Flood united the Muslim people and this collective unity has manifested with the help of Iran on battlefields in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq,” Mr. Haniyeh said. He said that the United States had aided crimes committed by Israel by supporting it financially, providing it with sophisticated weaponry and vetoing cease-fire resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.

Since Oct. 7, Hezbollah has launched daily attacks against Israel after a long lull in fighting, raising fears of a wider regional war, and the Houthis for the first time have launched drones and missiles against Israel and vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting international shipping.

Iran has tried to calibrate its response, applying pressure on Israel while avoiding all-out war. Earlier this year, it made an effort to rein in Iraqi militias , including Hashd al-Shaabi, that had been firing on U.S. bases.

Mr. Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader, urged his followers not to “overlook the achievements of the resistance” in six months of battle with Israel.

Mr. al-Ameri focused most of his speech on the resolve of militant groups to force the American military to withdraw from Iraq saying, “we are steadfast and there is no turning back.”

Separate from that broadcast event, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, held a large meeting on Wednesday with government, military and religious leaders of the country, and pledged that Israel would receive “a slap” for killing Iranian officers in Syria. The crowd, fists in the air, chanted back, “Death to Israel.”

— Farnaz Fassihi and Hwaida Saad

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40 facts about elektrostal.

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

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Our commitment to delivering trustworthy and engaging content is at the heart of what we do. Each fact on our site is contributed by real users like you, bringing a wealth of diverse insights and information. To ensure the highest standards of accuracy and reliability, our dedicated editors meticulously review each submission. This process guarantees that the facts we share are not only fascinating but also credible. Trust in our commitment to quality and authenticity as you explore and learn with us.

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Israel-Gaza latest: Biden puts pressure on ahead of ceasefire talks; US at 'high state of vigilance' over threat of Iranian retaliation

Ceasefire talks are starting up in Egypt this weekend, and pressure is building on negotiators as the six-month anniversary of the war approaches. Elsewhere, the US has said it is on high alert over the possibility of an Iranian strike within Israel.

Saturday 6 April 2024 09:26, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• Biden puts pressure on as ceasefire talks begin
• US on high alert about possibility of significant Iranian retaliation
• Biden tells Netanyahu immediate ceasefire is 'essential'
• Podcast: Should the UK stop selling arms to Israel?

Aid worker killings

• IDF releases findings of investigation into strikes that killed seven
• Two senior IDF officers sacked for 'serious failings'
• Communication the 'epicentre of the failure'| Military needs to 'rebuild trust'
• IDF apologies are 'cold comfort', charity says
• Alistair Bunkall: Findings a damning slur on Israeli military
• Cameron says UK 'carefully reviewing' report

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has said he is "deeply troubled" by reports Israel is using AI in its war against Gaza. 

Online news outlet +972 Magazine recently published an investigation alleging the IDF was using AI to help identify bombing targets in Gaza. 

It cited Israeli intelligence officials said to be involved in the programme.

Mr Guterres wrote in response to the report: "I am deeply troubled by reports that the Israeli military's bombing campaign includes AI as a tool in the identification of targets, resulting in a high level of civilian casualties. 

"AI should be used as a force for good to benefit the world; not to contribute to waging war on an industrial level, blurring accountability."

A spokesperson for the IDF didn't dispute the existence of the tool but denied AI was being used to identify suspected terrorists.

It is Liora Argamani's dying wish to see her daughter once again.

Noa was taken by Hamas militants during the infamous massacre at the Nova music festival on 7 October. 

The 26-year-old's capture was shared widely online. Two men on a motorcycle grabbed her as she screamed "don't kill me!", before she was led away. 

Her mother Liora knows time is running out for the pair to be reunited, as she is suffering from stage four brain cancer. 

"I want to see her one more time. Talk to her one more time," said Ms Argamani, 61. 

"I don't have a lot of time left in this world."

Little is known about Noa's whereabouts. 

In mid-January, Hamas released a video of her in captivity where she appeared gaunt and under duress. 

She spoke about other hostages killed in airstrikes and called on Israel to bring her and others home. 

Liora, a Chinese immigrant, is calling on the US president to help release the hostages.

"My heart really hurts," she says.

"I am asking you, President Joe Biden... I am really begging you."

Iranian police say they have arrested a senior Islamic State operative accused of planning a suicide attack during next week's celebrations marking the end of Ramadan. 

Mohammad Zaker was arrested along with two other members of Islamic State in Karaj, west of the capital Tehran, Iranian police said. 

Eight other people accompanying the men were also detained. 

The terror group claimed responsibility for two explosions in Iran in January that killed nearly 100 people at a memorial for top commander Qassem Soleimani. 

Islamic State is a militant Sunni Muslim group and has a virulent hatred for Iran's dominant Shi'ite Muslim sect. 

Israeli police have arrested 16 people during dawn prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. 

One person was arrested for shooting fireworks at police, while others were held on suspicion of incitement to violence and terrorism, according to The Times Of Israel. 

The suspects had allegedly begun chanting in support of Hamas, police said. 

Teargas was dropped onto the group using a drone.

Worshippers had been taking part in largely peaceful prayers towards the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. 

American and Israeli negotiators will be in Egypt this weekend as part of a renewed push to secure a ceasefire deal. 

Pressure has been building for a deal to be struck on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.

Ahead of the talks, Joe Biden wrote to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar calling on them to up the pressure on Hamas to "agree to and abide by a deal", according to a senior administration official quoted by AFP news agency. 

The White House has confirmed negotiations are happening this weekend in Cairo, although it did not comment on reports CIA director Bill Burns will be in attendance. 

Former prime minister Boris Johnson has urged the UK not to end arms sales to Israel.

Writing in his Daily Mail column, Mr Johnson says such a move would be "shameful".

He has also accused those behind the calls of "clamouring for us to turn our backs on the only democracy in the Middle East".

"Remember that in order to win this conflict, Hamas only has to survive," he writes.

"All they need at the end is to hang on, rebuild, and go again.

"That's victory for Hamas; and that is what these legal experts seem to be asking for.

"If the West continues to crumble - and especially if Britain and the US crumble - then the Israelis will be prevented from getting into Rafah.

"They will be prevented from achieving their objective: of finishing Hamas as a military force in Gaza."

He adds: "The sooner the government formally denounces the idea, the better."

Welcome back to our live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war and wider tensions in the Middle East. 

In the past day, Israel released its findings of an investigation into IDF strikes that killed seven aid workers travelling in an aid convoy through Gaza. 

Three Britons were among those killed, and the deadly incident has sparked widespread condemnation of Israel.

The IDF concluded the first strike was a case of mistaken identity, and the second and third were "grave" mistakes.

Before we resume our live updates and analysis, here is a recap of some more of the key developments over the last 24 hours:

• The IDF has dismissed two of its senior military officers over the aid worker killings 
• A spokesperson for the Israeli military said there had been a communication failure that led to the deaths
• Charity World Central Kitchen, whose workers were those killed in the IDF strikes, said the military's apologies were "cold comfort" 
• Ten people have been arrested in pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protests in London 
• Talks on a ceasefire are taking place in Egypt over the next two days.

The US is on high alert about the possibility of a significant Iranian strike on targets inside Israel, according to US officials.

It comes after Iran promised retaliation for an airstrike in Syria which killed several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders. 

Tehran has blamed Israel for the strike, though the IDF has refused to comment either to confirm or deny involvement.

Now, two US officials have said they are concerned that Iran may be planning to hit targets inside Israel in retaliation.

The officials, speaking to NBC News, the US partner of Sky News, on condition of anonymity, said any retaliation inside Israel was likely to focus on military or intelligence targets, rather than civilians.

Separately, a US official reportedly told CNN that Washington was on high alert about the possibility of Iran targeting US assets in the region.

One official said Washington had warned Tehran not to use the strike to further escalate tensions in the Middle East.

“We received a message from Iran following the strike in Damascus. In response, we made clear that we were not behind the strike," the official reportedly told NBC News.

"We also warned Iran to not use the strike as a pretext to further escalate in the region or attack US facilities or personnel."

The strike on Monday was on a building next to Iran's embassy in Damascus. Tehran described it as a consular building.

Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' elite Quds Force, died in the explosion, as did Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, a deputy commander.

Five other officers were also killed, according to the IRGC.

Colombia has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to allow the country to intervene in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip, the court said Friday.

In its application, Colombia called on the court to ensure "the safety and, indeed, the very existence of the Palestinian people".

The ICJ, the highest UN court, can allow states to intervene and give their views.

Several states have said they would also seek to intervene in the case, but so far only Colombia and Nicaragua have filed a public request.

Last week, ICJ judges ordered Israel to take all necessary and effective action to ensure basic food supplies arrive without delay to Palestinians in Gaza.

In January the ICJ, also known as the World Court, ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the genocide convention and to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel denies targeting Palestinian civilians, saying its sole interest is to annihilate the militant group Hamas, while lawyers for Israel have dismissed South Africa's case as an abuse of the genocide convention. 

An update tonight on planned talks set to be held in Egypt this weekend to try and work out a ceasefire deal (see post 19.46).

US President Joe Biden has apparently written to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, calling on them to press Hamas for a hostage deal with Israel.

That's according to a senior administration official, who spoke to the news agency Reuters on the condition of anonymity.

The letters have reportedly been sent to Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisim and Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

It comes a day after Biden called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to redouble efforts to reach a cease-fire in the six-month-old war in Gaza.

The US, Qatar, and Egypt, have spent weeks trying to broker an agreement in which Hamas would release Israeli captives in return for a six-week ceasefire, the release of some Palestinian prisoners and more aid to Gaza.

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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