WORLD BRIEFING: June 7, 2024

An Israeli strike early Thursday on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in central Gaza killed at least 33 people, including 12 women and children, according to local health officials. The Israeli military said that Hamas militants were operating from within the school. It was the latest instance of mass casualties among Palestinians trying to find refuge as Israel expands its offensive. A day earlier, the military announced a new ground and air assault in central Gaza, pursuing Hamas militants it says have regrouped there. Troops repeatedly have swept back into parts of the Gaza Strip they have previously invaded, underscoring the resilience of the militant group despite Israel’s nearly eight-month onslaught. Witnesses and hospital officials said the predawn strike hit the al-Sardi School, run by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees known by the acronym UNRWA. The school was filled with Palestinians who had fled Israeli operations and bombardment in northern Gaza, they said.

At least 50 people were killed by Myanmar soldiers in a raid on a village in Rakhine State last week, say local residents and opposition forces. Eyewitnesses told the BBC the village was subjected to two-and-half days of terror as soldiers blindfolded and beat them up, poured burning petrol on their skin and forced some of them to drink their urine. They were looking for supporters of the Arakan Army (AA), which has become one of the most effective ethnic fighting forces in Myanmar. Fifty-one people aged between 15 and 70 were "violently tortured and killed", the National Unity Government (NUG), representing the ousted civilian government, said in a statement. The AA estimated the death toll to be more than 70 people. The ruling military council, or junta, has denied the accusations, which would amount to one of the worst atrocities committed in the three year-old Myanmar civil war. - BBC

Other Topics of Interest

‘Cannot Be Treated Seriously Yet’ – Expert on New US Provision of Antipersonnel Mines to Ukraine

Ukraine can always benefit from receiving more weapons, but measuring the expected impact of the new American mines provision is more complicated, the expert said.

A pro-Kremlin hacker group has claimed responsibility for what seems to be a coordinated attack on the websites of Dutch political parties and EU institutions on the first day of the European elections. At least three Dutch political parties - the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA), the Party for Freedom (PVV) and the Forum for Democracy (FvD) - claimed their websites were targeted by cyber-attacks on Thursday. HackNeT, a hacker group affiliated to Moscow, claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel, adding that it had also targeted the Dutch Reformed Political Party (SGP) and the European Court of Auditors (ECA).The European Court of Auditors' website appeared to be down on Thursday afternoon. In a statement to Euronews, a spokesperson from the court said: "We confirm that since this morning, we are experiencing a cyber-attack (DDoS) which has rendered our internet site non-operational…We are actively working to mitigate the issue," the statement added. "In the meantime, we were able to ensure that other services remain unaffected and allow us to work normally." - Euronews

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that France will provide Ukraine with its Mirage combat aircraft to be able to defend their country against Russian aggression. Macron told French public broadcaster he will announce on Friday “a new cooperation with Ukraine and the sale of Mirage 2005, the French-made combat aircraft which will “allow Ukraine to protect its soil, its airspace” against Russian attacks. France will also start training Ukrainian pilots, Macron said and reiterated that Ukraine should be allowed to use weapons provided by its Western allies to target Russian military targets and “neutralise the points from which (the country) is being attacked.” - Euronews

An influential committee in the African National Congress (ANC) has recommended the party form a government of national unity, as the group tries to build a coalition after losing its parliamentary majority in South Africa for the first time since it swept to power at the end of apartheid. The second largest party, the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA), has ruled out working with the fourth-largest, Marxist-inspired Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). However, some analysts said that the lure of power may end up bringing most of the largest parties together. The ANC’s majority collapsed in the 29 May votefrom 57.5% in 2019 to 40.2%, amid high unemployment and degraded public services, as well as a challenge from former president, Jacob Zuma, whose new uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) partycame in a surprise third place “The conversation is looking at a government of national unity, because this is what the people of South Africa have said to us: put together a multiparty arrangement that works for the benefit of South Africa,” ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri told a press briefing at the party’s headquarters. “The ANC has reached out to everyone.” She said the proposal from the party’s 27-member national working committee would be sent to the national executive committee, its 87-member decision making body, on Thursday, alongside other options including a minority government. - The Guardian

Across Georgia in recent weeks, opponents and victims describe a government-led campaign of intimidation and violence against its opponents. It has unfolded with dizzying speed and, combined with several new pieces of repressive legislation and unprecedented attacks on Georgia's traditional European and U.S. partners, bodes a disorientating new direction for the country. Leaders of media organizations and watchdog NGOs have faced vandalism and threats following the same pattern as the attacks on Zuriashvili. Political opposition leaders have been physically attacked. Large numbers of ordinary Georgians who attended protests against the law have reported getting threatening phone calls. - RFE/RL

Junta forces have given up control of two oil fields managed by Myanmar’s state energy company after rebel guerillas cut off food supply routes to nearby military camps. Production at the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise’s oil fields is the military junta’s main source of foreign revenue. The company is estimated to generate US$1.5 billion in annual revenues – or half the country’s foreign currency reserves. Junta troops abandoned an oil field in Kyauk Khwet village in Myaing township on March 2 and another one in Let Pan To village in Pauk township on April 19, two residents told Radio Free Asia. The oil fields are about 12 km (20 miles) from each other. - RFA

Donald Trump’s former national security adviser Matt Pottinger says the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok is like ‘arsenic’ for democracies and should be banned by all Five Eyes countries — and not just the United States. In an exclusive interview with The Nightly, Matthew Pottinger — who served as US deputy national security adviser from 2019 until his resignation over the January 6 riots in 2021 — said Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom should also force TikTok to part ways with its parent company ByteDance. He said the Chinese-owned company was beholden to the Chinese Communist Party. Mr Pottinger helped craft the bill that was signed by US President Joe Biden and passed through Congress with bipartisan support to force TikTok to divest from ByteDance’s ownership or else face a ban in the United States from 2025. TikTok is challenging the lawsuit claiming it violates free speech. - The Nightly