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The controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) is pausing its aid distribution operations for one day as it seeks to bolster security around its sites. The pause is reportedly also intended to give GHF time to develop plans for accommodating larger crowds.

GHF’s break in operations comes after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops reportedly shot at Palestinians who strayed from a pre-approved path to get aid three days in a row, according to the Times of Israel. 

TENSIONS RISE AS ISRAEL STRONGLY DENIES FIRING ON PALESTINIANS AT GAZA HUMANITARIAN SITE

"GHF is actively engaged in discussions with the IDF to enhance its security measures beyond the immediate perimeter of GHF sites," a GHF spokesperson told Fox News Digital. The organization said it has asked the IDF to "introduce measures that guide foot traffic in a way that minimizes confusion or escalation risks near IDF military perimeters, develop clearer IDF-issued guidance to help the population transit safely and enhance IDF force training and refine internal IDF procedures to support safety."

"These measures are part of our commitment to continuous improvements for civilian safety and risk reduction in one of the most complex humanitarian environments in the world," the GHF spokesperson added. "Our top priority remains ensuring the safety and dignity of civilians receiving aid. This is critical given that GHF is the only operation reliably delivering aid to the Gazan people at present."

DOZENS OF PALESTINIANS KILLED, NEARLY 200 WOUNDED WHILE ON THEIR WAY TO COLLECT AID IN GAZA

On Tuesday, the IDF said its troops "identified several suspects moving toward them, deviating from the designated access routes." The soldiers fired warning shots and then opened fire when the suspects would not retreat, according to the IDF. 

Contrary to the IDF’s account of events, several reports stated that at least 27 Palestinians were killed while trying to access aid on Tuesday. The Times of Israel reported that Hamas health authorities claimed 31 people were killed on Sunday, three on Monday and 27 on Tuesday, in addition to the many wounded in each incident.

While the GHF has enjoyed the support of the U.S. and Israel, several aid organizations and the United Nations have criticized the system, claiming that it militarizes aid. However, Israel has repeatedly praised GHF for distributing aid in Gaza without empowering Hamas.

U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordination Tom Fletcher, an outspoken critic of GHF, has routinely urged in interviews that his organization be allowed to do its work.

On Wednesday, the U.N. Security Council is expected to vote on a demand for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as well as humanitarian access across Gaza, according to Reuters. 

Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon has already voiced his objection to the resolution, saying that it "undermines" humanitarian aid relief and "ignores a working system in favor of political agendas."

A woman declared dead by the coroner after her husband found her unresponsive in bed was being placed in a coffin when morticians made a startling discovery — she was very much alive.

The horrifying tale from the Czech Republic unfolded when an 88-year-old woman, who was thought to be dead, showed signs of life in her coffin.

According to Blesk.cz, the husband of the woman thought to be deceased called the Pilsen emergency services to potentially help his wife.

The husband told the emergency dispatch that "she didn't move, she didn't breathe," according to the report.

MAN IN INDIA REGAINS CONSCIOUSNESS BEFORE HIS CREMATION ON FUNERAL PYRE: REPORTS

When paramedics arrived, they confirmed the woman's death and the coroners were dispatched to the apartment.

The coroner also confirmed the woman’s death and undertakers were called to move the body into the coffin.

The husband also told Blesk that "the workers transferred her to the coffin, and when they were right here in the apartment in the hallway by the door, they found out she was alive."

GOD CAN RESURRECT AND RESTORE WHAT YOU THINK IS LOST AND DEAD

An ambulance arrived shortly after, and the woman was transported to the hospital.

While this may seem like something out of a horror story, this rare medical occurrence has happened before.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, it's known as the Lazarus Effect.

Named after the biblical story of Jesus raising Lazarus back from the dead, this usually occurs after CPR ends.

Typically, this happens after a cardiac arrest occurs and CPR is administered to the patient.

This medical phenomenon occurs after the patient is clinically pronounced dead.

Some time later, the patient will begin to show signs of life and must continue to show these signs for more than a few seconds.

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According to the National Institutes of Health, there have been 74 confirmed cases in the U.S. from 1982-2022. 

It is still unknown how or why the Lazarus Effect happens.

Three British nationals could face death by a firing squad after they allegedly smuggled about a kilogram – over two pounds – of cocaine onto the island of Bali in Indonesia.

The Associated Press reported that prosecutor I Made Dipa Umbara said 28-year-old Jonathan Christopher Collyer and 29-year-old Lisa Ellen Stocker were arrested Feb. 1, after customs officers stopped them at the X-ray machine when they found suspicious items disguised as food packages inside their luggage.

Umbara told the District Court in Denpasar during a court hearing on Tuesday that a lab test result confirmed 10 pouches of "Angel Delight" powdered dessert mix in Collyer’s luggage, along with seven similar pouches in Stocker’s suitcase contained 993.56 grams, or 2.19 pounds, of cocaine, worth about 6 billion rupiah ($368,000).

Two days after Collyer and Stocker were arrested, police arrested 31-year-old Phineas Ambrose Float after a delivery sting set up by law enforcement that involved the other two suspects handing the drug to him in the parking lot of a hotel in Denpasar.

AMERICAN BASKETBALL PLAYER ARRESTED IN INDONESIA COULD FACE DEATH PENALTY FOR CANNABIS CANDY: REPORT

Float is being tried separately, according to Umbara.

The cocaine was transported from England to Indonesia by way of the Doha International Airport in Qatar, Umbara explained.

The trio successfully smuggled cocaine into Bali on two previous occasions before being stopped on their third attempt, Ponco Indriyo, the deputy director of the Bali Police Narcotics Unit, said during a news conference in Denpasar on Feb. 7.

AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES INTERCEPT OVER A TON OF COCAINE WORTH $400M

The charges against the trio were announced on Tuesday in a Bali courtroom. If convicted, they could face the death penalty. In Indonesia, drug smugglers are sometimes executed by way of a firing squad.

A panel of three judges adjourned the trial until June 10, when the court will listen to testimony from witnesses.

NOEM CALLS FOR THE DEATH PENALTY FOLLOWING MARITIME HUMAN SMUGGLING ATTEMPT THAT LEFT CHILD DEAD

According to the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, there are currently 530 people on death row in Indonesia, including 96 foreigners, mostly for drug-related crimes, the AP reported.

The last executions in Indonesia were of an Indonesian and three foreigners, which were carried out in July 2016.

Lindsay Sandiford, 69, from Great Britain, has been on death row in Indonesia for over a decade. 

Sandiford was arrested in 2012 after she was discovered to be in possession of more than eight pounds of cocaine in the lining of her luggage at Bali’s airport.

The highest court in Indonesia upheld the death sentence for Sandiford in 2013.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Indonesia is a major drug-smuggling hub despite having some of the strictest drug laws in the world, in part because international drug syndicates target its young population.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A fight broke out between two couples at Disneyland's theme park in China over line cutting, according to media reports.

Video footage of the brawl shows two men fighting May 31 as a woman in a hat with bunny ears tries to separate them and stunned onlookers watched at Shanghai Disneyland Resort.

The woman with the hat is then seen pushing another woman holding a baby. The mother screams and slowly falls to the ground as she holds the child tightly.

SUV CATCHES FIRE AT DISNEYLAND, BLACK SMOKE SENT DRIFTING OVER PARKING STRUCTURE

The woman with the hat then involves herself in the melee between the two men, grabbing one violently.

DISNEY WORLD PARKGOERS UPSET OVER NEW WATER RIDE, PLUS PEOPLE ARE FREEZING THIS CANDY FOR A SWEET TREAT

The brawl happened over line cutting at Crazy Animal City at Disneyland Park in Shanghai, China, local outlets reported.

Heated words were exchanged before the fight began. Security officials intervened to break it up. 

It wasn't clear whether anyone was hurt. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Disneyland Shanghai.

South Korean voters swung left in the presidential race Tuesday, and conservative candidate Kim Moon-soo conceded defeat to liberal opponent Lee Jae-myung in the snap election.

Kim, candidate of the People Power Party (PPP), said at a press conference in the early hours of Wednesday morning he "humbly accepts (the) people’s choice."

The decision came after record early voting turnout prompted speculation Lee would secure the presidency and flip the top seat after the impeachment of predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was booted from office after he declared martial law in December.

SOUTH KOREANS CAST VOTES FOR NEW PRESIDENT TO SUCCEED YOON AFTER HIS OUSTER OVER MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION

The impeachment threw the country into political chaos after Yoon, also a member of the PPP, was removed from office two years early. 

It is unclear by what margin Lee secured the presidency, though reports had suggested for weeks that the liberal candidate was favored to win the top job. 

But Lee’s candidacy also prompted some serious concern when it came to his policy on international relations, particularly Seoul’s relationship with the U.S., China and North Korea.

SOUTH KOREA FACES HIGH-STAKES ELECTION; FEARS OVER CHINA, NORTH KOREA AND US TIES SHAPE VOTER CONCERNS

Kim challenged Lee's policies in a presidential debate last month after the liberal candidate said he would take a "pragmatic" approach.

"There’s no need to worry. The South Korea-U.S. alliance is important and should continue to grow and strengthen," Lee said, adding Seoul should not be "unilaterally bound" to Washington, especially when it comes to the U.S.’s adversarial rivals.

"We should not neglect ties with China or Russia," he added. "We need to manage them appropriately, and there’s no need to have an unnecessarily hostile approach like now."

This position is a shift from the previous administration, which was hawkish on China and North Korea. 

Lee has said he wants to mitigate the "North Korea risk" by easing relations with Seoul’s northern neighbor.

A massive underwater blast targeting a bridge linking Russia to Crimea left it in a "state of emergency" Tuesday, according to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU).

The surprise detonation comes just days after Ukraine carried out "Operation Spider's Web," a series of coordinated drone strikes penetrating deep into Russian territory that is believed to have taken out dozens of Russia's most powerful bomber jets and surveillance planes as they sat idle on five military airfields.  

"Illegal objects of the Russian Federation have no place on the territory of our state. The Crimean Bridge is therefore an absolutely legitimate target, especially given that the enemy used it as a logistical artery to secure their troops," SBU Lt. Gen. Vasily Malyuk said in a statement. "Crimea is Ukraine, and any manifestations of the occupation will receive our harsh response." 

The SBU said it detonated around 2,500 pounds of underwater explosives along the Kerch Bridge. Footage showed a blast centered around one of the bridge pillars, followed by people surveying damage on top of the bridge. 

UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE TALKS YIELD NO CEASEFIRE, ZELENSKYY WARNS PUTIN SHOULD NOT BE ‘REWARDED’ 

Malyuk supervised the operation, which took months of planning, according to the SBU.  

"The bridge is in a state of emergency," it declared. 

UKRAINE’S SURPRISE ATTACK SHOWS IT MAY TAKE A ‘MAJOR DRONE STRIKE’ TO CHANGE US DEFENSE POLICY, EXPERTS SAY 

Traffic across the Kerch Bridge was delayed for three hours this morning, according to The Associated Press.  

The bridge reportedly reopened before it closed a second time.  

The SBU said no civilians were hurt in the blast. 

"Previously, we struck the Crimean Bridge twice in 2022 and 2023. So today we continued this tradition already underwater," Malyuk said. 

Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.  

President Donald Trump on Monday evening looked to reaffirm his administration’s position when it comes to nuclear negotiations with Iran and said Tehran will not be allowed "any enrichment of uranium."

His message, which surfaced on multiple social media platforms, appeared to be a direct response to a report by Axios which cited two sources with "direct knowledge" of a secret proposal that Washington provided to Tehran, allegedly said the U.S. would agree to permit "limited low-level uranium enrichment on Iranian soil for a to-be-determined period of time."

WHITE HOUSE URGES IRAN TO ACCEPT NUCLEAR DEAL AS IAEA REPORTS URANIUM ENRICHMENT SPIKE

Fox News Digital could not independently verify the details of the proposal, but if the decision to grant Tehran some uranium enrichment were granted, it would directly contradict public comments issued by lead negotiator Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump.

Iran has repeatedly said it will not agree to a uranium enrichment ban, arguing it has the right to the process, which is also vital for nuclear energy. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Monday reiterated this point in a press conference from Egypt, and, according to the Tasnim News Agency, said he plans to respond to the U.S. proposal soon.

Araqchi did not comment on the specifics of the agreement but said his "response will be based on the principles of the Iranian nation." 

The proposal also reportedly included the notion that Iran could join a regional consortium for uranium enrichment, as a solution to its enrichment needs. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei on Monday reportedly argued that this was not a new solution, nor an adequate substitute. 

US AND IRAN CLASH OVER URANIUM ENRICHMENT AS NUCLEAR TALKS RESUME IN ROME

"If some parties are proposing such a process, we welcome it and have no problem with participation either. But we emphasize that such an initiative cannot replace enrichment inside Iran," the spokesperson said. 

The White House has not said how long it will attempt to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear program, as security officials have repeatedly warned that Iran could be playing for time as the threat of U.N. snapback sanctions is set to expire come October. 

Iran on Tuesday reiterated that it is not going to abandon negotiations but suggested it would not cave to Washington’s demands either. 

"Iran won’t leave the negotiating table while protecting its national interests," a spokesperson for the Iranian government, Fatemeh Mohajerani, said, according to the Tasnim News Agency.

Though she added, "All scenarios are on the table. We are prepared for everything."

Greenpeace activists were photographed stealing a wax statue of French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in an act of protest against the country’s business ties with Russia. 

The environmental group said its members "borrowed the statue of Emmanuel Macron from the Grévin Museum" on Monday, "believing that he does not deserve to be exhibited in this world-renowned cultural establishment until he has terminated French contracts with Russia and initiated an ambitious and lasting ecological transition on a European scale." 

"Later in the day, they went to the Russian embassy in Paris, in front of the statue of Emmanuel Macron, to unfurl a banner denouncing current dealings with Russia," the group added. 

Images showed two men hauling the wax figure of Macron through the streets of the French capital. 

MACRON DISMISSES VIRAL MOMENT WITH WIFE AS ‘JOKING AROUND’ 

"There was no confrontation with museum security because we had planned everything carefully to ensure it happened quickly," a Greenpeace spokesperson told Reuters, noting that the activists entered the property as regular visitors before heading to the room where the Macron statue was located. 

The news agency added that other activists were waiting in a getaway car outside the museum and that the group plans to return the statue at an unknown date. 

On its website, the Grévin Museum said its statue of Macron is one of more than 200 celebrities on display who are "immortalized in wax." 

GREENPEACE UK LEADER ARRESTED FOR TARGETING AMERICAN EMBASSY WITH ‘BLOOD-RED DYE’: REPORT 

"Discover the wax figures of some of the most important world leaders at the Grévin Museum!" it adds. 

Photos previously taken at the museum showed the Macron statue standing next to one of former President Joe Biden. 

"We do not deny the political, diplomatic, and financial support of France and Europe for Ukraine," Greenpeace France director Jean-Francois Julliard said to Reuters. 

"But if we want to be coherent and consistent, we cannot, on the one hand, support Ukraine and, on the other, continue to import such massive amounts of gas, chemical fertilizers, and uranium." 

The U.K. on Monday announced new plans to overhaul its defensive posture in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and potential challenges posed by President Donald Trump's threat to withdraw U.S. troops from the continent.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would bring his country to "war-fighting readiness" by investing dozens of billions of dollars in the building of 12 submarines, weapons and munitions manufacturing, AI and other tech, and most notably, a significant investment in nuclear deterrence. 

The announcement came after a Strategic Defense Review by an external board found several areas in the U.K. that need to improve in order to effectively deter aggressors like Russia, as well as North Korea, Iran and China. 

MACRON CHIDES TRUMP, CHINA OVER TRADE, UKRAINE, GAZA: POLICIES 'WILL KILL GLOBAL ORDER'

While the review heavily focused on changes that need to be made to the U.K.’s defense readiness, it also identified a need to bolster societal resilience and support.  

"Our response cannot be confined to increasing defense spending," Starmer said in a statement from the report. "We also need to see the biggest shift in mindset in my lifetime: to put security and defense front and center—to make it the fundamental organizing principle of government."

The 144-page plan released by the British government on Monday laid out a new defense strategy to tackle threats "more serious and less predictable than at any time since the Cold War." 

However, the biggest investment the U.K. revealed in its defense overhaul is a near $20.3 billion commitment to its nuclear warhead program in a move to expand its deterrence level, which, the report said, "sends the ultimate warning to anyone who seeks to do us harm."

The push has been described as a "NATO first" policy that will heavily focus on the immediate threats posed by Russia to the European continent. However, the plan is not a "NATO only" policy.

UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE TALKS YIELD NO CEASEFIRE, ZELENSKYY WARNS PUTIN SHOULD NOT BE 'REWARDED'

The U.K. plans to produce a new submarine every 18 months until it secures a fleet of up to 12 nuclear-powered attack submarines under the AUKUS program, which is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. – which focuses on security and stability in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the face of increased Chinese aggression in the region.

Defense Secretary John Healey said, "We are in a new era of threat, which demands a new era for U.K. defense."

Starmer ordered the review last summer, shortly after he secured the top job.

Security experts have warned that the threat Russia poses as it advances its war machine is assessed to be a generational threat, and one that will likely out-live the war in Ukraine or even a Putin presidency, and European nations have been scrambling to react to the new reality. 

The re-election of Trump became another challenge European leaders have grappled with. 

Though Trump pushed NATO leaders to increase their defense spending during his first term, most nations did not meet their GDP defense spending commitments under NATO until after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Now, just eight of the 32 NATO nations do not meet the 2% GDP spending commitments, while five nations, including the U.S. spend more than 3%. 

NATO nations have increasingly called for an increase in defense spending and a push to be less dependent on the U.S.’s military industrial base.

While the U.K. has pledged to spend 2.5% of its GDP on defense by 2027, with an increase to 3% by 2030, Trump has called for NATO nations to spend 5% -- though the alliance has not yet agreed to such a plan, which the U.S. also falls short on, spending 3.38% according to figures released in 2024.

The U.K. is also looking to take more of a leadership role in NATO, particularly as the reliability of the U.S. has been called into question amid the war in Russia, and amid threats by Trump that he may drawdown troop numbers in Europe. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the deaths of three soldiers operating in Gaza. 

Staff Sgt. Lior Steinberg, Staff Sgt. Ofek Barhana and Staff Sgt. Omer Van Gelder were members of Israel’s Givati Brigade, an infantry unit, when they were killed. Steinberg and Barhana were serving as combat medics, while Van Gelder was a squad commander, according to the IDF.

TENSIONS RISE AS ISRAEL STRONGLY DENIES FIRING ON PALESTINIANS AT GAZA HUMANITARIAN SITE

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a message expressing his condolences. In Hebrew, Netanyahu wrote that he and his wife Sara sent their "heartfelt condolences to the families of our heroic fighters."

IDF international spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani also expressed his condolences in a post on X, in which he listed the soldiers’ names and ages. All three men were in their early 20s.

The three men were reportedly among five soldiers in a Humvee in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, where their vehicle was hit by an explosive device, according to the Times of Israel, which cited an IDF probe. The other two soldiers in the vehicle were reportedly injured and have been listed in moderate condition.

IDF SAYS IT TARGETED GAZAN SCHOOL-TURNED-SHELTER TO HIT HAMAS, ISLAMIC JIHAD COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTER

According to the outlet, the Humvee was escorting an IDF fire engine that was in Gaza to extinguish an armored personnel carrier that had caught fire. The Times of Israel reported that the cause of the fire remains unknown. The convoy was hit by several explosive devices while on its way out of Jabalia, according to the Times of Israel.

The war in Gaza has raged for more than 600 days since Hamas carried out its massacre on Oct. 7, 2023. There are still 58 hostages being held in Gaza — 23 of whom are believed to be alive, while 35 are confirmed dead and their bodies remain in Hamas’ hands. So far, 148 living hostages and 48 bodies of hostages have returned to Israel. Most recently, on May 12, Edan Alexander, the last living American held by Hamas, was returned to Israel.

The party of populist Dutch political leader Geert Wilders abruptly left the country's governing coalition on Tuesday over a dispute about immigration, a move that brings down the government after less than a year in office, which will now likely trigger snap elections.

Wilders, who leads the Party for Freedom (PVV) and is a hardliner on immigration, was demanding 10 tougher asylum measures — including a freeze on applications and limits on family reunification — which were not agreed to by the other three coalition partners.  

In a stunning move, Wilders said his party was pulling out because the other three ruling parties were not willing to support his ideas on halting asylum migration.

POLISH CONSERVATIVE KAROL NAWROCKI WINS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO SUCCEED DUDA

"No signature under our asylum plans… The PVV leaves the coalition," Wilders said in a post on X.

Wilders, the so-called "Dutch Donald Trump," said he had informed Prime Minister Dick Schoof that all ministers from his PVV party would quit the government. Schoof has not yet reacted to the resignation.

Some proposals Wilders was pushing were already part of government policy, like enhanced border controls, but he also demanded the stripping of citizenship from people with a double passport, a proposal critics said undermined fundamental rights, according to the Dutch outlet de Volkskrant.

Wilders also grew frustrated with the lack of progress from his own asylum minister, Marjolein Faber, who was responsible for delaying the repeal of the scatter bill -- a law designed to distribute asylum seekers more evenly across municipalities -- and the House is still awaiting consideration of its first asylum laws, the outlet reported. Wilders viewed the scatter bill as a symbol of a failed asylum policy and a threat to Dutch identity.

GERMANY POISED TO GET NEW CONSERVATIVE CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ

Last week, Wilders demanded that the army be used to guard land borders and turn away all asylum-seekers. He said at the time that if immigration policy is not toughened up, his party "is out of the Cabinet" and made good on the pledge on Tuesday. 

"I signed up for the toughest asylum policy and not the downfall of the Netherlands," Wilders told reporters.

It was unclear what would happen next. The government could attempt to remain in power as a minority administration or call new elections for later this year. Schoof called an emergency Cabinet meeting for early afternoon.

Wilders won the most recent election in November 2023 with a surprisingly wide margin of 23% of the vote, but recent polls indicate he has lost some support since joining the government.

Polls put his party at around 20% of the vote now, on par roughly with the Labour/Green combination that is currently the second-largest in parliament.

Dilan Yesilgöz, leader of the right-wing People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, said Wilder’s move was "super-irresponsible" and said he was "shocked" by it.

It comes as right-wing parties continue to surge across Europe in line with EU skepticism and growing anger over mass immigration and economic anxiety. 

For instance, Poland has elected Karol Nawrocki, a conservative backed by President Donald Trump, in the country’s presidential runoff election, while the Czech Republic's eurosceptic opposition leader Andrej Babis, a former prime minister, leads opinion polls before an October election.

Meanwhile, the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany has also surged to become the second-largest party in some national polls.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stressed the importance of acknowledging the Jewish people's historic connection to the Land of Israel, describing global efforts to deny this link as "absurd."

"First of all, archeology is a daily reminder of the connection between this land and the Jewish people going all the way back to 3,500 to 3,800 years, whether it’s Shilo, whether it's Jerusalem," Huckabee told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview in Jerusalem on Thursday.

His comments came as Jews worldwide celebrate Shavuot, the biblical holiday commemorating God's giving of the Torah to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai.

BATTLE FOR BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY INTENSIFIES AS ISRAELI RESEARCHERS FACE ACADEMIC BOYCOTT

Huckabee pointed to archaeological evidence as strong support for the biblical account. "The excavations at the City of David alone are a validation of the biblical record of what really did happen here. Sometimes people on the far-left love to say 'follow the science, follow the science,' and I would say to them, as it relates to the land and the connections to the Jewish people, follow the science of archaeology."

The remarks come amid an ongoing diplomatic war by the Palestinian Authority — which was granted non-member observer state status at the United Nations in 2012 — to revise historical narratives in international forums where anti-Israel majorities are common.

For example, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2016 registered the Cave of the Patriarchs — the burial site of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their wives Sarah, Rebecca and Leah, located in Hebron—under the name of the "State of Palestine" on its "List of World Heritage in Danger."

RARE 2,300-YEAR-OLD GOLD RING DISCOVERED IN JERUSALEM'S CITY OF DAVID

In a separate move, the U.N. General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution in 2021 referring to the Temple Mount — Judaism’s holiest site, located in Jerusalem but beyond the 1967 borders — solely by its Islamic name, "Haram al-Sharif."

"For 20 years, I have been pushing back against an effort from the PA, Hamas, European-funded anti-Israel NGOs, and the U.N. to try and prevent excavations from coming to life," said Doron Spielman, author of the new book "When the Stones Speak: The Remarkable Discovery of the City of David and What Israel's Enemies Don't Want You to Know," a book that shows the historical and indigenous connection to the Holy Land of the Jews.

"There are thousands of discoveries that prove the connection of the Jewish people to the biblical heartland, but in particular the clay seal impressions of Yehuchal—the son of Shelemiah—and Gedaliah—the son of Pashur—that were found at the site believed to be King David’s palace," explained Spielman. "They are directly quoted in the Bible as having attempted to kill the prophet Jeremiah."

In 2008, Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar revealed the discovery of a clay seal impression, or bulla, bearing the name Gedaliah, son of Pashhur. The artifact was unearthed during a dig in the City of David, located just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The bulla was found close to where, in 2005, a similar seal inscribed with the name Yehuchal had been discovered.

Both individuals are known from the bible as officials who served under King Zedekiah, the final monarch of the Kingdom of Judah before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple in 587 B.C.

LEADING EVANGELICALS IN PUSH TO HAVE PRESIDENT TRUMP RECOGNIZE ISRAELI SOVEREIGNTY OVER ‘BIBLICAL HEARTLAND’

"The bullas can be seen, they are on display at the Israel Museum and in traveling exhibitions. They have gone from one side of the world to the other because the Palestinians created a narrative attempting to erase any connection between Jews, and by extension Christians, to the Land of Israel," continued Spielman.

Huckabee emphasized that archaeological discoveries continue to affirm the scriptural narrative connecting the Jewish people to the land.

"Every time some new discovery is unearthed it validates the biblical record, so the proof is pretty strong that that connection is not something that goes back to 1948 or 1917 the Balfour Declaration - it goes all the way back to the time of Abraham. That’s pretty far back," he said.

For his part, Spielman voiced concern that the message isn’t resonating with the mainstream, particularly among younger generations.

"On campuses in the U.S., people are chanting 'From the River to the Sea,' and calling the Jews colonizers," he said, in reference to the mantra calling for the "liberation" of "Palestine" through the elimination of Israel.

"This expression comes from people taught to believe that the Jews have no connection to the Land of Israel, and I’m fearful because it leads to violence. When people come to erase your history, they are on their way to trying to erase you as a nation.

"We have seen it before and if we do not stop the trend, it will happen again," he added.

A naturalized U.S. citizen who pleaded guilty to receiving military training from the Islamic State in Syria was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in federal prison.

Lirim Sylejmani, 49, who was born in Kosovo and moved to Chicago about 25 years ago, engaged in at least one battle against U.S.-led coalition forces after he entered Syria a decade ago, according to prosecutors.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington, D.C., handed down Sylejmani's prison sentence, which will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

Sylejmani pleaded guilty in December to one count of receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization.

FEDERAL JUDGE ISSUES $20M VERDICT AGAINST SYRIA FOR TORTURE OF US CITIZEN TAKEN CAPTIVE IN 2019

"This defendant will spend a decade in prison thinking about the betrayal to this country," wrote the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, also a former Fox News host.

"Anyone thinking that ISIS is the answer to their questions, best think again," she continued. "We will go to any lengths to root out subversive individuals who want to overthrow the government and harm its citizens."

In November 2015, Sylejmani and his family flew to Turkey before crossing the border into Syria, where he received training with other ISIS recruits until February 2019, when he was captured with his family by Syrian forces in Baghouz, Syria, according to prosecutors.

SYRIA GRANTED SANCTIONS WAIVER BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO ENCOURAGE REBUILDING

His military training included instruction on how to assemble and fire an AK-47 rifle, as well as how to use a PK Machine gun, M-16 rifle and grenades.

Sylejmani was also once injured in a battle with Syrian forces in June 2016.

Prosecutors said Sylejmani, who adopted the name Abu Sulayman al-Kosovi, pledged "bayat," or allegiance, to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and to the ISIS organization in front of an Iraqi ISIS member.

He was transferred to the U.S. in September 2020 to face criminal charges in Washington, D.C.

"The conduct is far more than a single, impulsive act. He chose to jeopardize the safety of his family by bringing them to a war-torn country to join and take up arms for ISIS," prosecutors wrote.

Sylejmani's attorneys claim he is not a "committed jihadist" and does not espouse violence.

"He is guilt-ridden for his actions and the harm he has visited on his family, who remain detained in a refugee camp in Syria living under terrible conditions," his lawyers wrote. "He wishes only to complete his time and find his wife and children, so he can live an average law-abiding life with them."

Millions of South Korean voters are casting their ballots on Tuesday for a new president in a snap election following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Yoon, a conservative, faces trial on rebellion charges over his short-lived martial law declaration in December.

Pre-election surveys suggested Lee Jae-myung, Yoon’s liberal archrival, appeared poised to coast to victory due to public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon’s martial law decree.

The main conservative candidate, Kim Moon Soo, has struggled to win over moderate swing voters, as his People Power Party grapples with internal feuding over how to view Yoon’s actions.

SOUTH KOREA FACES HIGH-STAKES ELECTION; FEARS OVER CHINA, NORTH KOREA, US TIES SHAPE VOTER CONCERNS

Over the past six months, large crowds of people rallied in the streets to either protest against Yoon or come to his support.

The winner of the election will immediately be sworn in as president on Wednesday for a single, full five-year term without the typical two-month transition period. The new president will face significant challenges, including a slowing economy, U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and North Korea’s nuclear threats.

Voting began at 6 a.m. at more than 14,000 polling stations nationwide. Polls will close at 8 p.m., and observers say a winner could be declared as early as midnight.

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT REMOVED FROM OFFICE FOUR MONTHS AFTER DECLARING MARTIAL LAW

As of 2 p.m. local time, more than 13 million people had cast their ballots. Roughly 15 million also voted during last week’s two-day early voting period, meaning voter turnout stood at 65.5%. South Korea has 44.4 million eligible voters.

On Tuesday, Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, urged voters to "deliver a stern and resolute judgement" against the conservatives over Yoon's martial law declaration.

In one of his final campaign speeches on Monday, Lee argued that a victory by Kim would represent "the return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people’s human rights." He also vowed to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions.

Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, warned that a win by Lee would allow him to hold excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already has control of parliament.

Lee "is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship," Kim said at a rally in the southeastern city of Busan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The second round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey once again did not yield any ceasefire results on Monday and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his demand that Russian President Vladimir Putin "must not receive any reward for [his] war."

Despite an apparent memorandum of terms given to Ukraine by the Russian delegation, Moscow once again refused to agree to an unconditional ceasefire defined by a U.S. proposal and already agreed to by Kyiv. 

Following the talks – which appeared to last for less than three hours, though some reporting noted they lasted for less than one hour – the head of the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, said his Russian counterparts not only refused ceasefire terms, but also to a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin.

UKRAINE, RUSSIA MEET FOR PEACE TALKS IN ISTANBUL AFTER EXPLOSIVE WEEKEND

A massive 6,000 to 6,000 prisoner exchange was agreed to and will secure the release of sick, seriously injured prisoners and those under the age of 25.

Ukraine also handed over a list containing the names of several hundred children that Russia illegally deported and relocated from occupied territories of Ukraine, though it is unclear if Russian authorities have agreed to return any of the children, many of whom have been "adopted" by Russian parents.

"The key to lasting peace is clear – the aggressor must not receive any reward for war. Putin must get nothing that would justify his aggression," Zelenskyy said in a post to X following his address at a NATO security summit in Lithuania.  "Any reward would only show him that war pays off."

Zelenskyy’s comments and the peace talks came just one day after a surprise drone strike dubbed "Operation Spiderweb" by Ukraine inside Russia in which Moscow's military complex was targeted, and roughly a third of it's cruise missile carriers were apparently destroyed.

Zelenskyy said the attack "seriously weakened their military" and "showed what modern war really looks like and [that’s] why it’s so important to stay ahead with technology."

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS WITH TRUMP, ALLIES AFTER RUSSIA PEACE TALKS BROKER NO CEASEFIRE

The Ukrainian president did not comment further on the substance of the talks. Ukraine has been given one week to review Russia’s terms for a ceasefire.

Ukraine’s terms first call for a 30-day land, air and sea-based ceasefire before Kyiv, alongside Washington and European allies, would then begin further negotiations with Moscow, according to a report by Reuters, which apparently obtained a copy of the conditions.

The document also reportedly states that the current location of the front line will be the starting point for negotiations about territory, and calls for no restrictions on Ukraine’s military, reparations for Ukraine and a refusal by the international community to acknowledge Russian sovereignty over the illegally occupied lands. 

Zelenskyy also reiterated his position on Monday that Putin should not be allowed to dictate which countries are allowed to enter the NATO alliance, which Russia has repeatedly said is one of its demands over Ukraine.

Granting Ukraine NATO access would all but officially bar Russia from ever re-invading Ukraine as it would grant Kyiv Article 5 protections, which confirm an attack on one NATO ally will be treated as an attack on all NATO allies and responded to accordingly.

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"If Putin is allowed to decide who joins NATO, where NATO infrastructure can or can’t be, then Russia’s appetite for war will only grow. Our shared goal is the opposite – to completely end Russia’s hunger for aggression," Zelenskyy said. 

"Strong decisions are needed. Decisions for Europe, not for Putin. We all need to work together to make this really happen. And it’s doable," he added. 

A future meeting between Ukraine and Russia has yet to be announced. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he is moving the United Kingdom's military into "war-fighting readiness" to address growing threats from Russia. 

During a visit to BAE Systems'Govan facility, a navy ship-building yard in Glasgow, Scotland, the prime minister laid out "three fundamental changes" to be made in response to the country's strategic defense review. 

"First, we are moving to war-fighting readiness as the central purpose of our armed forces," Starmer said. "When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready. And frankly, to show them that we're ready, to deliver peace through strength." 

‘MAKE NATO GREAT AGAIN’: HEGSETH PUSHES EUROPEAN ALLIES TO STEP UP DEFENSE EFFORTS

Starmer continued, "Now Britain has the finest service men and women in the world. We're showing them the respect that they deserve by delivering the biggest armed forces pay rise in 20 years and by pledging today that we will end the hollowing out of our armed forces. "We'll build a fighting force that is more integrated, more ready, more lethal than ever, backed by a stronger strategic reserve, fully trained and ready to mobilize at any time."

The new approach comes as President Donald Trump has warned European nations to take more responsibility for their own security. Starmer's announcement focused on a "new era" of threats, citing the war in Ukraine, new nuclear risks and "daily cyberattacks," as well as reversing the post-Cold War defense decline. He called out "growing Russian aggression" in U.K. waters and skies, blaming "their reckless actions" for the increased cost of living "hitting working people the hardest." 

"The threat we now face is more serious, more immediate and more unpredictable than at any time since the Cold War," Starmer said. 

The U.K. government announced military plans in response to a strategic defense review commissioned by Starmer and led by George Robertson, a former U.K. defense secretary and NATO secretary general. 

It's the first such review since 2021. Months after Britain's last major defense review was published in 2021, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson said with confidence that the era of "fighting big tank battles on European landmass" are over. Three months later, Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. Starmer's center-left Labour Party government says it will accept all 62 recommendations made in the review, aiming to help the U.K. confront growing threats on land, air, sea and in cyberspace.

The second change, Starmer explained from Scotland, is ensuring "everything we do will add to the strength of NATO."

"As we step up to take greater responsibility for our collective defense, the NATO alliance means something profound, that we will never fight alone," Starmer said. "It is a fundamental source of our strategic strength. That's why our defense policy will always be NATO first, something that's written through this review. The transformation we are driving in our defense must add up to Britain's biggest contribution to NATO since its creation. So that when we're building new capabilities at home, we are making our allies safer too, strengthening Europe, and strengthening our bridge to the US as Britain's first partner in defense." 

RUBIO DEMANDS NATO PONY UP, DISMISSES 'HYSTERIA' OVER US ROLE UNDER TRUMP

The third change laid out by Starmer is for the U.K. to "innovate and accelerate at a wartime pace so we can meet the threats of today and of tomorrow as the fastest innovator in NATO." He said such advancements would not mean "replacing people" or hardware, but would rather mean "learning the lessons of Ukraine" and ensuring "every capability we have works seamlessly together."

"Drones, destroyers, AI, aircraft, each different branch of our armed services, fully integrated to create an army which is 10 times more lethal by 2035," Starmer said. 

The U.K. government said it's expanding the country's armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet with up to 12 new SSN-AUKUS boats through a partnership with Australia and the United States. The government also says it will invest 15 billion pounds in Britain’s nuclear arsenal, which consists of missiles carried on a handful of submarines. Details of those plans are likely to be kept secret.

Starmer has already pledged to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, a boost from the current 2.3%, and to eventually get that up to 3%.

GB News noted at the press conference Monday that Starmer hasn’t committed to having 3% of the GDP go to defense spending within the next nine years, even as Germany’s defense chief warned Russia could invade a NATO ally within the next four years. In his response, Starmer reiterated the U.K. as a "steadfast ally" to Ukraine and said the changes coming as a result of the review would be the best way to deter further conflict. 

The U.K. government will also increase Britain’s conventional weapons stockpiles with up to 7,000 U.K.-built long-range weapons.

Starmer said rearming would create a "defense dividend" of thousands of well-paid manufacturing jobs – a contrast to the post-Cold War "peace dividend" that saw Western nations channel money away from defense into other areas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Poland has elected Karol Nawrocki, a conservative backed by President Donald Trump, in the country’s presidential runoff election, according to a final vote count issued Monday. 

Nawrocki won 50.89% of the vote, gaining a narrow victory over liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%, the Associated Press reported. 

The first round of voting two weeks ago revealed deep divisions in the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union. Nawrocki will succeed Andrzej Duda, a conservative whose second and final term ends on Aug. 6. 

Trzaskowski conceded defeat and congratulated Nawrocki on Monday, thanking all those who voted for him. 

POLAND’S SOARING ECONOMY SETS STAGE FOR TIGHT PRESIDENTIAL RACE AS US, EU WATCH CLOSELY

"I fought for us to build a strong, safe, honest, and empathetic Poland together," he wrote on X. "I’m sorry I wasn’t able to convince the majority of citizens of my vision for Poland. I’m sorry we didn’t win together."

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last week stumped for Nawrocki at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Warsaw, where she also slammed "weak" European leaders who she argued have allowed mass migration of having "destroyed their civilizations." Noem praised Poland’s strict border enforcement, warning that "socialists" like Trzaskowski would take such protections away from the Polish people. 

Trump hosted Nawrocki at the White House in early May during the conservative candidate's campaign. 

Under the Polish constitution, the president serves a five-year term and may be re-elected once. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the leaders offering their congratulations to Nawrocki on Monday morning. 

"Poland, which preserves the strength of its national spirit and its faith in justice, has been and remains a pillar of regional and European security, and a strong voice defending freedom and dignity for every nation," Zelenskyy wrote. "By reinforcing one another on our continent, we give greater strength to Europe in global competition and bring the achievement of real and lasting peace closer. I look forward to continued fruitful cooperation with Poland and with President Nawrocki personally." 

The U.S. has about 10,000 troops stationed in Poland and Noem suggested that military ties could deepen with Nawrocki as president. A common refrain from Nawrocki's supporters is that he will restore "normality," as they believe Trump has done. U.S. flags often appeared at Nawrocki's rallies, and his supporters believed that he offered a better chance for good ties with the Trump administration.

POLAND ORDERS RUSSIAN CONSULATE IN KRAKOW CLOSED AFTER BLAMING KREMLIN FOR 2024 ARSON

Nawrocki, a 42-year-old amateur boxer and historian, has also echoed some of Trump's language on Ukraine. He promises to continue Poland's support for Ukraine but has been critical of Zelenskyy, accusing him of taking advantage of allies. He has accused Ukrainian refugees of taking advantage of Polish generosity, vowing to prioritize Poles for social services such as health care and schooling.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who shares Nawrocki's national conservative worldview, hailed Nawrocki's "fantastic victory."

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered measured congratulations, emphasizing continued EU-Poland collaboration rooted in shared democratic values: "We are all stronger together in our community of peace, democracy, and values. So let us work to ensure the security and prosperity of our common home."

Nawrocki's victory is a comeback for the Law and Justice party, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023, when it lost power to Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist coalition. 

Duda's veto power has been one obstacle to the pro-European Union Tusk in fulfilling certain electoral promises, such as loosening restrictions on abortion or passing a civil partnership law for same-sex couples. Some observers in Poland have said the unfulfilled promises could make it more difficult for Tusk to continue his term until the next parliamentary election scheduled for late 2027, particularly if Law and Justice dangles the prospect of future cooperation with conservatives in his coalition.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

China criticized U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday for his "vilified" remarks "filled with provocations" in which he said the Asian country poses a legitimate threat in the Indo-Pacific.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Hegseth touted a "Cold War mentality" when he delivered his speech on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore.

"Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a 'threat,'" a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement.

"The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord," the statement continued. "China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the U.S. No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the US itself, which is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific."

HEGSETH SAYS US WILL BOLSTER DEFENSES OVERSEAS TO SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC ALLIES AGAINST CHINA

On Saturday, Hegseth said the U.S. will bolster its defenses overseas to counter what the Pentagon views as rapidly developing threats by China, particularly toward Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own.

The Chinese army "is rehearsing for the real deal," Hegseth said. "We are not going to sugarcoat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent."

The Pentagon chief said China is no longer building up its military forces to take Taiwan, but it is "actively training for it, every day."

Addressing the dispute over Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in its statement that the matter is China’s internal affair and that the U.S. should "never play with fire."

"No country is in a position to interfere," the statement said. "The US should never imagine it could use the Taiwan question as leverage against China. The US must never play with fire on this question. China urges the US to fully abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and stop supporting and emboldening the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces."

HEGSETH DENIES CLAIM THAT GOLDEN DOME IS 'OFFENSIVE': 'PROTECTING THE HOMELAND'

The statement also accused the U.S. of deploying offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and "stoking flames and creating tensions" in the Asia-Pacific, which it said was "turning the region into a powder keg and making countries in the region deeply concerned."

In the South China Sea, the statement said there "has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there."

"China has always been committed to working with countries concerned to properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, while safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations," the spokesperson said. "It is the U.S. that is the primary factor hurting the peace and stability in the South China Sea."

The statement concluded: "China urges the U.S. to fully respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability, stop deliberately destroying the peaceful and stable environment cherished by the region, and stop inciting conflict and confrontation and escalating tensions in the region."

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang also called Hegseth's comments a provocation that distorted China’s policy positions.

While Hegseth vowed to boost U.S. defenses overseas to counter any possible threat from China, the defense secretary insisted that allies in the Indo-Pacific also contribute more to their own defense.

"We ask, and indeed we insist, that our allies and partners do their part on defense," he said on Saturday. "Sometimes that means having uncomfortable and tough conversations."

The U.S. and China reached a deal last month to cut tariffs on each other by 115% for 90 days to allow time for negotiators from both sides to come to a more substantive agreement, but Trump said in a social media post on Friday that he would no longer be "nice" with China when it comes to trade and accused Beijing of breaking an unspecified agreement with the U.S.

Drone footage released by the Israel Defense Forces shows armed and masked people in Gaza shooting civilians, Israel said Sunday, amid claims, which have been staunchly denied, that the IDF killed dozens of people collecting humanitarian aid.

The IDF said it was releasing additional information amid false reports that its soldiers fired upon civilians at an aid distribution site.

"Findings from an initial inquiry indicate that the IDF did not fire at civilians while they were near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site and that reports to this effect are false," the IDF said in a statement. "The IDF is cooperating with the American Civil Organization (GHF) and international aid organizations in order to enable the distribution of aid to the Gazan residents — and not to Hamas."

CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS GETTING CLOSER AMID CONCERNS TERROR GROUP REARMING IN GAZA

The agency also said that Hamas has done everything it can to disrupt food distribution efforts in the Gaza Strip.

Israel quickly pushed back amid reports that at least 26 Palestinians were killed and some 175 were wounded while attempting to get food, according to officials from the Hamas-run health ministry and witnesses.

Witnesses said Israeli forces fired on crowds around 1,000 yards away from an aid site run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). A Palestinian journalist told the BBC that thousands had gathered near the aid site outside Gaza's southern city of Rafah when Israeli tanks approached and opened fire on the crowd.

The GHF has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent access is limited.

ISRAEL REIMPOSES BLOCKADE OF NORTHERN GAZA, INCLUDING CAPITAL GAZA CITY

Israel has long said that Hamas routinely prevents aid from reaching civilians, while also deliberately putting them in harms' way.

"Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that starves and endangers the population in order to preserve its control over the Gaza Strip. As part of its brutal behavior and its attempts to disrupt humanitarian aid, Hamas directly harms the residents of Gaza," the IDF said Sunday.

IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Hamas is spreading false rumors and "fake news" to stop Israel from distributing aid.

"I urge not to believe every rumor spread by Hamas," he said while in Rafah. "We will investigate each and every one of those incidents and each and every one of those allegations. We are a professional military."

In a separate incident overnight, the IDF said troops fired warning shots in the direction of several people advancing toward them near a humanitarian aid distribution site.

"Overnight, approximately one kilometer away from the humanitarian aid distribution site, and outside the operating hours of the humanitarian aid distribution site, IDF troops acted to prevent several suspects from approaching the troops. During the activity, warning shots were fired toward several suspects who advanced toward the troops. There is no connection between this incident and the false claims made against the IDF."

The brazen Ukrainian blitz of Russian warplanes Sunday was 18 months in the making and the Pentagon was kept in the dark until it was over, sources told Fox News.

"Operation Spider's Web," a series of coordinated drone strikes penetrating deep into Russian territory, is believed to have taken out dozens of Russia's most powerful bomber jets and surveillance planes as they sat idle on five military airfields. 

The stunning operation was personally overseen by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s security service (SBU) said.

Ukraine used small FPV drones hidden inside wooden cabins mounted on trucks. When the trucks reached their targets, the roofs opened by remote control, and the drones launched.

Videos on social media showed drones lifting off from parked trucks and striking large aircraft on the runways.

UKRAINE DESTROYS DOZENS OF RUSSIAN WARPLANES WITH DRONE ATTACK DEEP INSIDE RUSSIA

In a statement on X, Zelenskyy called the operation "an absolutely brilliant result" and said it was "achieved solely by Ukraine."

He said the mission took "one year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution" and described it as "our most long-range operation." He added that "our people involved in preparing the operation were withdrawn from Russian territory in time" and thanked General Vasyl Maliuk, head of the SBU, for the success. 

Zelensky said some details could not be disclosed yet but declared: "These are Ukrainian actions that will undoubtedly be in history books… Ukraine is defending itself, and rightly so."

Russia’s defense ministry confirmed that airfields in five regions were attacked: Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur.

Russia called the strike a "terrorist act" but said its forces repelled the attack. Still, the ministry admitted several aircraft caught fire. Russian officials said some suspects had been arrested.

Ukraine said 117 drones were used.

The SBU claimed 34% of Russia’s strategic bombers were hit and estimated the damage at $7 billion. BBC Monitoring reported that other Ukrainian experts gave a lower estimate of $2 billion. These numbers have not been confirmed.

The attack happened just before planned peace talks between Ukraine and Russia were set to begin Monday in Istanbul, which are backed by President Donald Trump, the BBC reported.

RUSSIA LAUNCHES LARGEST AERIAL ATTACK OF UKRAINE WAR, KILLING AT LEAST 12

Ukraine says it will push for a full ceasefire, the return of captured prisoners, and the return of children taken to Russia. Those terms have not been agreed to by Russia.

The White House confirmed to Fox News that the Trump administration was not informed about the attack in advance. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who did not speak to Ukrainian officials immediately after the operation, was ultimately given a full briefing and subsequent updates, according to a senior defense official.

The officials said the blitz was highly sophisticated, and that the Pentagon is unsure whether the quadcopter drones, which were prepositioned in Russia in cabins and then offloaded into trucks, were piloted or autonomous.

U.S. officials were skeptical of reports that up to 50 Russian bombers were hit, and believed the number was likely between 11 and 15, the official said, who added it may have involved as many as five Russian airfields.

Military experts say the raid damaged Russia’s ability to launch long-range missile attacks. The bombers hit included TU-95 and TU-22M3 aircraft, which have been used in past strikes on Ukraine.

Ukraine also claimed it damaged a Russian A-50 radar aircraft, used to direct Russian air power.

BBC weapons analyst Chris Partridge said that because the drones were launched from inside Russia, air defenses like the S-300 and S-400 had little time to react.

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The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's additional request for comment.

Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.