Feed aggregator

A marble statue of a woman believed to be more than 2,000 years old was found abandoned in a garbage bag near the Greek city of Thessaloniki, police said Wednesday.

A resident discovered the 80-centimeter (31-inch) headless statue beside a trash bin in Neoi Epivates, outside Greece’s second-largest city. The man turned it over to local authorities, who contacted archaeologists to assess its significance.

US RETURNS TO GREECE 30 ANCIENT ARTIFACTS WORTH $3.7 MILLION, INCLUDING MARBLE STATUES

Police said experts, following an initial evaluation, determined the piece dates to the Hellenistic era, a period roughly between 320 and 30 B.C. that was marked by a flourishing of art and culture following the conquests of Alexander the Great.

The statue was sent for further examination by archaeologists. It will ultimately be handed over to the local antiquities authority for preservation and study.

Police opened an investigation to determine who discarded the statue and briefly detained a man for questioning who was later released without charge.

Accidental archaeological discoveries are relatively common in Greece, a country renowned for its ancient heritage, and often made during building construction or public works. In December, workers installing natural gas pipelines near Athens uncovered a Roman-era statue of Hermes buried upright in a brick-lined pit near the Acropolis.

Thessaloniki weeks ago unveiled a trove of antiquities found during the decades-long construction of its metro system, which officially opened in November. Key finds, including a marble-paved Roman thoroughfare and tens of thousands of artifacts spanning the Greek, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods, are now showcased at subway stations.

A survivor of the Nova music festival terrorist attack by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, has channeled her therapeutic journey through music and on Thursday secured the slot to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland.

Yuval Raphael, 24, reportedly began singing as a way to cope with the trauma she endured after she, four of her friends and roughly 40 others attempted to hide in a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re'im after they fled the festival by car after the attack. 

Raphael, who was forced to hide under the bodies of those killed in front of her for about eight hours before help arrived, has shared her story and described how Hamas terrorists repeatedly returned to the bomb shelter and opened fire on those hiding inside. 

Eventually, the terrorists began throwing grenades into the concrete shelter, a story similar to what dozens endured that day, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

IDF KILLS HAMAS TERRORIST IT SAYS WORKED FOR UNRWA, LED CHARGE ON REIM BOMB SHELTER MASSACRE

"Music is one of the strongest ingredients in my healing process," she said during the competition Thursday, The Times of Israel reported.

Despite having no previous experience as a singer, Raphael secured her top spot after singing "The Writings on the Wall" followed by a rendition of ABBA’s "Dancing Queen" dedicated to "all the angels" killed in the October 2023 terrorist attack.  

Raphael had previously garnered international attention not with her powerhouse voice but by sharing her experience with the United Nations Human Rights Council in a move she said was not politically motivated but an attempt to bring attention to what innocent civilians endured that tragic day. 

TRUMP ENVOY SAYS GAZA CEASEFIRE COULD PAVE WAY FOR MIDEAST NORMALIZATION DEAL: 'INFLECTION POINT'

"I want to tell them the story of the country, of what I went through, of what others went through," she reportedly said ahead of the final. "I want to tell the story, but not from a place of seeking pity. I want it to be from a place of standing strong in the face of this and in the face of the boos I’m 100% sure will come from the crowd."

Raphael’s comments were in reference to the pushback she and other Israelis have faced during the international competitions, including in 2024, following the terrorist attack and subsequent Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) operations in Gaza.

 CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Israel has faced calls to be banned from the international competition, but the European Broadcasting Union has rejected the push, affirming that Eurovision is a non-political music event. The 2024 Israeli contestant, Eden Golan, faced anti-Israeli protests and had to be granted a Shin Bet security detail.

Golan was also required to change the name of her song, "October Rain," to "Hurricane" because event officials believed it was too political, The Times of Israel reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended Elon Musk after media outlets described a gesture that the Tesla CEO made at President Donald Trump’s inauguration rally on Monday as a Nazi salute.

Netanyahu took to X on Thursday to post that Musk is "being falsely smeared."

"Elon is a great friend of Israel," the prime minister said. "He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He has since repeatedly and forcefully supported Israel’s right to defend itself against genocidal terrorists and regimes who seek to annihilate the one and only Jewish state." 

Netanyahu went on to thank Musk for his support.

MEDIA OUTLETS ACCUSE ELON MUSK OF GIVING ‘FASCIST SALUTE’ AT TRUMP INAUGURATION RALLY

Musk made the gesture in question while speaking to a crowd of MAGA faithful at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

"This is what victory feels like! And this was no ordinary victory, this was a fork in the road for human civilization… I just want to say thank you for making it happen, thank you. From my heart to yours," an ebullient Musk said as he placed his hand over his own heart and reached out to the crowd.

PBS News Hour fired out a post on X that said the Tesla CEO "gave what appeared to be a fascist salute," while the Jerusalem post wrote, "US billionaire Elon Musk appeared to make a Heil Hitler salute at the Washington DC Trump parade on Monday, following Trump's inauguration."

CNN host Erin Burnett played the clip of the gesture and called it an "odd salute."

ELON MUSK JOINS TRUMP AT DC RALLY: 'LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKING A LOT OF CHANGES'

Musk addressed the controversy Wednesday on X, which he owns, writing, "The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi."

On Thursday, Musk poked fun at the reports in another post on X.

"Don’t say Hess to Nazi accusations! Some people will Goebbels anything down! Stop Gőring your enemies! His pronouns would’ve been He/Himmler! Bet you did nazi that coming," Musk wrote, adding a crying laughing emoji.

The Anti-Defamation League also defended Musk in a statement saying that the tech billionaire had made an "awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute."

"In this moment, all sides should give each one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt and take a breath," the statement said. 

Fox News Digital's David Spector contributed to this report.

At least 12 train passengers were killed in western India Wednesday after being struck by another train on an adjacent track after they jumped from their coaches in panic to escape a rumored fire incident, the Press Trust of India reported.

At least six other people were injured, the news agency cited police officer Dattatraya Karale as saying.

The accident occurred in Maharashtra State, near the Pardhade railroad station, 255 miles northeast of Mumbai, India’s financial capital.

INDIA STEPS UP DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE TALIBAN AS RIVAL PAKISTAN LOSES INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN

PTI said the victims jumped off the Pushpak Express train, which had stopped after some passengers pulled an emergency chain. Those who disembarked were hit by another express train on the adjacent railroad track, PTI quoted railway spokesman Swapnil Nila as saying.

"Our preliminary information is that there were sparks inside one of the coaches of the Pushpak Express due to either a ‘hot axle’ or ‘brake-binding’ (jamming), and some passengers panicked. They pulled the chain, and some of them jumped down on the tracks. At the same time, Karnataka Express was passing on the adjoining track," a senior railway official told PTI.

Despite government efforts to improve rail safety, hundreds of accidents occur every year on India’s railways, which comprise the largest train network under one management in the world.

In 2023, two passenger trains collided after derailing in eastern India, killing more than 280 people and injuring hundreds in one of the country’s deadliest rail crashes in decades.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focusing on the modernization of the British colonial-era railroad network in India, which has become the world’s most populous country with 1.42 billion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly worried about the state of his country’s economy as President Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office. According to a Reuters report citing five sources, Trump's push to end the war in Ukraine is only adding to Putin's concerns.

Throughout his campaign, Trump pushed to end world conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, which began with Putin’s 2022 invasion.

"I really do have a lot of confidence in his [Trump’s] ability to actually get to a position where this war is actually over," Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's pick for envoy to Ukraine & Russia, told "America Reports."

Russia’s economy has thrived despite international sanctions due to its oil, gas and mineral exports, but, according to Reuters, labor shortages and high interest rates have put strain on the economy. These challenges have allegedly led Russia’s elite to see a negotiated settlement with Ukraine as prudent, Reuters reported, citing two sources.

"There are problems, but unfortunately, problems are now the companions of almost all countries of the world," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters. "The situation is assessed as stable, and there is a margin of safety."

In the same conversation with Reuters, Pskov reportedly acknowledged "problematic factors" in Russia’s economy, but said it was able to meet "all military requirements incrementally."

PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA READY TO COMPROMISE WITH TRUMP ON UKRAINE WAR

Last month, Putin said he was ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on ending the war and had no conditions for starting talks with the Ukrainian authorities.

"We have always said that we are ready for negotiations and compromises," Putin said at the time, after saying that Russian forces, advancing across the entire front, were moving toward achieving their primary goals in Ukraine.

"In my opinion, soon there will be no one left who wants to fight. We are ready, but the other side needs to be ready for both negotiations and compromises."

PUTIN, XI VOW TO ‘DEEPEN’ ALLIANCE HOURS AFTER TRUMP RE-ENTERS THE WHITE HOUSE

Putin has made major foreign policy moves in preparation for the possible consequences of Trump’s return, including fortifying ties with Iran and China. On Jan. 21, less than a day after Trump entered office, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to "deepen strategic coordination."

Recently, Russia and Iran signed a partnership pact, which caused concern with the US and its allies. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed the treaty was "not directed against anyone," comparing it to the country’s 2024 agreement with North Korea.

Two people, including a 2-year-old boy, were killed and three others injured in a stabbing attack in Bavaria on Wednesday. The suspect, a former asylum-seeker who was supposed to be leaving Germany, was arrested.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that authorities must clear up why the suspect was still in the country. He said the attack, a month before a national election in which curbing irregular migration is a major issue, must have consequences.

'RANDOM' STABBING SPREE AT FESTIVAL IN GERMANY LEAVES 3 DEAD, OTHERS INJURED: REPORT

The attack occurred just before noon in a park in Aschaffenburg, a city of about 72,000 people. Bavaria's top security official, Joachim Herrmann, said the assailant attacked the boy, who was part of a group of kindergarten children, with a kitchen knife.

He said the 2-year-old of Moroccan origin was killed, along with a 41-year-old German man who was passing by and appeared to have intervened to protect the other children. Bavarian officials said two adults and a 2-year-old Syrian girl were injured and taken to a hospital for treatment, and none of their lives were in danger.

Other passers-by chased the suspect and he was arrested 12 minutes after the attack, Herrmann said.

He said the suspect, a 28-year-old Afghan national, had come to authorities' attention at least three times because of acts of violence. On each occasion, he was sent for psychiatric treatment and later released.

The suspect is believed to have arrived in Germany in November 2022 and applied for asylum in early 2023, Herrmann said. On Dec. 4, he told authorities that he would leave the country voluntarily and would seek papers from the Afghan consulate. A week later, German authorities formally closed asylum proceedings and told him to leave.

Police will work over the coming days to identify his motive, Herrmann said, adding that suspicions so far point to his psychiatric illness. A first search of his room at a refugee home found no evidence that he had radical Islamic views, and only turned up medicine that would fit with his psychiatric treatment, he said.

The attack is politically sensitive a month before Germany's national election.

Scholz issued a strongly-worded statement condemning what he called "an incomprehensible act of terror."

"I am tired of such acts of violence happening here every few weeks — by perpetrators who came to us to find protection here," he said. "Mistaken tolerance is inappropriate here. Authorities must clear up at high pressure why the attacker was still in Germany at all."

That must lead to "immediate consequences — it is not enough to talk," Scholz added. He didn't elaborate.

Following a knife attack by an Afghan immigrant in Mannheim in May that left a police officer dead and four more people injured, Scholz vowed that Germany would start deporting criminals from Afghanistan and Syria again. He vowed to step up deportations of rejected asylum-seekers following a knife attack in Solingen in August in which a suspected Islamic extremist from Syria is accused of killing three people.

At the end of August, Germany deported Afghan nationals to their homeland for the first time since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

A Taiwanese Air Force officer died after being sucked into the engine of a fighter jet, officials said. 

The incident reportedly happened at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base on Tuesday while the master sergeant was performing a pre-shutdown inspection of the aircraft. 

Taiwan’s Air Force said the officer was "inhaled by the engine for unknown reasons." She later was pronounced dead after life-saving efforts were unsuccessful. 

"In response to media reports that ‘it is suspected that an instructor's throttle application caused a female officer to be inhaled by a fighter jet,’ the Air Force Command stated that the case is currently being investigated by a task force in cooperation with prosecutors to clarify the cause," it added. 

TAIWAN HAILS IMPORTANCE OF US RELATIONSHIP, SAYS GROUP VISITS ‘CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE AND STABILITY’ 

Officials say they are "deeply saddened" by the death. 

Taiwan’s Air Force also said that it will "fully assist the family in handling the aftermath" and that it will "conduct a comprehensive review and improve the work process to prevent similar cases from happening again." 

CHINA WARNS US TO STOP ARMING TAIWAN AFTER BIDEN APPROVES $571 MILLION IN MILITARY AID 

The plane involved in the incident was an Indigenous Defense Fighter, the Taipei Times reported, adding that the victim served in the military for around 17 years. 

A source familiar with the aircraft told the Taipei Times that the chance of a ground crew member being sucked into its engine – which has a fairly small intake opening -- is "miniscule."  

The source said after the plane lands, its motor speed is on a slow rotation and should have been stopped by the time the wheel chocks were being deployed at the base. 

Security cameras installed in the hangar of the base should provide the full picture as to what happened, the source added. 

Debra Tice has spent more than 12 years searching for her son, Austin Tice, a Marine veteran and journalist who was kidnapped in Syria in August 2012. 

Through four presidential administrations, she has not lost hope that her son will come home alive. In fact, she calls the new Trump administration a "breath of fresh air."

"They are thinking about what they need to do, making suggestions, standing ready, having ideas. The burden isn’t on me the way it has been in the past," Tice told Fox News Digital, referring to the Trump administration.

The Marine veteran’s mother’s first trip back to Damascus, Syria, in over 10 years comes on the heels of a revolution within the war-torn country. Debra Tice has been in Syria for only a few days, but she has already managed to meet with the country’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the group that overthrew Bashar al-Assad.

"It was really quite a surprise that we were able to get a meeting with al-Sharaa. It was a very good meeting," Tice said.

SYRIA RESCUE-MISSION OPERATOR BELIEVES AUSTIN TICE IS ALIVE AND WILL BE FOUND SOON

Hostage Aid Worldwide, a non-profit organization coordinating Tice’s visit to Syria, was able to take her inside some of the prisons that have been abandoned since the fall of Assad. She said that seeing the conditions in these prisons was "really challenging," but that she appreciated getting a sense of "what Austin was up against."

Tice also issued a challenge to those in the U.S. government who "feel like Austin can wait" to go see the prisons for themselves.

"I think if they had to come over here – and I wouldn’t even ask them to spend the night in one of those prisons – but I think if they had gone to see what he may have gone through, maybe they would’ve been more motivated to get Austin out of there."

TREY YINGST ENTERS ABANDONED SYRIAN DETENTION SITE IN SEARCH FOR MISSING AMERICAN JOURNALIST AUSTIN TICE

During a press conference on Monday, Tice offered praise for the incoming Trump administration and confirmed that they have "already reached out" regarding Austin’s case.

"I haven’t experienced that in the past four years, but I am optimistic about their help and involvement. I believe they will act quickly," Tice said.

Tice also used the press conference to send an emotional message to her missing son. "Austin, if you can hear this somehow, I love you. I know you won’t give up, and I won’t give up either," Tice said.

Tice added she has "never had any doubt about the fact that Austin is going to walk free. It’s a matter of time, and in my faith it’s God’s timing."

When speaking about her hope and optimism about finding her son, Tice credited her faith as "100 percent." She added that, "if I didn’t have my faith, I just think I would crumble into a bunch of really small pieces."

COLLAPSE OF SYRIA’S ASSAD REGIME RENEWS US PUSH TO FIND AUSTIN TICE

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that "intensive efforts are still underway to find Austin Tice." Additionally, the spokesperson said that the department is "working to get U.S. officials into Damascus" to aid in the search but is waiting for confirmation that the"conditions are safe and local authorities can accommodate the visit."

"We have used relevant information, as well as declassified intelligence, to inform the search efforts of Syrian and international partners on the ground in Damascus who are searching for Austin every day," the spokesperson added.

"They have visited and searched numerous now-uncovered secret prisons, but to date they have not found Austin or any additional information that would help us locate him."

Last month, after receiving a letter from Debra Tice, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to ask Assad for help finding Austin. However, as of now, there are no signs that this has happened.

The United Nations atomic watchdog on Wednesday sounded the alarm that Iran has hit the "gas pedal" on its nuclear development and urged diplomacy just two days after President Donald Trump re-entered the White House. 

The Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told world leaders at the Davos World Economic Forum that Iran has roughly enough uranium, if enriched further, to develop nearly five nuclear weapons.

Rafael Grossi warned that Iran currently possesses roughly 440 pounds of near-weapons grade uranium that has been enriched to the 60% purity threshold, shy of the 90% purity levels needed to develop a nuclear bomb. Roughly 92 pounds of weapons-grade uranium is enough to create one nuclear bomb, reported Reuters.

TASK FORCE CREATED IN AFRICA TO COUNTER TERROR FEARS FROM IRAN AND JIHADI GROUPS

"One can gather from the first statements from President Trump and some others in the new administration that there is a disposition, so to speak, to have a conversation and perhaps move into some form of an agreement," Grossi said.

Conservative allies of Trump have called on the president to continue with his maximum pressure campaign that was implemented against Iran during his first presidency. Mark Levin, host of Fox News show "Life, Liberty & Levin," on Tuesday urged the president to "not appease" Tehran when it comes to its nuclear deal.

"Do not embrace the discredited ‘diplomatic solutions’ of the Biden and Obama regimes and think deals can be made with mass murdering terrorists," Levin said in a post on X. "You do not negotiate with genocidal maniacs, pure and simple.  

"Do not appease, as their bloodthirsty ideology cannot be appeased only destroyed," he warned. 

According to the Grossi, Iran has increased its production of uranium enriched to 60% purity levels from an average of 15 pounds each month to more than 65 pounds. 

"I think this is a clear indication of an acceleration. They are pressing the gas pedal," Grossi told reporters, according to Reuters.

The IAEA chief said that while it will take time for Iran to develop the extra centrifuges needed to create more enriched uranium, he believes the international community can expect "to start seeing steady increases from now."

It is unclear what comments issued by the new Trump administration led Grossi to believe that it might be open to diplomacy given Trump's repeated commitments to hit Iran with stiff sanctions in a move to end Tehran’s support of state-sponsored terrorism and counter its nuclear program. 

Republicans have ardently objected to diplomatic efforts in the past, and Trump, in 2018, pulled the U.S. out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, an international deal that looked to limit Iran’s nuclear program.

Reports this week claimed that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had prohibited the development of a nuclear weapon in an apparent olive branch to Trump, though Fox News Digital could not independently confirm this. This alleged ban also would not necessarily prohibit Tehran from developing its nuclear program. 

JOHN FETTERMAN AND LINDSEY GRAHAM ADVOCATE FOR THE DESTRU

Fox News Digital could not immediately reach the White House to confirm whether Trump plans to pursue any diplomatic efforts to counter Iran’s nuclear program. 

A pair of NFL legends and former Kansas City Chiefs teammates recently traveled to Israel to press the case for Israeli and American hostages held captive by Hamas.

Nick Lowery, one of the league's all-time greatest placekickers, and former star fullback Tony Richardson returned from the five-day trip, sponsored by Athletes for Israel, earlier this month. Weeks later, a diplomatic breakthrough resulted in the release of three hostages and the promise of more to come. Lowery, the Chiefs' all-time leading scorer and, like Richardson, a member of the team's Hall of Fame, told Fox News Digital that making a difference off the field is more important than what he achieved in his illustrious gridiron career.

ISRAEL RELEASES 90 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASE-FIRE DEAL TO FREE HOSTAGES

"What is a Hall of Famer?" said Lowery, who played college football at Dartmouth and went on to earn a graduate degree from Harvard. "There’s one on the field, and then there’s your contribution to your community. In the end, that’s your legacy."

The 68-year-old Lowery's focus these days is on combating antisemitism and racism, and advocating for the release of Hamas hostages, such as Naama Levy, 20. Levy was abducted from the Nahal Oz base, less than a kilometer from Gaza, where she was stationed as a surveillance soldier on October 7, 2023. The Times of Israel reported that 15 surveillance soldiers were killed that day, and six were taken hostage.

Footage released by Hamas shows a terrorist dragging Levy by her hair into a Jeep. Her hands were bound, her ankles cut, her face bleeding and her sweatpants were blood-stained.
Lowery stated in a video posted to social media, "Naama can’t speak. But we, athletes of the world, must speak for her now."

Lowery is part of the #SportSpeaksUp campaign, led by Eric Rubin, CEO of Project Max, a movement dedicated to fighting racism, antisemitism and intolerance through sports. The campaign is supported by Athletes for Israel, a nonprofit organization that brings legendary sports figures to the Holy Land.

In Israel, Lowery met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana and Israel Defense Forces soldiers. He also visited the site of the Nova music festival massacre, which he called "overwhelming." He said, "There are the pictures of these people, full of life, two thirds of them women, absolutely beautiful, full of life, and there were flowers and offerings of love and support for their memory."

Lowery was re-baptized at the Sea of Galilee and visited the Western Wall, which he said was a deeply spiritual experience.

"As a Christian, simply touching the wall, it feels like you're connecting to God," Lowery said.

Lowery and Richardson also took a tour of Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where they observed an extended dinner table with 200 seats decorated to honor each hostage. The chair for Levy was decorated with flowers.

They sat with Levy’s father, Yoni, and her brother, Amit, 22. Lowery said Yoni Levy spoke of how much his daughter loves to bring light and laughter to people, her vision to become a peacemaker, and her strong will and competitive spirit.

Amit Levy told Fox News Digital that he could tell Lowery enjoyed hearing about his sister.

"I think everyone who hears about her can feel her strength and is really inspired by her," Amit Levy said.

Levy is a fun-loving teenager who grew up in Israel and India and is close with her family, which also includes her mother, who is the doctor for the Israeli national soccer team; 16-year-old sister, Michal; and brother, Omri, 12, according to Amit Levy. He said his sister loves attending parties and laughing with friends, in addition to being "a very moral girl" with a caring nature, devoted to helping others and advocating for peace.

Levy was a diplomacy major in high school and later volunteered once a week at a kindergarten for African refugees in southern Israel for 10 months.

"She had a great connection with the children there," Amit Levy recalled.

Levy is an idealist who participated in the "Hands of Peace" delegation that encouraged Israeli and Palestinian youth to work together to create change, according to her brother.

"I would tell her that maybe in certain points she might be a bit naïve, because the world sometimes isn’t such a pleasant place," he said.

He also recalled how, as an elementary school student, his sister used to awaken their parents at 5 a.m. to take her to triathlon competitions, like their father and grandfather, who continues to compete as he approaches the age of 80.

The last time her family received news about Levy was in December 2023, when newly released female hostages recounted seeing her in the tunnels beneath Gaza. "They said she was injured from grenade shrapnel still in her leg, because there were grenades thrown at her and her friends at the bomb shelter on October 7," Amit Levy said.

It has been nearly 500 days since Levy and more than 100 others were abducted. Amit Levy described how the released hostages "could feel her strength and her amazing personality from the short time they got to meet her," which gave him and his family "air to breathe." 

However, there have been no subsequent reports about her.

Levy's family members find hope by reminding themselves of how strong she is "physically and especially mentally" and that she knows her mission is to survive.

Lowery also visited the soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, where 12 Druze children and teenagers were killed, and at least 42 injured by a Hezbollah rocket on July 27, 2024. There, Lowery comforted Jwan Ibraheem, a 13-year-old boy who was crying because he blamed himself for not being able to save his friend who was killed.

Rubin described how the group went onto the field where tragedy struck and started playing soccer with the kids, and suddenly, even if just for a moment, they forgot about their sadness and grief. He said it felt like half of the town came out and "the darkness evaporated."

Lowery marveled at the resilience of the Israelis he met, characterizing their collective attitude as "no one’s going to take my light." Even right after air raids, people were surfing and having cocktails at the beach, he noted.

Lowery said that standing up for Jewish people is in his "emotional DNA," because his grandmother documented atrocities at the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. He is dedicated to bringing Jews and Christians together, and he and Rubin expressed how they are committed to continuing to meet with these families.

"I feel so honored to know these people. They’re in my heart now," Lowery said. "Maybe football is a tough sport, but this is the most important work we've ever done.... We’re bonded for life."

JOHANNESBURG - To counter the perceived threat of terror from Iran and jihadi groups, South Africa’s chief rabbi is setting up a specialist task force. 

Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein was spurred into creating the group after a bomb attack at a Jewish center in Cape Town last month. An improvised explosive device was thrown at the Samson Community Center but failed to detonate. The center is home to several South African Jewish organizations. 

The "Counter-Terror Task Force" will make recommendations to protect places of worship, schools and community centers.

"South Africa's Jewish community, like other Jewish communities globally, faces heightened risk of terror attacks," Goldstein told Fox News Digital. "The Iranian regime is the world’s chief exponent of state-sponsored terror, and have made it their strategy to target Jewish communities worldwide. With this in mind, the findings of the task force will be applied not just in South Africa, but globally." 

GLOBAL RISE IN ANTISEMITISM LEAVES JEWISH COMMUNITY ISOLATED, RABBI SAYS WORLD AT 'A TIPPING POINT'

He added, "In addition, Africa has over the past decade become a hub for global jihadi terror, with the threat indices dramatically increasing as groups such as al-Shabab, Boko Haram and ISIS operate throughout the continent." 

The task force comprises global authorities on terror: Admiral Mike Hewitt, former deputy director for Global Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the U.S. Defense Department, Dean Haydon, former senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism in the United Kingdom, Major General David Tsur, former commander of the counter-terrorism unit in the Israeli Police, and Andre Pienaar, co-founder of South Africa’s Directorate of Special Operations, also known as the Scorpions. 

The chief rabbi added, "They will be marshalling additional resources and personnel as and when needed." 

Goldstein said the force’s immediate objective "is to secure the South African Jewish community against attacks. The broader objective is to better ensure the safety of all South Africans, and citizens of countries around the world." 

He continued, "Across Africa, especially, it is Christians far more than Jews who suffer the consequences of Jihadist terror. Each year, Jihadists murder thousands of Christians for their faith." 

Goldstein told Fox News Digital that the South African government’s stance at the International Court of Justice, where it has accused Israel of genocide over the war in Gaza, has "stigmatized Jews not only within the country but globally." 

INCOMING TRUMP ADMIN, CONGRESS SHOWDOWN LOOMS WITH SOUTH AFRICA OVER SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA, US FOES

However, Goldstein added that the views of the government here are not necessarily the views of the people. "Against that it must be understood that the South African public generally holds moderate and pragmatic views on Israel, and levels of domestic antisemitism remain very low by Western standards."

"There were 128 recorded antisemitic incidents in 2024 in South Africa," Professor Karen Milner, national chair of the Jewish Board of Deputies in South Africa, told Fox News Digital. "This makes it the second-highest number of incidents since record keeping began in 1998. The highest number of incidents was recorded in 2023 (182). However, 63% of these occurred immediately following the events of October 7 (the Hamas attack in Israel).

"The early months of 2024 were impacted greatly by the wave of antisemitism that immediately followed the October 7 attacks in Israel," Milner continued. "It is worth noting that the majority of the antisemitic incidents recorded in 2024 were verbal assaults, targeted hate mail, or antagonism, with very few incidents graduating into physical assault."

Milner concluded, adding, "with that said, antisemitism remains much lower than other comparable countries, and South Africa remains a safe space in which Jews can identify as Jewish and practice their religion in relative security."

Fox News Digital reached out to the South African Justice and Police Departments but did not receive a response.

More than 80 people were killed in the country’s northeast over the weekend following the government's failed attempts to hold peace talks with the National Liberation Army, a Colombian official said.

Twenty others were injured in the violence that has forced thousands to flee as Colombia's army scrambled to evacuate people on Sunday, according to William Villamizar, governor of North Santander, where many of the killings took place.

COLOMBIA'S PRESIDENT SAYS COUNTRY WILL BREAK DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL OVER WAR IN GAZA

Among the victims are community leader Carmelo Guerrero and seven people who sought to sign a peace deal, according to a report that a government ombudsman agency released late Saturday.

Officials said the attacks happened in several towns located in the Catatumbo region near the border with Venezuela, with at least three people who were part of the peace talks being kidnapped.

Thousands of people are fleeing the area, with some hiding in the nearby lush mountains or seeking help at government shelters.

"We were caught in the crossfire," said Juan Gutiérrez, who fled with his family to a temporary shelter in Tibú after they were forced to leave behind their animals and belongings. "We had no time to grab our things. ... I hope the government remembers us. ... We are helpless here."

Colombia’s army rescued dozens of people on Sunday, including a family and their pet dog, whose owner held a pack of cold water against the animal’s chest to keep it cool as they evacuated by helicopter.

Defense Minister Iván Velásquez traveled to the northeast town of Cúcuta on Sunday where he held several security meetings and urged armed groups to demobilize.

"The priority is to save lives and guarantee the security of communities," he said. "We have deployed our troops throughout the entire region."

Officials also prepared to send 10 tons of food and hygiene kits for approximately 5,000 people in the communities of Ocaña and Tibú, the majority of them having fled the violence.

"Catatumbo needs help," Villamizar said in a public address on Saturday. "Boys, girls, young people, teenagers, entire families are showing up with nothing, riding trucks, dump trucks, motorcycles, whatever they can, on foot, to avoid being victims of this confrontation."

The attack comes after Colombia suspended peace talks with the National Liberation Army, or ELN, on Friday, the second time it has done so in less than a year.

Colombia’s government has demanded that the ELN cease all attacks and allow authorities to enter the region and provide humanitarian aid.

"Displacement is killing us here in the region," said José Trinidad, a municipal official for the town of Convención, located in the North Santander region. "We're afraid the crisis will worsen."

Trinidad called on insurgent groups to sit down and hammer out a new agreement so "us civilians don't have to suffer the consequences that we're suffering right now."

The ELN has been clashing in Catatumbo with former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a guerrilla group that disbanded after signing a peace deal in 2016 with Colombia's government. The two are fighting over control of a strategic border region that has coca leaf plantations.

In a statement Saturday, the ELN said it had warned former FARC members that if they "continued attacking the population ... there was no other way out than armed confrontation." The ELN has accused ex-FARC rebels of several killings in the area, including the Jan. 15 slaying of a couple and their 9-month-old baby.

Army commander Gen. Luis Emilio Cardozo Santamaría said Saturday that authorities were reinforcing a humanitarian corridor between Tibú and Cúcuta for the safe passage of those forced to flee their homes. He said special urban troops also were deployed to municipal capitals "where there are risks and a lot of fear."

The ELN has tried to negotiate a peace deal with the administration of President Gustavo Petro five times, with talks failing after bouts of violence. ELN demands include that it be recognized as a political rebel organization, which critics have said is risky.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday pledged to "deepen strategic coordination" in a video call less than a day after President Donald Trump re-entered the White House.

A transcript of the call posted to the Kremlin’s website showed that both Putin and Xi referred to one another as "friends" and vowed to back one another’s strategic interests, no matter the "current global situation."

"This year, I am ready, together with you, to elevate Chinese-Russian relations to a new level, to counter external uncertainties by preserving stability and resilience of Chinese-Russian relations," Xi said while addressing Putin.

TRUMP WANTS TO VISIT CHINA AGAIN AFTER HE TAKES OFFICE: REPORT

The pair both vowed to back the U.N.-centered international system ahead of the 80th anniversary this year, and to defend the post-World War II global order – a nod to Putin’s pursuit to reclaim Ukraine in what many have argued is an attempt to re-establish the Soviet Union. 

Xi also told Putin about a call he had with Trump on Friday regarding TikTok, trade and Taiwan, according to a report by Reuters.

The Chinese and Russian leaders also reportedly "indicated a willingness to build relations with the United States on a mutually beneficial, mutually respectful basis," Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters, adding this will happen "if the Trump team really shows interest in this."

"It was also noted from our side that we are ready for dialogue with the new U.S. administration on the Ukrainian conflict," he added.

RUSSIA, IRAN TO SEAL PARTNERSHIP TREATY DAYS BEFORE TRUMP TAKES OFFICE

Neither readouts of the call issued by China or Russia directly mentioned Ukraine, though Russia highlighted that Beijing has remained a major supporter of Moscow’s economy as it is the largest consumer of Russian energy resources – a major earner for Putin’s war effort.

"Five years ago, we launched the Power of Siberia gas pipeline together, and today, Russia has become the leading supplier of natural gas to China," the Kremlin said in a readout.

Though according to Beijing, Moscow did directly address China’s interests in Taiwan and, according to the readout issued by the Chinese Communist Party, "Russia firmly supports Taiwan as an integral part of China's territory and firmly opposes any form of ‘Taiwan independence.'"

"I believe that the past year was very good for us," Putin said. "It can be said confidently that our foreign policy ties and Russia and China's joint efforts objectively play a major stabilizing role in international affairs."

Russia’s foreign ministry has called on President Donald Trump to reaffirm the current international agreement surrounding the Panama Canal and to leave it in control of the nation of Panama. 

Alexander Shchetinin, the director of Russia’s foreign ministry’s Latin American department, told Russian news outlet TASS that he expects Trump "will respect the current international legal regime" of the canal as laid out in two 1977 treaties between the U.S. and Panama.

The agreement relinquished American control over the canal by the year 2000 and guaranteed its neutrality.

TRUMP: CARTER WAS A 'VERY FINE' PERSON BUT PANAMA CANAL MOVES WERE 'A BIG MISTAKE'

Trump has railed against Panama since his sweeping election win in November, accusing the Central American country of letting China dominate the critical maritime trade route and leaving U.S. ships getting "ripped off" in the process.

During his inaugural speech on Monday, President Trump doubled down on his grievances and declared that the U.S. would be "taking it back."

"We expect that during the expected discussions between the leadership of Panama and President Trump on issues of control over the Panama Canal, which certainly falls within the sphere of their bilateral relations, the parties will respect the current international legal regime of this key waterway," Shchetinin said.

He said that 40 countries also joined a protocol agreement, of which Russia is one, to recognize the canal’s neutrality and to keep it "safe and open."

"[The U.S. and Panama] must protect the canal from any threat to the neutrality regime," Shchetinin said. "At the same time, a reservation was made that the said right of the United States to defend the Panama Canal does not mean and should not be interpreted as the right to interfere in the internal affairs of Panama, and any actions by the American side will never be directed against the territorial integrity or political independence of Panama."

TRUMP OUTLINES PLANS ON BORDER, PANAMA CANAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE

Trump has been critical of the agreement and said previously it was a "big mistake" on Carter’s part.

"The United States… spent more money than was ever spent on a project before and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal," Trump said at his inaugural address on Monday.

"We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should never have been made. And Panama's promise to us has been broken. The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated."

"American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form, and that includes the United States Navy. And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn't give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back."

The canal’s administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez, said this month that China is not in control of the canal and that all nations are treated equally under a neutrality treaty.

The 51-mile maritime trade route uses a series of locks and reservoirs to cut through the middle of Panama and connect the Atlantic and Pacific. The United States built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts.

The canal spares ships having to sail around Cape Horn at South America’s southern tip, saving it a roughly 7,000-mile journey. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Panama President José Raúl Mulino issued a statement rejecting Trump’s comments and said, "The Canal is and will continue to be Panama's and its administration will continue to be under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality."

"There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration," he added, taking issue with Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. "gave" the canal to Panama.

"Dialogue is always the way to clarify the points mentioned without undermining our right, total sovereignty and ownership of our Canal," Mulino said. 

Fox News’ Caitlin McFall and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, announced his resignation Tuesday, taking responsibility for the military's failures during the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks. 

His departure, set for March 2025, marks the end of a decorated four-decade military career and has ignited political turmoil, with opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling on the Israeli leader to step down.

"On the morning of October 7, the IDF under my command failed in its mission to protect Israel’s citizens. This failure weighs on me every day and will do so for the rest of my life," Halevi wrote in his resignation letter, addressing the IDF’s failure during the unprecedented assault by Hamas, which left over 1,400 Israelis dead and dozens abducted.

Despite the October 7 tragedy, Halevi highlighted the IDF's achievements under his leadership, including operations that weakened Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran’s regional influence. "The IDF managed to rise from a very challenging starting point to conduct intense combat over more than a year and three months across seven theaters of operation," he stated. "The military achievements of the IDF have transformed the Middle East."

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

Halevi said, "The objectives of the war have not yet been fully achieved. The IDF will continue fighting to dismantle Hamas’s governing capabilities, secure the return of all hostages, and strengthen security conditions to ensure the safe return of residents to their homes." He emphasized that his resignation followed the cease-fire and a new deal for hostage returns.

Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked Halevi for his service in a statement from his office: "The Prime Minister thanked the Chief of Staff for his many years of service and leadership during the War of Revival across seven fronts, which brought significant achievements to the State of Israel." Defense Minister Israel Katz also praised Halevi’s contributions, noting, "He will continue to fulfill his duties and oversee an orderly transition process until the end of his tenure."

Halevi’s resignation marks the most significant exit from Israel’s security establishment in the wake of the events of Oct. 7. Netanyahu has declined to take responsibility for those failures, repeatedly stating that accountability will come only after the war.

ISRAEL, HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL COULD ENABLE REARMING OF GAZA TERRORISTS 

Opposition leaders used Halevi’s resignation to escalate criticism of Netanyahu. Opposition leader Yair Lapid stated, "I salute Lieutenant General Halevi for his integrity. Now it’s time for the Prime Minister and his disastrous government to take responsibility and resign." Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz echoed this, calling Halevi’s decision ethical and commendable. "The government must follow his example and establish a state commission of inquiry to restore public trust," he added. Avigdor Lieberman also urged Netanyahu and his cabinet to step down.

To date, the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the events of Oct. 7 has not been approved by the Israeli government. Knesset member Orit Farkash-Hacohen announced that she will submit a bill on Wednesday to establish such a commission, following the resignation of the IDF chief of staff.

Families of Oct. 7 victims demanded accountability from both the military and government, calling for a state inquiry. "We will not rest until a commission is established to prevent future disasters," they said in a statement.

Halevi’s resignation adds to pressure on Netanyahu, whose government faces historically low approval from the public, according to recent opinion polls. 

Speculation over Halevi’s successor has already begun, with leading candidates including Eyal Zamir, the current director-general of the Ministry of Defense who previously served as deputy chief of staff under former Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi. Other candidates for the position include Northern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Uri Gordin and the current deputy chief of staff, Amir Baram, who reportedly asked Halevi to step down several weeks ago.

Leaders across the globe reacted to Donald Trump’s return to the White House on Monday, offering general good wishes and extending geopolitical olive branches.

While President Trump set the tone in his inaugural address and declared he would "put America first," he also drew attention to specific areas like Mexico, Panama and China – sparking more questions over how new American policies under the 47th president of the United States could take shape.

Neither the China, Mexico nor Panama governments responded to Fox News Digital’s questions following the remarks issued by Trump during his inaugural address, including when he vowed to "take back" the Panama Canal, which the U.S. fully handed over to Panama in 1999.

"China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama," the president said.  "And we're taking it back."

Trump also vowed to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and pledged to reinstate his "Remain in Mexico" policies.

CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN CLAIMS TRUMP FULFILLED 'PROMISE TO BE A DICTATOR ON DAY ONE' WITH EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Panama President José Raúl Mulino issued a statement rejecting Trump’s comments and said, "The Canal is and will continue to be Panama's and its administration will continue to be under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality."

"There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration," he added, taking issue with Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. "gave" the canal to Panama.

"Dialogue is always the way to clarify the points mentioned without undermining our right, total sovereignty and ownership of our Canal.," Mulino said. 

Reports suggested that Mexico rejected Trump's plans to implement a "Remain in Mexico" policy and during a Monday morning conference, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico's secretary for external relations, said, "If they reinstate it, this is something we don’t agree with. We have a different focus. We want to adjust it." 

"The desire is to keep the same policies as now," he added.

China does not appear to have commented publicly following Trump's inaugural address, which was attended by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.

‘NATIONAL EMERGENCY’: TRUMP DECLARES AMBITIOUS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN INAUGURAL ADDRESS

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on re-entering the White House and suggested he may be open to peace talks with Ukraine. 

"We see the statements by the newly elected President of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia," Putin said, according to a Reuters translation.

"We also hear his statement about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War III," he added. "We of course welcome this attitude and congratulate the elected President of the United States of America on taking office."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy similarly issued his congratulations just ahead of the inauguration ceremony and said, "I congratulate President Trump and the American people on the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States. Today is a day of change and also a day of hope for the resolution of many problems, including global challenges.

"President Trump is always decisive, and the peace through strength policy he announced provides an opportunity to strengthen American leadership and achieve a long-term and just peace, which is the top priority," he added.

TRUMP ORDERS US WITHDRAWAL FROM WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte offered his "warm congratulations" and in a post on X said, "With President Trump back in office we will turbo-charge defense spending and production."

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen also took to X and said the international body "looks forward to working closely with you to tackle global challenges."

"Together, our societies can achieve greater prosperity and strengthen their common security," she added. 

While many nations in Europe, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom, congratulated Trump, with several leaders pronouncing that the U.S. is their closest ally, other nations in Europe were less willing to issue pronounced congratulations.

French President Emmanuel Macron issued a note of warning when giving a speech to the French military on Monday.

Macron said the Trump presidency was an "opportunity for a European strategic wake-up call" and highlighted scenarios that some have feared could affect European security, like a lessening of U.S. military presence in Europe if Washington opts to shift focus toward security concerns in Asia instead. 

Just one day into the long-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video message on X in which he congratulated Trump and said, "I believe that working together again we will raise the US-Israel alliance to even greater heights."

"The best days of our alliance are yet to come," he added. 

Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri also commented on the inauguration of the 47th president, saying, "We are happy with the departure of Biden, who has the blood of Palestinians on his hand," reported Reuters.  

"We hope for the end of this dark era that harmed the U.S. before anyone and that Trump can build his policies on balanced foundations that can cut the road against Netanyahu's evils that want to drown the region and the world," he added. 

The three Israeli hostages freed in the first phase of the cease-fire deal with Hamas were all spotted carrying paper "gift bags" with the terror organization’s logo. The bags reportedly contained a map of Gaza, photos of the women from their time in captivity, and certificates reading "release decision," according to Hebrew-language media.

Emily Damari, Romi Goren and Doron Steinbrecher, all of whom were kidnapped by Hamas during the deadly Oct. 7 attacks, returned to Israel on Sunday as part of a cease-fire deal. All three women have been reunited with their families after spending over 15 months in captivity.

BITTERSWEET REJOICING AS FIRST HOSTAGES RETURN TO ISRAEL AFTER 471 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY

A representative for Goren’s family says her bag also contained a necklace, CNN reported, adding that the Israel Security Agency confiscated the items Hamas gave the women.

"I am relieved to report that after her release, Emily is doing much better than any of us could ever have anticipated. I am also happy that during her release the world was given a glimpse of her feisty and charismatic personality," Mandy Damari, mother of Emily Damari, said in a statement released by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum on X. "In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she has her life back."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanked Netanyahu for securing the release of Damari, who is also a British citizen.

ISRAELI INTEL INDICATES HAMAS HELD HOSTAGES AT NEW GAZA HOSPITAL

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum also released a statement by Steinbrecher’s family in which they thanked the people of Israel and President Donald Trump for his support.

"A special thank you to the people of Israel for their warm embrace, unwavering support, and the strength they gave us during our darkest moments. We also extend our gratitude to President Trump for his significant involvement and support, which meant so much to us."

A Hamas official confirmed that four of the seven remaining Israeli female hostages will be released on Saturday, Jan. 25, according to reports.

The cease-fire and hostage deal involves Hamas gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages held in Gaza over the next six weeks in exchange for Israel releasing nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees from the West Bank and Gaza.

As part of the deal, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Damari, Goren and Steinbrecher. Crowds of Palestinians in the West Bank cheered and some reportedly waved Hamas flags in celebration of the detainees’ return.

ISRAEL RELEASES 90 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASE-FIRE DEAL TO FREE HOSTAGES

On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) leadership announced a shakeup as Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said he handed in his resignation and requested to leave his role later this year.

"I informed the Minister of Defense today (Tuesday) that by virtue of my recognition of my responsibility for the IDF's failure on October 7th, and at a time when the IDF has significant achievements and is in the process of implementing the agreement to release our hostages, I have requested to leave my role on March 6th, 2025," Halevi said in a statement released by the IDF.

"Until then, I will complete the IDF’s inquiries into the events of October 7th and strengthen the IDF's readiness for security challenges."

In response, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said "I would like to express my appreciation to the Chief of Staff and thank him for his contribution to the IDF throughout his years of service as a fighter and as a commander, and for his part in the great achievements of the IDF in the difficult war that was forced upon us."

Netanyahu also commended Halevi on his years of service and credited him for some of the country’s "great achievements."

A fire at a hotel at a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkey on Tuesday killed at least 66 people, Turkey's Interior Minister said.

Ali Yerlikaya said at least 51 other people were injured in the disaster.

"We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel," Yerlikaya told reporters after inspecting the site.

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said at least one of the injured was in serious condition.

The fire broke out at around 3:30 a.m. in the restaurant of the 12-story Grand Kartal hotel in the resort of Kartalkaya in Bolu province, officials and reports said. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Two of the victims died after jumping from the building in a panic, Gov. Abdulaziz Aydin told the state-run Anadolu Agency. Private NTV television said some people tried to climb down from their rooms using sheets and blankets.

There were 234 guests staying at the hotel, Aydin said.

COLLEGE ATHLETE DIES FROM TRAGIC ACCIDENT ON SKI RESORT'S MOST DIFFICULT TRAIL

Necmi Kepcetutan, a ski instructor at the hotel, said he was asleep when the fire erupted and he rushed out of the building. He told NTV television that he then helped some 20 guests out of the hotel.

He said the hotel was engulfed in smoke, making it difficult for guests to locate the fire escape.

"I cannot reach some of my students. I hope they are OK," the ski instructor told the station.

Television images showed the roof and top floors of the hotel on fire.

LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES: ANNA FARIS LOSES PACIFIC PALISADES HOME, MOLLY SIMS WEEPS OVER ‘DEVASTATED’ COMMUNITY

Witnesses and reports said the hotel’s fire detection system failed to operate.

"My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off," Atakan Yelkovan, a guest staying on the third floor of the hotel, told the IHA news agency.

"We tried to go upstairs but couldn’t, there were flames. We went downstairs and came here (outside)," he said.

Yelkovan said it took about an hour for the firefighting teams to arrive.

"People on the upper floors were screaming. They hung down sheets ... some tried to jump," he said.

TEEN DEAD AT SKI RESORT NEAR POSH MOUNTAIN TOWN

The government appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation into the fire. NTV television suggested that the wooden cladding on the exterior of the hotel, in a chalet-style design, may have accelerated the spread of the fire.

The 161-room hotel is on the side of a cliff, hampering efforts to combat the flames, the station also reported.

NTV showed a smoke-blackened lobby, its glass entrance and windows smashed, its wooden reception desk charred and a chandelier crashed to the ground.

Kartalkaya is a popular ski resort in the Koroglu mountains, some 300 kilometers (185 miles) east of Istanbul. The fire occurred during the school semester break when hotels in the region are packed.

Aydin's office said 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances were sent to the site.

Other hotels at the resort were evacuated as a precaution and guests were placed in hotels around Bolu.

Meanwhile, a gas explosion at a hotel at another ski resort in central Turkey injured four people.

The explosion took place at the Yildiz Mountain Winter Sports Center in Sivas province. Two skiers and their instructor were slightly injured while another instructor received second-degree burns on the hands and face, the Sivas governor’s office said.

TEL AVIV, Israel - With the first three Israeli hostages freed in the cease-fire for hostages deal, Fox News Digital has exclusively learned that several terrorists captured by Israeli forces last month confessed that Israeli captives were held at different times at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) recently completed a major raid on the hospital, arresting some 240 terrorists. The director of the hospital, Hussam Abu Safiya, the Israelis claim, had gathered intelligence showing that he not only allowed Hamas to infiltrate the hospital, but actively collaborated with the terror group.

Another captured terrorist, Anas Muhammad Faiz al-Sharif, who worked at the hospital as a cleaning supervisor and joined the Nukhba forces of Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades in 2021, told Israeli interrogators that the northern Gaza facility was viewed as "a safe haven for them because the [Israeli] military cannot directly target it."

He revealed that inside the hospital, terrorists distributed grenades and mortars, along with equipment for ambushing IDF troops and tanks.

UN ACCUSED OF DOWNPLAYING HAMAS TERRORISTS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITALS AS NEW REPORT IGNORES IMPORTANT DETAILS

Fox News Digital asked a World Health Organization (WHO) spokesman if, based on the IDF's new allegations about holding hostages at Adwan Hospital, they would condemn Hamas' use of hospitals for military use. 

In a statement, the spokesman said, "The International Humanitarian Law is very clear. Healthcare workers and healthcare facilities are off limits. They must not be attacked. They must not be used for military purposes. They must be protected at all times. The point is both to protect civilians, as well as to protect the health systems and infrastructure that communities depend on for life-giving care and continuity of services. 

"Failure to protect and respect healthcare devastates twice. First, in the initial harm, and then again for the months or years it takes to rebuild the health systems."

The statement concluded without condemning or singling out Hamas. "The protection of healthcare also includes the prohibition against combatants using health facilities for military purposes. IHL is also clear that even if healthcare facilities are being used for military purposes, there are stringent conditions which apply to taking action against them, including a duty to warn and to wait after warning and even then, disproportionate attacks are strictly prohibited."

Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former Trump National Security Council official, claimed, "Several international organizations operating in Gaza likely had direct knowledge of Hamas using hospitals as terror headquarters and only publicly protested Israel’s attempt to clear the terrorists. The Red Cross, UNRWA, World Health Organization - they were all collaborators."

Goldberg offered advice for President Trump's pick for U.N. ambassador, Elise Stefanik, who goes before the Senate on Tuesday. "Stefanik would be fully justified in launching investigations into each of those agencies - demanding documents and personnel interviews. And if they don’t comply, they can deal with the consequences."

One of Trump's first acts on Monday was to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO. 

During the monthslong IDF operation in northern Gaza, more than 700 terrorists were detained, including Hamas commanders, some of whom participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel. More than a dozen of those captured were involved in kidnapping or holding Israeli hostages in Gaza.

During the operation, the IDF located and destroyed thousands of weapons, including RPGs stashed within the hospital itself. The aim of the campaign was to completely defeat Hamas's Northern Brigade and remove the terror group's presence from within the civilian population. IDF troops conducted raids ranging from a few hours up to a full day. During the longer ones, they entered the hospital and searched for weapons and terrorists.

Former Shin Bet agent Gonen Ben Itzhak, who was the handler of former Hamas informant Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a Hamas founder, told Fox News Digital that, "Using visual intelligence, it’s easy to see when Hamas brings guns and ammunition into the hospital … and even with one human source, you can get intel on what is happening inside. From a signal point of view, the terrorists use phones and walkie-talkies, which can be intercepted."

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SILENT OVER HAMAS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITAL AS TERROR HQ 

Almost no fighting took place inside the hospital, from which some 950 people were eventually evacuated, all before the IDF's final raid. Since then, the Israeli military has facilitated and secured the transfer of the hospital's operations to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, at the request of the Palestinians.

Even as the United Nations and the international community condemned Jerusalem for its anti-terrorism campaign at Kamal Adwan, a former Palestinian Authority official, told Fox News Digital that Hamas’ use of hospitals was "immoral" and known to endanger patients and health workers.

Adnan al-Damiri recently went viral on social media after the Israel-based Palestinian Media Watch organization flagged his Facebook post showing that Hamas had summoned a Gazan reporter for questioning to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Strip.

"I made this post to show Palestinians that Hamas is doing everything against the people of Gaza, including in hospitals. Hamas claims its struggle is against the [Israeli] occupation, but the fact is they use our people," al-Damiri said. He noted that the document posted to social media was sent to him by a friend of the Gazan who was summoned for interrogation.

"I know that it’s a real document. I am not afraid of Hamas," he added.

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

In December 2023, Ahmed Kahlout, then-director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, told his Israeli interrogators that he and other staff were Hamas operatives. Kahlout described how Hamas used ambulances to hide operatives, transport terrorist squads and deliver a kidnapped IDF soldier.

Basem Naim, a member of Hamas' political bureau in Gaza, told Fox News Digital that his "resistance movement understands very well the importance of respecting international humanitarian law and its obligations, and understands very well the needs of our people for civil services and the importance of protecting them.

"I can confidently say that Hamas hasn't used any hospital as a military base or a shelter for fighters," he continued. "Regarding all the aggressions against hospitals in the Gaza Strip, Israel wasn’t able in any case to prove or to give serious or neutral evidence for its claims," he said. 

"We call for the immediate release of Dr. Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, who was kidnapped by Israeli forces, with dozens of other medics. Israel is fully responsible and accountable for their lives. Dr. Safiya isn't a Hamas member," added Naim.

A month after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 massacre, the IDF already began publishing evidence of Hamas's use of hospitals, in particular, for terror purposes. In one recording from November 2023, a Gaza health official can be heard confirming that Hamas had stored more than half a million liters (over 132,000 gallons) of fuel under Shifa Hospital, the Strip’s largest medical center.

Hamas was accused of systematically turning Shifa into a major command center and even storing weapons in the MRI building. On Nov. 19, 2023, the IDF released surveillance footage of armed terrorists bringing hostages into Shifa. The IDF discovered the remains of two Israeli hostages, Noa Marciano and Yehudit Weiss, in the vicinity of Shifa last year.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a wide-ranging counterterrorism operation in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday. The IDF, Israel Security Authority and Israel Border Police announced the operation in a joint statement, but did not give details. Two people were allegedly killed in an Israeli strike that was part of the operation, France 24 reported, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry.

An Israeli military source allegedly told the Times of Israel that the operation began with drone strikes and is expected to last for several days. The strikes were reportedly on terror infrastructure used by terror organizations operating in Jenin.

"This is another step towards achieving the goal we set - strengthening security in Judea and Samaria," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "We act methodically and resolutely against the Iranian axis wherever it sends its arms - in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Judea, and Samaria."

PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY UNDER PRESSURE AMID RISING RESISTANCE, POPULARITY OF IRAN-BACKED TERROR GROUPS

Prior to the IDF’s operation, the Palestinian Authority (PA) had been conducting a weeks-long campaign of its own to reassert control in Jenin and an adjacent refugee camp, which serves as a major hub for terror groups, Reuters reported.

Last month, as it was facing a growing challenge in Jenin, the PA launched an ongoing operation against local terror factions supported by Iran, a crackdown that has sparked violent clashes and highlighted the deepening rift between the PA and local communities.

ISRAEL, HAMAS CEASE-FIRE DEAL COULD ENABLE REARMING OF GAZA TERRORISTS

"Iran has been funding militants to buy weapons, and now the Palestinian Authority is acting to stop that. They've taken measures to block the money and crack down on the factions. The PA knows Iran will keep supporting Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and this is the challenge they face. It’s the right time to confront Iran, especially after the wars in Gaza and Lebanon- public mood is not welcoming any military confrontation with Israel after what happened," Mohammad Daraghmeh, Asharq News bureau chief in Ramallah, told Fox News Digital in December.

HAMAS RELEASES 3 HOSTAGES UNDER ISRAEL CEASE-FIRE DEAL

The operation in Jenin comes at a turning point for the IDF’s war against Hamas in Gaza. As part of a cease-fire agreement, three Israeli civilian hostages were released on Sunday. Emily Damari, Romi Goren, and Doron Steinbrecher were reunited with their families after spending 471 days in Hamas captivity.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Efrat Lachter and Yonat Friling contributed to this report.