The Israeli military claimed it killed a senior Hamas commander in an airstrike, who was responsible for holding approximately 1,000 people and patients as hostages in a Gaza hospital. In a tweet posted on X, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that Ahmed Siam was also responsible for preventing the evacuation of Gaza residents to the Southward. 

”IDF aircraft just struck Ahmed Siam, responsible for holding approximately 1,000 Gazan residents and patients hostage at the Rantisi Hospital and preventing their evacuation southward. Siam was a commander in Hamas’ Naser Radwan Company and is another example of Hamas using civilians in Gaza as human shields for terrorist purposes,” the tweet read. 

See the tweet here:

IDF aircraft just struck Ahmed Siam, responsible for holding approximately 1,000 Gazan residents and patients hostage at the Rantisi Hospital, and preventing their evacuation southward.

Siam was a commander in Hamas’ Naser Radwan Company, and is another example of Hamas using… pic.twitter.com/RGJAISFjxL

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 11, 2023

Who is Ahmed Sian?

Ahmed Siam was a company commander of Hamas’s Naser Radwan Company, according to the IDF. He was struck via a fighter jet while hiding at the al-Buraq school in Gaza City, along with other Hamas operatives under his command. The IDF said that they had received intelligence gathered by the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence Directorate regarding his whereabouts. The Givati Brigade troops guided the fighter jet to strike the location where the Hamas terrorist was hiding.The strike on Siam came shortly after the IDF accused him of keeping about 1,000 civilians hostages inside Gaza City’s al-Rantisi Hospital, home to Gaza’s only pediatric cancer ward.Israel said that Siam’s actions proved that Hamas uses the civilians of the Gaza Strip as human shields for terror purposes. Israel’s military also said Hamas uses hospitals as operational bases and hides weapons in tunnels underneath them, although Hamas denied these charges.

Israeli forces have also killed several other Hamas operatives linked to the October 7 attacks, during which the Palestinian group launched an unprecedented assault on Israel. Hamas operatives including Ali Qadi, Muetaz Eid, Zachariah Abu Ma’amar, Joad Abu Shmalah, Belal Alqadra, and Merad Abu Merad have all been eliminated by Israel. 

The war between Israel and Hamas has killed an estimated 11,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress of not implementing reservation for the OBC community despite the party ruling from “panchayat to Parliament” for so many years after Independence.

Addressing a public rally in Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh, PM Modi said the Congress’ only target is to loot Chhattisgarh and fill its own coffers.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s son, his (CM’s) relatives and officers close to him looted and destroyed Chhattisgarh in five years, he alleged.

PM Modi also said he can challenge that no official social media platforms of the Congress have appealed to the people to buy local products.

Polling in 20 out of the total 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh was held on November 7. Voting in the remaining 70 seats will be held on November 17.

PM Modi said the first phase of voting in Chhattisgarh has busted the Congress’ “balloon of lies” and now people have decided to teach a lesson to the party.

The BJP-led Centre built 4 crore houses for the poor in the last 10 years. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress government disrupted the scheme, he said.

“Some mahagyani Congress leaders from Delhi have been saying in their public meetings that they are publicising my caste and keep on saying that Modi is from the OBC (Other Backward Classes),” the PM said.

In the previous (2019 Lok Sabha) elections held in the country, these people had been calling the OBC community “thief” in the name of PM Modi, he said.

What they did to the Sahu community (an influential OBC community in Chhattisgarh) for five years is not hidden from anyone. Hence, the mentality of the Congress has to be recognised, PM Modi said.

“It is the same Congress which was in power from panchayat to Parliament, people gave them an opportunity, but they didn’t implement reservation for the OBC community,” Modi said.

“It is the Congress which did not give constitutional status to the OBC Commission for decades and did not implement OBC reservation in medical colleges. Modi has given you a guarantee of doing all these things and has done it,” he said.

PM Modi also said this was his last public rally in Chhattisgarh (ahead of the second and last phase of the state polls).

“Victory is certain and development is Modi’s guarantee,” he said and appealed to the people to support him for building the future of their children.
 

“Madhya Pradesh Ajab Hai, Sabse Gajab Hai” (the state is strange, most amazing) – a popular slogan among the citizens of the state – has been re-enacted once again, this time in Ujjain district, where cows walked over men as part of their tradition.

This unique tradition took place in Bhidavad village of Badnagar tehsil, located 75 kilometers away from the district headquarters, on Monday.

The ritual is performed here on the morning after the Diwali festival, and the devotees believe that by following this ritual, their wishes will come true.

According to locals, the cows were worshipped in the village in the morning, and then people lay down on the ground while the cows walked over them. People believe that 33 crore Gods and Goddesses reside in cows, and by allowing cows to walk over them, one receives the blessings of the Gods.

#WATCH | Devotees let cows trample them as a part of a tradition in village Bhidavad of Badnagar tehsil, Ujjain district in Madhya Pradesh

The ritual is performed on the next day of Diwali. Devotees believe that by doing this their wishes will come true. pic.twitter.com/evwikt8HJC

— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) November 13, 2023

In addition, participants in this tradition must follow another age-old custom.

Devotees fast for five days, and a day before Diwali, they stay in the village temple throughout the night. They also perform bhajans and kirtans there.

On the second day of Diwali, morning puja is conducted, and then people circumambulate the village with drums. During this, all the cows of the village are gathered at one place. Subsequently, people lie down on the ground, and the cows are released to pass over them by trampling, they explained.

After the cows passed over, the devotees stood up and danced to the drum beats, creating an atmosphere of happiness throughout the entire village. People from nearby villages also come to witness this moment with enthusiasm.

Notably, none of the devotees suffered any major injuries during this traditional celebration, as claimed by locals.