Gaza-Egypt border crossing at Rafah partially reopens after more than 2 years
(LONDON) — The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt has reopened to limited pedestrian traffic, Israeli authorities confirmed Monday.
The reopening is the first step in implementing the second phase of President Trump’s Gaza peace plan. The crossing has been completely closed to Palestinians in Gaza since May 2024. Egypt has not allowed unfettered access to its territory through the crossing.
“Following the arrival of the EUBAM teams on behalf of the European Union, the Rafah crossing has now opened to the movement of residents, for both entry and exit,” an Israeli security official told ABC News.
The first group of Palestinians returning from Egypt has arrived in the Gaza Strip. Khaled Megawer, Egypt’s North Sinai governor general, said 50 Palestinians were expected to cross into Egypt on Monday.
Raeed Al-Nemes, a Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) spokesperson, told ABC News that a total of 15 Palestinians – including five Palestinian patients and 10 relatives – left Gaza via the Rafah crossing on Monday.
“The health situation in Gaza is extremely dire,” he said, calling on international organizations and the National Gaza Administration Committee to pressure Israel to allow a larger number of patients to travel abroad for treatment.
On Sunday night, the Israeli Army released video and pictures of a new Israel Defense Forces security checkpoint it will use for Gazans entering Rafah. In a statement, the IDF said “forces have completed in recent days the establishment of the ‘Regavim’ designated checkpoint, which is managed by the security establishment in the area under IDF control.”
The IDF added, “The security establishment forces at the checkpoint check the identities of those entering against lists approved by the Israeli security establishment and carry out a strict inspection of their luggage.”
Israel said it will approve the names of all Gazans entering or leaving the area according to terms reached under Trump’s 20-point peace plan.
The Egyptian Ministry of Health announced Monday that 150 hospitals and approximately 300 ambulances were ready to receive injured and wounded Palestinians.
About 22,000 injured Gazans need medical evacuation, a Hamas spokesperson said Sunday.
On the other side of the crossing, about 10,700 Palestinians who have been evacuated to seek treatment outside Gaza through the World Health Organization will return to the territory after their treatment, the PRCS spokesman said.
A screen grab from a video released on U.S. President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account shows Donald Trump making statements regarding combat operations on Iran on February 28, 2026 in Pal Beach, Florida, United States. (Photo by US President Trump Via Truth Social/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(LONDON and NEW YORK) — President Donald Trump said that the U.S. military has begun “major combat operations” in Iran and calling on the Iranian people to rise up and seize the opportunity for regime change.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” Trump said in a video statement on Truth Social early Saturday morning.
The “massive” operation comes as the U.S. has been trying to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear and missile programs and hours after Trump said he was “not happy with the negotiation.”
And it comes amid questions about the potential justification for a U.S. strike on Iran since Trump has said the Iranian nuclear weapons program was “obliterated” in a U.S. strike last year.
“Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas and our allies throughout the world. For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted “death to America” and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries,” Trump said.
The military operation against Iran was a preemptive joint attack by the United States and Israel and could last several days, U.S. officials said, with potential targets including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military sites, government buildings, Iranian intelligence assets and defense installations.
“Iran is the world’s number one state sponsor of terror and just recently killed tens of thousands of its own citizens on the street as they protested,” Trump said. “It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I will say it again. They can never have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump, who campaigned on a message of keeping the U.S. out of foreign entanglements, gravely suggested that “the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties.”
“That often happens in war. But we are doing this not for now, we are doing this for the future and it is a noble mission,” Trump continued.
At the end of his message, Trump called on the Iranian people to seize this opportunity for regime change.
“Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand,” Trump said.
He added, “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
Appearing to speak to the Iranian people, Trump said: “No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach.”
Meanwhile, some Democratic members of Congress have begun demanding answers.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D.-FL) said on social media that he is “formally requesting” that the State Department and Department of War “fully brief Congress on the rapidly evolving situation in Iran.”
Senator Ruben Gallego (D.-Ariz.), a Marine veteran, also posted on X, saying “I lost friends in Iraq to an illegal war. Young working-class kids should not pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn’t been explained or justified to the American people.”
Workers clear damaged pipework at the Darnytsia Thermal Power Plant following Russian air strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Andrew Kravchenko/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Trilateral talks between American, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators concluded in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, following a first round of meetings on Wednesday that a White House official told ABC News was “productive.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that he received a report from the delegation in Abu Dhabi. Zelenskyy said that Kyiv is expecting a new exchange of prisoners of war with Russia “in the near future.”
U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, posted to X on Thursday morning with more details of the planned exchange, which he said will involve 314 prisoners. It will be, Witkoff said, the first such exchange for five months.
“This outcome was achieved from peace talks that have been detailed and productive,” Witkoff wrote. “While significant work remains, steps like this demonstrate that sustained diplomatic engagement is delivering tangible results and advancing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy’s office told ABC News that Thursday’s talks had ended by around 4 p.m. local time — 7 a.m. ET.
The Ukrainian delegation included Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, Kyrylo Budanov, formerly the head of Ukrainian military intelligence and now serving as the head of Zelenskyy’s presidential office, and and Andrii Hnatov, the chief of the General Staff.
The Russian team included Kiril Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, and Igor Kostyukov, the head of the GRU military intelligence service.
The U.S. delegation was led by presidential peace envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.
Umerov said in a post to Telegram that Wednesday’s “work was substantive and productive, with a focus on specific steps and practical solutions.”
Dmitriev — who has been a leading figure in Moscow’s direct negotiations with the Trump administration through Witkoff — told reporters after Wednesday’s talks that there “is certainly progress, and good, positive movement forward,” as quoted by Russia’s state-run Tass news agency.
Dmitriev also criticized what he said were “warmongers from Europe, from Britain,” who he alleged “are constantly trying to hinder this process.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday urged patience when speaking with reporters. “For the first time in a very long time we have technical military teams from both Ukraine and Russia meeting in a forum that we’ll also be involved with,” Rubio said in a video posted to the State Department’s X page.
“Progress is probably not going to be known, even via leaks, until we really have a breakthrough. Our goal is to remain committed,” Rubio added.
Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that Kyiv is focused on a clear and lasting end to the war. “Russia must be ready for this. And partners must also be ready to ensure it in real terms with their real guarantees — security guarantees — and their real pressure on the aggressor,” he said in an evening address.
“It must be felt now — people in Ukraine must feel that the situation is genuinely moving toward peace, toward an end to the war, and not toward a scenario in which the Russians exploit everything to their advantage and continue their strikes,” he added.
“There must be no rewards for the aggressor — if any reward is given to the aggressor, Russia will, over time, break any agreement,” Zelenskyy said.
Both Moscow and Kyiv described the first round of trilateral talks last month as constructive.
Among the key areas of divergence are the fate of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, which Russia has partially occupied and from which Moscow is demanding a full Ukrainian military withdrawal.
Also under discussion is control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine, which was occupied by Moscow’s forces since March 2022.
So too are post-war Western security guarantees for Ukraine, without which Kyiv says Moscow will be able to launch a new round of aggression in the future.
Meanwhile, both Russia and Ukraine continued to exchange long-range missiles and drone attacks overnight into Thursday morning.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched two missiles and 183 drones into the country overnight, of which 156 drones were shot down or suppressed. The missiles and 22 drones impacted across 16 locations, the air force said.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES) reported drone impacts in several districts of Kyiv. City Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least two people were injured. The SES also said attacks were recorded in the northeastern border city of Sumy and the central Dnipropetrovsk region.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 95 Ukrainian drones overnight.
At least one person was injured in Russia’s southeastern Rostov, local Gov. Yuri Slyusar said in a post to Telegram.
Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement that its forces struck targets on Russian-controlled territory including a training site in occupied Zaporizhzhia, a logistics hub in occupied Donetsk and an electronic warfare facility in Russia’s western Bryansk region.
Meanwhile, both Ukrainian and Russian military bloggers reported that unauthorized Starlink satellite communications terminals in use by Russian forces had been disrupted or disconnected, following a public appeal by Kyiv to Starlink producer SpaceX and its owner Elon Musk.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Telegram that Kyiv has been working with SpaceX to verify Starlink terminals in use by Ukrainian forces, allowing them to remain operational.
Starlink terminals have been widely used by both sides during the ongoing conflict to enhance battlefield connectivity. Ukrainian officials have also accused Russia of using Starlink’s network to guide attack drones in strikes deep inside Ukraine, including on civilian targets.
A general view at the Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, February 3, 2026 in Predazzo, Italy. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
(MILAN) — Hosting the Winter Olympics will be more challenging in the future as global warming impacts host cities traditionally known for climates suitable for competitions such as skiing and snowboarding, according to climate scientists.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are about to kick off, but the Milano Cortina Games will take place in a much warmer world than in years past.
Average temperatures in Cortina, Italy, have risen by 6.4 degrees Fahrenheit since the region first hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, according to a recent analysis by Climate Central. The warming trends have led to fewer freezing days and a shortage of naturally made snow.
“The number of freezing days, which is what you need to have snow, has dropped by almost 20%,” Marcene Mitchell, senior vice president for climate change for the World Wildlife Fund, told ABC News.
As a result, event organizers were required to ship in 3 million cubic yards of artificial snow, despite the games taking place in the high altitudes of the Italian Alps.
The artificial snow is not as safe, Mitchell said, explaining that it’s “icier” and a “riskier” surface for athletes to compete on.
The energy to make and ship the artificial snow also exacerbates the carbon footprint of the competitions that require snow, the climate experts said.
“To create artificial snow requires massive amounts of water and energy,” Mitchell said.
Warmer-than-freezing temperatures can also alter the consistency of the snow — turning it to slush — which can cause delays as crews work to smooth the slopes, Carlos Martinez, senior climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told ABC News.
Some of the most popular outdoor sports, such as skiing and snowboarding competitions, are impacted, Martinez said.
The warming planet is impacting a number of regions that would have previously been considered suitable to host the games. Every host location of the Winter Games since 1950 has warmed since then, according to Climate Central. Out of 93 potential host sites, only 52 would have reliable conditions for the Winter Olympics by the 2050s, according to a 2024 study.
“Globally, winters are changing drastically,” Jon Meyer, assistant Utah state climatologist, told ABC News.
The impact on snowpacks is being felt on all continents, Meyer added.
The French Alps, the host of the 2030 games, have lost about a third of their snowfall over the past century, according to recent research.
Utah is slated to host the 2034 Winter Olympics. While a single season isn’t an indicator of future snowfall, Salt Lake City has only amassed .10 inches of snow this winter season, compared to an average of 33.4 inches typically accumulated by early February. One ski resort outside Salt Lake City has only seen 143 inches of snow so far this season — 150 inches below average.
“Just totally uncharted territory for the amount of low-elevation and mid-elevation snowfall Utah has seen, and that’s a pattern that’s played out across much of the Western U.S.,” Meyer said.
The lack of snowfall will likely put regions in the West at risk of drought conditions and lower water supplies in the coming seasons, Meyer added.
Elsewhere in the world, warming will be an “ongoing” issue for the Winter Olympics, Martinez said.
“You can’t hold the Winter Olympics without winter, and this is exactly what’s happening with climate change around the world,” Mitchell said.
