The ongoing war against the Hamas has forced fast food giant McDonald's to tweak its business strategy in Israel. The fast food chain will buy 225 of its restaurants from Alonyal limited, which currently owns the franchise rights. Watch in for more details!

Global brands operating in Israel plan to relocate amid the Israel-Hamas War

Thousands of Arabs and pro-Palestinian supporters have boycotted major U.S. firms, over their alleged backing of Israel's military actions in Gaza. How are local companies making use of this social wave?

Six months of Israel-Hamas war: UN Rights Body wants Israeli arms sale to stop

US' Pelosi urges halt to arms sale to Israel | How far will US go to fund Israel

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden on Friday urged the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas militants to agree to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal ahead of a fresh round of talks this weekend in Cairo.

CIA Director Bill Burns will lead the US&nbsp;delegation to the Cairo talks, a US&nbsp;official said.

A senior Biden administration official said Biden wrote letters to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on the state of the hostage talks and "he urged them to secure commitments from Hamas to agree and abide by a deal."

Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday during which they discussed ongoing hostage negotiations and the round of talks in Cairo.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-day-after-biden-netanyahu-call-israeli-military-sacks-two-over-killing-of-aid-workers-708073">Israeli military sacks two officers over killing of aid workers, a day after Biden-Netanyahu call</a>

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Biden told Netanyahu to empower his negotiators in Cairo so that a deal can be reached as soon as possible.

The United States and its allies view a ceasefire as essential to allowing more humanitarian aid to get into Gaza amid fears of famine among the Palestinians there.

Under the most recent proposal, Israel and Hamas would agree to a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of sick, elderly and wounded hostages held by Hamas. Progress on a deal has been stalled for weeks.

"This basic fact remains true: There would be a ceasefire in Gaza today had Hamas simply agreed to release this vulnerable category of hostages – the sick, wounded, elderly, and young women," the senior Biden official said.

"The onus is on Hamas to release the hostages and bring relief to the people of Gaza through a prolonged ceasefire," the official said.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan will meet the families of the hostages at the White House on Monday, the official said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/charity-questions-credibility-of-israeli-inquiry-findings-on-aid-worker-killings-708219">Charity questions credibility of Israeli inquiry report on killing aid workers</a>

Kirby said there were no plans by the United States to conduct an independent investigation into the killings of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza.

The Israeli military dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded senior commanders after an inquiry into the killing of the aid workers in a Gaza airstrike this week found serious errors and breaches of procedure.

Netanyahu had briefed Biden in their phone call on Thursday on the general findings of Israel's inquiry into the incident. Biden warned Netanyahu that Israel must take steps to address civilian harm and humanitarian suffering or else Washington will take unspecified steps in response.

Israel also announced it was opening the Ashdod port and Erez crossing to increase the flow of aid into Gaza.

Asked if he had threatened to withhold military support for Israel, Biden told reporters on Friday: “I asked them to do what they’re doing."

US President Joe Biden on Friday urged the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas militants to agree to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal ahead of a fresh round of talks this weekend in Cairo.

US President Joe Biden on Friday urged the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas militants to agree to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal ahead of a fresh round of talks this weekend in Cairo. CIA Director Bill Burns will lead the US delegation to the Cairo talks, a US official said. A senior Biden administration official said Biden wrote letters to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on the state of the hostage talks and "he urged them to secure commitments from Hamas to agree and abide by a deal." Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday during which they discussed ongoing hostage negotiations and the round of talks in Cairo. Also read: Israeli military sacks two officers over killing of aid workers, a day after Biden-Netanyahu call White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Biden told Netanyahu to empower his negotiators in Cairo so that a deal can be reached as soon as possible. The United States and its allies view a ceasefire as essential to allowing more humanitarian aid to get into Gaza amid fears of famine among the Palestinians there. Under the most recent proposal, Israel and Hamas would agree to a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of sick, elderly and wounded hostages held by Hamas. Progress on a deal has been stalled for weeks. "This basic fact remains true: There would be a ceasefire in Gaza today had Hamas simply agreed to release this vulnerable category of hostages – the sick, wounded, elderly, and young women," the senior Biden official said. "The onus is on Hamas to release the hostages and bring relief to the people of Gaza through a prolonged ceasefire," the official said. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan will meet the families of the hostages at the White House on Monday, the official said. Also read: Charity questions credibility of Israeli inquiry report on killing aid workers Kirby said there were no plans by the United States to conduct an independent investigation into the killings of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza. The Israeli military dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded senior commanders after an inquiry into the killing of the aid workers in a Gaza airstrike this week found serious errors and breaches of procedure. Netanyahu had briefed Biden in their phone call on Thursday on the general findings of Israel's inquiry into the incident. Biden warned Netanyahu that Israel must take steps to address civilian harm and humanitarian suffering or else Washington will take unspecified steps in response. Israel also announced it was opening the Ashdod port and Erez crossing to increase the flow of aid into Gaza. Asked if he had threatened to withhold military support for Israel, Biden told reporters on Friday: “I asked them to do what they’re doing."

Biden urges Egypt, Qatar to press Hamas on hostage deal ahead of weekend talks

In a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Joe Biden asked for an immediate ceasefire. According to the White House Biden made it clear the need for Israel to implement concrete steps to address civilian harm and the safety of humanitarian Aid workers. Watch in for more details!

Israel-Hamas war: Netanyahu warns of 'enormous implications' for US security

McDonald's to buy 225 restaurants from Israeli franchise

Days after seven&nbsp;foreign aid workers were killed by the Israeli army in Gaza in a "grave mistake", World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder Jose Andres accused the country of targeting his aid workers "systematically, car by car".

He said that the strike carried out by Israel on Monday (April 1) was not a mistake and added that Israeli forces were informed about the aid workers' movements.&nbsp;

In the airstrike, WCK aid workers from Australia, Canada, Poland, the UK and the US lost their lives along with a Palestinian colleague.&nbsp;

Israel called the strike a "grave mistake" and issued an apology. The Israeli government also vowed to carry out an independent investigation.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-uses-unparalleled-ai-to-target-suspected-hamas-militants-machine-did-it-coldly-707460">Israel uses 'unparalleled' AI to target suspected Hamas militants as machine did it 'coldly': Report</a>

According to the World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder, Israel launched strikes on the aid convoy while they were leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, "where the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route".&nbsp;

<h2>Not a 'bad luck situation' for Israeli army, charity's logo was clearly displayed: Andres&nbsp;</h2>

He said that the convoy had three vehicles, two of them were armoured and the charity's logo was clearly displayed.&nbsp;

"This was not just a bad luck situation where ‘oops’ we dropped the bomb in the wrong place," said Andres.

"This was over a 1.5, 1.8 kilometres, with a very defined humanitarian convoy that had signs in the top, in the roof, a very colourful logo that we are obviously very proud of," he said. It's “very clear who we are and what we do," he added.

"They were targeting us in a deconflicting zone, in an area controlled by IDF. They know that it was our teams moving on that road ... with three cars," Andres said.

Narrating the entire incident to the Reuters news agency, the World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder said, "The team was coming from dropping in a warehouse… south of Gaza all the food they were able to download before it got too dark."&nbsp;

"Somehow we kind of lost communication. Then we began [to get] information that something went wrong, that something happened. And that is when I found out our team” were targeted," he said.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Israel War: Want Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza, says Hamas Chief

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-war-want-israels-complete-withdrawal-from-gaza-says-hamas-chief-707452/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"They were targeted systematically car by car," Andres said. He further alleged that Israel is most likely to have carried out more than three strikes by drones.

"They attacked the first car...We have a feeling they were able to escape safely because this was an armoured vehicle," Andres said. The people in the first car "were able to move in the second one. Again, this one was hit. They were able to move in the third one," he added.

He further said that the aid workers were trying to make calls when they were attacked to ask the Israeli Defense Forces, "'What are they doing? They are targeting us.’”&nbsp;

"The area was controlled by the Israeli military. They knew it was our team moving on that road with three cars," he said.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Days after seven foreign aid workers were killed by the Israeli army in Gaza in a "grave mistake", World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder Jose Andres accused the country of targeting his aid workers "systematically, car by car".

Days after seven foreign aid workers were killed by the Israeli army in Gaza in a "grave mistake", World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder Jose Andres accused the country of targeting his aid workers "systematically, car by car". He said that the strike carried out by Israel on Monday (April 1) was not a mistake and added that Israeli forces were informed about the aid workers' movements. In the airstrike, WCK aid workers from Australia, Canada, Poland, the UK and the US lost their lives along with a Palestinian colleague. Israel called the strike a "grave mistake" and issued an apology. The Israeli government also vowed to carry out an independent investigation. Also Read: Israel uses 'unparalleled' AI to target suspected Hamas militants as machine did it 'coldly': Report According to the World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder, Israel launched strikes on the aid convoy while they were leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, "where the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route". Not a 'bad luck situation' for Israeli army, charity's logo was clearly displayed: Andres He said that the convoy had three vehicles, two of them were armoured and the charity's logo was clearly displayed. "This was not just a bad luck situation where ‘oops’ we dropped the bomb in the wrong place," said Andres. "This was over a 1.5, 1.8 kilometres, with a very defined humanitarian convoy that had signs in the top, in the roof, a very colourful logo that we are obviously very proud of," he said. It's “very clear who we are and what we do," he added. "They were targeting us in a deconflicting zone, in an area controlled by IDF. They know that it was our teams moving on that road ... with three cars," Andres said. Narrating the entire incident to the Reuters news agency, the World Central Kitchen (WCK) founder said, "The team was coming from dropping in a warehouse… south of Gaza all the food they were able to download before it got too dark." "Somehow we kind of lost communication. Then we began [to get] information that something went wrong, that something happened. And that is when I found out our team” were targeted," he said. Watch: Israel War: Want Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza, says Hamas Chief "They were targeted systematically car by car," Andres said. He further alleged that Israel is most likely to have carried out more than three strikes by drones. "They attacked the first car...We have a feeling they were able to escape safely because this was an armoured vehicle," Andres said. The people in the first car "were able to move in the second one. Again, this one was hit. They were able to move in the third one," he added. He further said that the aid workers were trying to make calls when they were attacked to ask the Israeli Defense Forces, "'What are they doing? They are targeting us.’” "The area was controlled by the Israeli military. They knew it was our team moving on that road with three cars," he said. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel targeted aid convoy 'systematically, car by car' and killed his staff members, alleges WCK founder

Watch in Top Headlines of the hour: - Biden's ultimatum to Netanyahu - Gaza toll exceeds 33,000 - Houthis: Targetted90 ships in the Red Sea - Baltimore: Biden to visit bridge collapse site

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Amid the unrelenting aggression by Israel. Washington is working to coordinate a multinational effort to set up a maritime aid corridor into Gaza. This is a part of a US Strategy of flooding the zone with humanitarian assistance.

Gazans forced to survive on 245 calories per day, way below ideal intake of 2,000 calories a day

Israeli intelligence officials have revealed that the IDF had been using an AI-powered system to make a kill list in Gaza. At one point, this AI system named "Lavender" could identify 37,000 potential Hamas targets. This system also reportedly killed thousands of civilians.

Gravitas | Exposed: Israel's killer AI system in Gaza war

Reports say the U.S. may consider removing the Houthis from its terror list. The Houthis have not stopped attacking ships at the Red Sea, neither have they called off the war. What then explains the possible delisting of the group from the American terror list? Is this a sign of America's confused military strategy? Is this a symbolic victory for the Houthis?

Gravitas | Red Sea War: US to remove Houthis from terror list? | Has American strategy failed?

Britain will warn Israel on Wednesday that its patience is running thin over the "dreadful suffering" in Gaza, where a lack of aid is leading people to die of hunger. Watch in for more details!

Israel: Thousands of Israelis take to streets, Netanyahu's govt faces pressure

Israel is facing major diplomatic backlash over the airstrike that killed seven international aid workers, delivering desperately-needed food to the Gaza strip. Israel's defence forces chief of staff Herzi Halevi has issued an apology for deadly Israeli strike on an aid convoy in Gaza. He says the strike was a result of a 'misidentification'.

Israel faces backlash for aid workers' deaths, western allies 'demand explanation'

Israel reportedly used an Artificial Intelligence-based programme identified as "Lavender" to identify thousands of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip and bomb them.&nbsp;

The report emerged amid Hamas leader abroad, Ismail Haniyeh, saying in a Wednesday (Apr 3) speech that the militant group is sticking to its original ceasefire and hostage negotiations demand&nbsp;that Israel must halt all military operations in the Gaza Strip. &nbsp;

The ongoing war started after Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, as per official Israeli figures.&nbsp;

Hamas also took some 250 people hostage, some of whom were later returned as part of a deal in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. In the aftermath of the attack, Israel responded with several strikes on Gaza that have killed more than 30,000 people, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-hosts-muslim-leaders-in-muted-ramadan-event-amid-israel-hamas-war-707162">Biden hosts Muslim leaders in muted Ramadan event amid Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;

<h2>Use of AI to target Hamas?</h2>

In a report by the news agency AFP, security experts have said that Israel's ability to track down suspected Hamas militants is aided by unprecedented use of AI. It is generating targets at a much faster rate than was previously possible. The system is also estimating the collateral damage from its strikes.&nbsp;

With the use of the AI system, Israeli military officials reportedly allowed large numbers of Palestinian civilians to be killed. This mostly happened in the early weeks and months of the conflict.&nbsp;

As quoted by The Guardian, one intelligence officer who used Lavender, said, "This is unparalleled, in my memory." He added that they had more faith in a "statistical mechanism" than a grieving soldier.&nbsp;

"Everyone there, including me, lost people on October 7. The machine did it coldly. And that made it easier," the official added.&nbsp;

At least six of those who used that AI system gave testimonies&nbsp;to journalist Yuval Abraham for a report published by the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/woman-of-indian-descent-among-6-international-aid-workers-slain-in-israeli-strike-in-gaza-707129">Woman of Indian descent among 6 international aid workers killed in Israeli strike in Gaza</a>&nbsp;

The AFP report also mentioned that the&nbsp;Israel Defense Forces (IDF) first advertised its use of AI-powered targeting after an 11-day conflict in Gaza in May 2021. The commanders had described it as the world's "first AI war".

The military chief during that conflict, Aviv Kohavi, reportedly told Israeli media ahead of the October 7 attacks that AI systems had enabled the IDF to identify "100 new targets every day". As compared to it, the&nbsp;human analysts could previously produce only "50 targets in a year". &nbsp;

In a blog on the Israeli military's website in November, it was noted that&nbsp;its AI-enhanced "targeting directorate"&nbsp;had identified more than 12,000 targets in just 27 days.&nbsp;

Another AI system&nbsp;called Habsora (The Gospel), produced targets "for precise attacks on infrastructure associated with Hamas, inflicting great damage on the enemy and minimal harm to those not involved," an unnamed Israeli official was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Joint World Bank-UN report pegs Gaza's damages at $18.5 billion&nbsp;

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<h2>Death of aid workers in Gaza&nbsp;</h2>

Israel has been facing wrath because of the current humanitarian situation in Gaza and the recent death of foreign aid workers. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident a "tragic incident", but also said that "such accidents happen in wartime".&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said explanations provided by Israel about the killing of seven people working for the aid charity World Central Kitchen in a Gaza airstrike were insufficient and unacceptable, demanding further details.

"That is unacceptable and insufficient, and we are awaiting a much stronger and more detailed clarification, after which we'll see what action to take," Sanchez told a news briefing on Wednesday while visiting Qatar.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Israel reportedly used an Artificial Intelligence-based programme identified as "Lavender" to identify thousands of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip and bomb them.

Israel reportedly used an Artificial Intelligence-based programme identified as "Lavender" to identify thousands of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip and bomb them. The report emerged amid Hamas leader abroad, Ismail Haniyeh, saying in a Wednesday (Apr 3) speech that the militant group is sticking to its original ceasefire and hostage negotiations demand that Israel must halt all military operations in the Gaza Strip. The ongoing war started after Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, as per official Israeli figures. Hamas also took some 250 people hostage, some of whom were later returned as part of a deal in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. In the aftermath of the attack, Israel responded with several strikes on Gaza that have killed more than 30,000 people, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. Also read: Biden hosts Muslim leaders in muted Ramadan event amid Israel-Hamas war Use of AI to target Hamas? In a report by the news agency AFP, security experts have said that Israel's ability to track down suspected Hamas militants is aided by unprecedented use of AI. It is generating targets at a much faster rate than was previously possible. The system is also estimating the collateral damage from its strikes. With the use of the AI system, Israeli military officials reportedly allowed large numbers of Palestinian civilians to be killed. This mostly happened in the early weeks and months of the conflict. As quoted by The Guardian, one intelligence officer who used Lavender, said, "This is unparalleled, in my memory." He added that they had more faith in a "statistical mechanism" than a grieving soldier. "Everyone there, including me, lost people on October 7. The machine did it coldly. And that made it easier," the official added. At least six of those who used that AI system gave testimonies to journalist Yuval Abraham for a report published by the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call. Also read: Woman of Indian descent among 6 international aid workers killed in Israeli strike in Gaza The AFP report also mentioned that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) first advertised its use of AI-powered targeting after an 11-day conflict in Gaza in May 2021. The commanders had described it as the world's "first AI war". The military chief during that conflict, Aviv Kohavi, reportedly told Israeli media ahead of the October 7 attacks that AI systems had enabled the IDF to identify "100 new targets every day". As compared to it, the human analysts could previously produce only "50 targets in a year". In a blog on the Israeli military's website in November, it was noted that its AI-enhanced "targeting directorate" had identified more than 12,000 targets in just 27 days. Another AI system called Habsora (The Gospel), produced targets "for precise attacks on infrastructure associated with Hamas, inflicting great damage on the enemy and minimal harm to those not involved," an unnamed Israeli official was quoted as saying. Watch: Joint World Bank-UN report pegs Gaza's damages at $18.5 billion × Death of aid workers in Gaza Israel has been facing wrath because of the current humanitarian situation in Gaza and the recent death of foreign aid workers. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident a "tragic incident", but also said that "such accidents happen in wartime". Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said explanations provided by Israel about the killing of seven people working for the aid charity World Central Kitchen in a Gaza airstrike were insufficient and unacceptable, demanding further details. "That is unacceptable and insufficient, and we are awaiting a much stronger and more detailed clarification, after which we'll see what action to take," Sanchez told a news briefing on Wednesday while visiting Qatar. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel using 'unparalleled' AI to list out suspected Hamas targets: Report

US President Joe Biden will speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone and this comes 3 days after Israel launched an attack in which seven World Central Kitchen Aid workers were killed in Gaza. Watch in for more details!

Netayahu, Biden talks amid friction over Rafah plans; US-Israel plan further talks next week

The White House says that US President Joe Biden is outraged the president will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu three days after the Israeli attack that killed seven World Central Kitchen Aid workers in Gaza. Watch in for more details!

Israel War: Outrage over the killing of aid workers

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Israel War: Will the US still give weapons to Israel?

Israeli military has cancelled leave for all combat units this amid concerns of a possible escalation in violence after the killing of Iranian Generals in Damascus, Syria this week drew threats of retaliation.

Breaking News: Israel boosts defences after Iran revenge threat

In a rather interesting turn of events US Special Envoy for Yemen Timothy A. Lenderking has left the door open for Washington to again remove the terror designation from Houthis. Watch in for more details!

Will Houthis to be removed from US' global terrorist list?

The deadly Israeli attack that killed seven Aid workers from the nonprofit World Central Kitchen in Gaza on Monday. Reports are now suggesting that the attack might have been carried out with multiple Precision strikes first. Let's take a look.

What we know about WCK's aid workers killing

Houthis to be removed from global terrorist list?

The Israeli army has been using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify targets for its bombing spree in Gaza, revealed a report on Wednesday (Apr 3).

According to an investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call, the Israeli AI-based tool, named "Lavender," had a 10 per cent error rate.

<h2>Who developed Lavender?</h2>

As per the investigation, 'Lavender' was developed by Unit 8200, the Israel Defense Forces' elite intelligence division.

Unit 8200, the Israeli Intelligence Corps unit of the Israel Defense Forces responsible for clandestine operations, is comparable to the United States's National Security Agency or GCHQ in the United Kingdom.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-uses-unparalleled-ai-to-target-suspected-hamas-militants-machine-did-it-coldly-707460">Israel using 'unparalleled' AI to list out suspected Hamas targets: Report</a>

<h2>How does Lavender work?</h2>

The Lavender system is said to mark suspected operatives in the military wings of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) as potential bombing targets, including low-ranking individuals.&nbsp;

The software analyses data collected through mass surveillance on most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, assessing and ranking the likelihood of each person's involvement in the military wing of Hamas or PIJ.

Individuals are given a rating of 1 to 100, indicating their likelihood of being a militant.

Lavender learns to identify characteristics of known operatives from Hamas and PIJ and then identifies similar characteristics among the general population. Individuals with multiple incriminating features are assigned higher ratings, making them potential targets for assassination.

<h2>How accurate is it?</h2>

As per the report, even though the AI machine has an error rate of 10 per cent, its outputs were treated "as if it were a human decision".

Citing six Israeli intelligence officials involved in the alleged programme, the investigation revealed that during the initial stages of the conflict in Gaza, the military heavily relied on Lavender. It identified as many as 37,000 (most of them junior) Palestinians as suspected militants for potential airstrikes and assassination.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-targeted-aid-convoy-systematically-car-by-car-and-killed-his-staff-members-alleges-wck-founder-707466">Israel targeted aid convoy 'systematically, car by car' and killed his staff members, alleges WCK founder</a>

These officials said that the outputs of the AI machine were treated "as if it were a human decision," and alleged that the human review of the suggested targets was cursory at best.

Reportedly, the approval "to automatically adopt Lavender's kill lists" was given about two weeks into the war. Before that, they were only treated as an "auxiliary tool".

This approval was granted after an intelligence officer manually checked the accuracy of a random sample of several hundred targets selected by the AI system and found that Lavender's results had 90 per cent accuracy in identifying targets.

"From that moment, sources said that if Lavender decided an individual was a militant in Hamas, they were essentially asked to treat that as an order, with no requirement to independently check why the machine made that choice or to examine the raw intelligence data on which it is based," reports the publication.

A senior official identified as 'B' confirmed that officers were not required to review the AI system's assessments "in order to save time and enable the mass production of human targets without hindrances".

"Everything was statistical, everything was neat — it was very dry," he noted.

"In war, there is no time to incriminate every target. So you’re willing to take the margin of error of using artificial intelligence, risking collateral damage and civilians dying, and risking attacking by mistake, and to live with it," said another officer.

<h2>Civilian casualties and 'collateral damage'</h2>

As per the report, two sources also alleged that the Israeli army, in an unprecedented move, decided during the first weeks of the war that for every junior Hamas operative that Lavender marked, it was permissible to kill up to 15 or 20 civilians. Before that, the military did not authorise any "collateral damage" during assassinations of low-ranking militants.&nbsp;

For targets that were a senior Hamas official with the rank of battalion or brigade commander, the army reportedly on several occasions authorised the killing of more than 100 civilians per assassination.

The report alleges that to assassinate the junior militants, the Israeli army preferred to only&nbsp;use "dumb" bombs.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Joint World Bank-UN report pegs Gaza's damages at $18.5 billion&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-war-joint-world-bank-un-report-pegs-gazas-damages-at-185-billion-707081/embed" width="560"></iframe>

Dumb bombs are unguided missiles that can&nbsp;destroy entire buildings on top of their occupants and cause significant casualties. These were used instead of 'smart' precision bombs because "you don’t want to waste expensive bombs on unimportant people — it’s very expensive for the country and there’s a shortage [of those bombs]," an intelligence officer identified as 'C' told the publication.

Another source told&nbsp;+972 magazine that they had personally authorised the bombing of "hundreds" of private homes of alleged junior operatives that the AI tool&nbsp;Lavender had&nbsp;marked. These attacks killed many civilians, ending entire families, all labelled as mere "collateral damage".

One source said that they nicknamed low-ranking militants on the AI kill lists 'garbage targets,' but said these were "more ethical than the targets that we bombed just for 'deterrence' — highrises that are evacuated and toppled just to cause destruction."

(With inputs from agencies)

The Israeli army has been using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify targets for its bombing spree in Gaza, revealed a report on Wednesday (Apr 3). According to an investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call, the Israeli AI-based tool, named "Lavender," had a 10 per cent error rate.

The Israeli army has been using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify targets for its bombing spree in Gaza, revealed a report on Wednesday (Apr 3). According to an investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call, the Israeli AI-based tool, named "Lavender," had a 10 per cent error rate. Who developed Lavender? As per the investigation, 'Lavender' was developed by Unit 8200, the Israel Defense Forces' elite intelligence division. Unit 8200, the Israeli Intelligence Corps unit of the Israel Defense Forces responsible for clandestine operations, is comparable to the United States's National Security Agency or GCHQ in the United Kingdom. Also read | Israel using 'unparalleled' AI to list out suspected Hamas targets: Report How does Lavender work? The Lavender system is said to mark suspected operatives in the military wings of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) as potential bombing targets, including low-ranking individuals. The software analyses data collected through mass surveillance on most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, assessing and ranking the likelihood of each person's involvement in the military wing of Hamas or PIJ. Individuals are given a rating of 1 to 100, indicating their likelihood of being a militant. Lavender learns to identify characteristics of known operatives from Hamas and PIJ and then identifies similar characteristics among the general population. Individuals with multiple incriminating features are assigned higher ratings, making them potential targets for assassination. How accurate is it? As per the report, even though the AI machine has an error rate of 10 per cent, its outputs were treated "as if it were a human decision". Citing six Israeli intelligence officials involved in the alleged programme, the investigation revealed that during the initial stages of the conflict in Gaza, the military heavily relied on Lavender. It identified as many as 37,000 (most of them junior) Palestinians as suspected militants for potential airstrikes and assassination. Also read | Israel targeted aid convoy 'systematically, car by car' and killed his staff members, alleges WCK founder These officials said that the outputs of the AI machine were treated "as if it were a human decision," and alleged that the human review of the suggested targets was cursory at best. Reportedly, the approval "to automatically adopt Lavender's kill lists" was given about two weeks into the war. Before that, they were only treated as an "auxiliary tool". This approval was granted after an intelligence officer manually checked the accuracy of a random sample of several hundred targets selected by the AI system and found that Lavender's results had 90 per cent accuracy in identifying targets. "From that moment, sources said that if Lavender decided an individual was a militant in Hamas, they were essentially asked to treat that as an order, with no requirement to independently check why the machine made that choice or to examine the raw intelligence data on which it is based," reports the publication. A senior official identified as 'B' confirmed that officers were not required to review the AI system's assessments "in order to save time and enable the mass production of human targets without hindrances". "Everything was statistical, everything was neat — it was very dry," he noted. "In war, there is no time to incriminate every target. So you’re willing to take the margin of error of using artificial intelligence, risking collateral damage and civilians dying, and risking attacking by mistake, and to live with it," said another officer. Civilian casualties and 'collateral damage' As per the report, two sources also alleged that the Israeli army, in an unprecedented move, decided during the first weeks of the war that for every junior Hamas operative that Lavender marked, it was permissible to kill up to 15 or 20 civilians. Before that, the military did not authorise any "collateral damage" during assassinations of low-ranking militants. For targets that were a senior Hamas official with the rank of battalion or brigade commander, the army reportedly on several occasions authorised the killing of more than 100 civilians per assassination. The report alleges that to assassinate the junior militants, the Israeli army preferred to only use "dumb" bombs. Watch: Joint World Bank-UN report pegs Gaza's damages at $18.5 billion Dumb bombs are unguided missiles that can destroy entire buildings on top of their occupants and cause significant casualties. These were used instead of 'smart' precision bombs because "you don’t want to waste expensive bombs on unimportant people — it’s very expensive for the country and there’s a shortage [of those bombs]," an intelligence officer identified as 'C' told the publication. Another source told +972 magazine that they had personally authorised the bombing of "hundreds" of private homes of alleged junior operatives that the AI tool Lavender had marked. These attacks killed many civilians, ending entire families, all labelled as mere "collateral damage". One source said that they nicknamed low-ranking militants on the AI kill lists 'garbage targets,' but said these were "more ethical than the targets that we bombed just for 'deterrence' — highrises that are evacuated and toppled just to cause destruction." (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: Israeli military's use of AI tool 'Lavender' to generate kill lists

An Israeli strike killed several people delivering food aid to the besieged Gaza Strip on Monday. The foreign nationals -- reported to be from Poland, Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

US slams Israel for killing for aid workers, Biden 'outraged & heartbroken' by airstrike

Israel-Hamas war: Israel admits 'unintentionally' killed 7 aid workers in Gaza

Israel airstrike in Gaza kills foreign aid workers, Netanyahu admits IDF responsible for strike

Israel airstrike kills foreign aid workers, Israel Defence Forces' Chief says 'We are sorry' | WION

US slams Israel for killing aid workers, Israel issue apology for Gaza airstrike

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday an Israeli airstrike had mistakenly killed seven people working for the aid charity World Central Kitchen in Gaza, and the US&nbsp;and other allies called for explanations amid widespread condemnation.

Israel's military voiced "sincere sorrow" over the incident, which ratcheted up international pressure for steps to ease the disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza nearly six months into Israel's siege and invasion of the Palestinian enclave.

The strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy killed citizens of Australia, Britain and Poland as well as Palestinians and a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.

WATCH |&nbsp;Israel under pressure over aid workers' deaths

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WCK, which was founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres, said they had been travelling in two armoured cars emblazoned with the charity's logo and another vehicle.

"Unfortunately in the past day there was a tragic event in which our forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip," Netanyahu said in a video statement.&nbsp;

"This happens in war. We are conducting a thorough inquiry and are in contact with the governments. We will do everything to prevent a recurrence."

The Israeli military (IDF) pledged an investigation by "an independent, professional and expert body".

Britain summoned Israel's ambassador in London to express its "unequivocal condemnation of the appalling killing" of the WCK workers, three of whom were British nationals, and called for an urgent explanation from Israel of how this had occurred.

The United States, Israel's closest ally, said that there was no evidence Israel deliberately targeted the aid workers but that it was outraged by their deaths and Israel had an obligation to ensure aid workers in Gaza were not harmed.

The White House said it expected a broad and impartial investigation to be carried out with appropriate accountability.

"These people are heroes, they run into the fire, not away from it," US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken said of the seven aid workers, speaking to reporters in Paris. "We shouldn't have a situation where people who are simply trying to help their fellow human beings are themselves at grave risk."

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hezbollah-warns-israel-will-pay-for-attack-on-irans-damascus-consulate-706691">Hezbollah warns ‘Israel will pay' for attack on Iran's Damascus consulate</a>

Israel has long denied accusations that it is hindering the distribution of urgently needed food aid in Gaza, which it has besieged in a war since October, saying the problem is caused by international aid groups' inability to get it to those in need.

Despite coordinating movements with the Israeli military, the convoy was hit as it was leaving its Deir al-Balah warehouse after unloading more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza by sea, WCK said.

"This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organisations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war," said Erin Gore, chief executive of World Central Kitchen.

"This is unforgivable."

In Cyprus, officials said seaborne aid for Gaza civilians was returning to the eastern Mediterranean island following the killing of the WCK workers, after the US-based charity said it would pause work in the enclave.

The United Arab Emirates, which had been the main financier for WCK's aid efforts through the maritime corridor, said it was pausing such shipments from Cyprus pending further safety guarantees from Israel and a full investigation.

<h2>INCREASING ISRAELI ISOLATION</h2>

Australia, Britain and Poland, countries which have generally been friendly towards Israel, all demanded action to protect aid workers, underlining Netanyahu's increasing diplomatic isolation over the situation in Gaza.

At least 196 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza since a Hamas attack on Israel on October&nbsp;7 triggered Israel's assault on the Hamas-ruled enclave, and the deaths of the WCK staffers were "the inevitable result of the way this war is currently being conducted", UN&nbsp;spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.

Asked by reporters what the UN&nbsp;would say to the Israeli government over the airstrike, he said, "The message is: Let humanitarian workers do their job."

Israel has been under rising international pressure to alleviate severe hunger in Gaza, which has been shattered by Israel's offensive against the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Much of the densely populated territory has been laid waste and most of its 2.3 million population displaced.

The United Nations and other international groups have accused Israel of hindering aid distribution with bureaucratic obstacles and failing to ensure the security of food convoys, underlined by a disaster on February&nbsp;29, in which around 100 people were killed as they awaited an aid delivery.

Hamas, Gaza's dominant group, has said the main problem with aid distribution is Israeli targeting of aid workers. After the latest incident, it issued a statement saying the attack aimed to terrorise workers of international humanitarian agencies, deterring them from their missions.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-netanyahu-speaks-on-aid-workers-death-in-gaza-after-getting-discharged-in-excellent-condition-706934">‘Such accidents happen in wartime’: Netanyahu on death of aid workers in Gaza; released from hospital</a>

Andres, who started WCK in 2010 by sending cooks and food to Haiti after an earthquake, said he was heartbroken and grieving for the families and friends of those who died in the airstrike.

"The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon," he said.

Video obtained by Reuters showed a large hole in the roof of a four-wheel-drive WCK vehicle and its burned and torn interior, as well as paramedics moving bodies into a hospital and displaying the passports of three of those killed.

Conditions in Gaza remain extremely precarious with fighting going on in several areas on Tuesday and 71 people killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours, according to Gaza health authorities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday an Israeli airstrike had mistakenly killed seven people working for the aid charity World Central Kitchen in Gaza, and the US and other allies called for explanations amid widespread condemnation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday an Israeli airstrike had mistakenly killed seven people working for the aid charity World Central Kitchen in Gaza, and the US and other allies called for explanations amid widespread condemnation. Israel's military voiced "sincere sorrow" over the incident, which ratcheted up international pressure for steps to ease the disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza nearly six months into Israel's siege and invasion of the Palestinian enclave. The strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy killed citizens of Australia, Britain and Poland as well as Palestinians and a dual citizen of the United States and Canada. WATCH | Israel under pressure over aid workers' deaths WCK, which was founded by celebrity chef Jose Andres, said they had been travelling in two armoured cars emblazoned with the charity's logo and another vehicle. "Unfortunately in the past day there was a tragic event in which our forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip," Netanyahu said in a video statement. "This happens in war. We are conducting a thorough inquiry and are in contact with the governments. We will do everything to prevent a recurrence." The Israeli military (IDF) pledged an investigation by "an independent, professional and expert body". Britain summoned Israel's ambassador in London to express its "unequivocal condemnation of the appalling killing" of the WCK workers, three of whom were British nationals, and called for an urgent explanation from Israel of how this had occurred. The United States, Israel's closest ally, said that there was no evidence Israel deliberately targeted the aid workers but that it was outraged by their deaths and Israel had an obligation to ensure aid workers in Gaza were not harmed. The White House said it expected a broad and impartial investigation to be carried out with appropriate accountability. "These people are heroes, they run into the fire, not away from it," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said of the seven aid workers, speaking to reporters in Paris. "We shouldn't have a situation where people who are simply trying to help their fellow human beings are themselves at grave risk." Also Read | Hezbollah warns ‘Israel will pay' for attack on Iran's Damascus consulate Israel has long denied accusations that it is hindering the distribution of urgently needed food aid in Gaza, which it has besieged in a war since October, saying the problem is caused by international aid groups' inability to get it to those in need. Despite coordinating movements with the Israeli military, the convoy was hit as it was leaving its Deir al-Balah warehouse after unloading more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza by sea, WCK said. "This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organisations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war," said Erin Gore, chief executive of World Central Kitchen. "This is unforgivable." In Cyprus, officials said seaborne aid for Gaza civilians was returning to the eastern Mediterranean island following the killing of the WCK workers, after the US-based charity said it would pause work in the enclave. The United Arab Emirates, which had been the main financier for WCK's aid efforts through the maritime corridor, said it was pausing such shipments from Cyprus pending further safety guarantees from Israel and a full investigation. INCREASING ISRAELI ISOLATION Australia, Britain and Poland, countries which have generally been friendly towards Israel, all demanded action to protect aid workers, underlining Netanyahu's increasing diplomatic isolation over the situation in Gaza. At least 196 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza since a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 triggered Israel's assault on the Hamas-ruled enclave, and the deaths of the WCK staffers were "the inevitable result of the way this war is currently being conducted", UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday. Asked by reporters what the UN would say to the Israeli government over the airstrike, he said, "The message is: Let humanitarian workers do their job." Israel has been under rising international pressure to alleviate severe hunger in Gaza, which has been shattered by Israel's offensive against the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Much of the densely populated territory has been laid waste and most of its 2.3 million population displaced. The United Nations and other international groups have accused Israel of hindering aid distribution with bureaucratic obstacles and failing to ensure the security of food convoys, underlined by a disaster on February 29, in which around 100 people were killed as they awaited an aid delivery. Hamas, Gaza's dominant group, has said the main problem with aid distribution is Israeli targeting of aid workers. After the latest incident, it issued a statement saying the attack aimed to terrorise workers of international humanitarian agencies, deterring them from their missions. Also Read | ‘Such accidents happen in wartime’: Netanyahu on death of aid workers in Gaza; released from hospital Andres, who started WCK in 2010 by sending cooks and food to Haiti after an earthquake, said he was heartbroken and grieving for the families and friends of those who died in the airstrike. "The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon," he said. Video obtained by Reuters showed a large hole in the roof of a four-wheel-drive WCK vehicle and its burned and torn interior, as well as paramedics moving bodies into a hospital and displaying the passports of three of those killed. Conditions in Gaza remain extremely precarious with fighting going on in several areas on Tuesday and 71 people killed in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours, according to Gaza health authorities.

Israel says airstrike unintentionally killed aid workers in Gaza, allies demand explanations

Israelis are still out on the streets protesting against the government. They have two major demands resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National elections immediately.

Israeli protesters chant 'elections now'

Four international aid workers from the World Central Kitchen charity, along with their Palestinian driver, were killed in a strike on their vehicle in central Gaza late Monday after assisting in the delivery of food and other supplies to northern Gaza that had arrived by ship hours earlier, according to Gaza health officials.

Israeli strike kills four foreign aid workers says Gaza officials

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