Israeli top general resigns
Reuters reported on Jan. 21 that Israel’s military chief of staff Herzi Halevi has announced he will be resigning on Mar. 6 to hold accountability for the “massive security lapse” during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. The attacks included a largely coordinated invasion into southern Israel by Hamas and Palestinian militant groups, which is in causation of the war in Gaza. AP News reported that the Oct. 7 attack was “the single deadliest on Israel in its history,” with over a thousand civilians and soldiers killed and hundreds of militants captured with just under a hundred captives still in Gaza.
Several dead from fire at a ski resort in Turkey
Reuters reported on Jan. 21 that the Kartalkaya ski resort in the Bolu mountains of Turkey went up in flames in the early mornings a little after 3AM. The 12-storey hotel contained more than 200 guests, 66 of which were killed in the incident with 51 injured. Many guests were forced to jump from the windows of the hotel, resulting in death or severe injury. Guests reported that they did not hear smoke alarms in their efforts to flee. Authorities ultimately detained four people for investigation, including the hotel owner. As of Jan. 21, the cause of the fire is unclear, however the flames were reported to have begun on the restaurant floor of the hotel.
