The Times of Israel is liveblogging Saturday’s events as they happen.
S&P reaffirms Israel’s credit rating after downgrades in 2024, outlook stays ‘negative’
S&P reaffirms Israel’s A/A-1 credit rating — which it downgraded twice last year — while keeping its outlook negative, warning that “the conflict between Israel, Hamas, and other proxies of Iran could substantially weaken Israel’s economy, public finances, and balance-of-payments position, particularly if the conflict escalates.”
“We could lower our ratings on Israel in the next 24 months if the military conflicts hamper the country’s economic growth, fiscal position, and balance of payments more than we currently anticipate,” the credit ratings agency writes in its report. “This could be the case, for example, if the ongoing conflict persists, raising the risks of retaliatory attacks against Israel, or if the prospect of a direct war between Israel and Iran increases.”
Despite these risks, S&P says it could revise the outlook to stable from negative “if we observed a reduced likelihood of military escalation and broader security risks reduced.”
Former EU top diplomat Borrell accuses Israel of ‘genocide’ in Gaza
The European Union’s former foreign policy chief accuses Israel of “genocide” during the war against Hamas in Gaza.
“We’re facing the largest ethnic cleansing operation since the end of the second world war in order to create a splendid holiday destination once all the millions of tons of rubble have been cleared from Gaza and the Palestinians have died or gone away,” Joesp Borrell says, in apparent reference to US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a Middle Eastern “Riveria.”
“Three times more explosive power has been dropped on Gaza than was used in the Hiroshima bomb,” he continues, according to the Guardian. “And for months now, nothing has been getting into Gaza. Nothing: no water, no food, no electricity, no fuel, no medical services. That’s what [Benjamin] Netanyau’s ministers have said and it’s what they’ve done.”
“We all know what’s going on there, and we’ve all heard the objectives stated by Netanyau’s ministers, which are clear declarations of genocidal intent. Seldom have I heard the leader of a state so clearly outline a plan that fits the legal definition of genocide.”
8-year-old killed, several others hurt in shooting on wedding convoy near Tel Sheva
An eight-year-old boy was shot dead near the southern city of Tel Sheva while partaking in a wedding convoy Friday, police and paramedics say.
The shooting injured six other people, one who is in serious condition, the other five with minor injuries.
The victim, Yousef Awad Abu Rqayiq, succumbed to his wounds after being taken by paramedics to Soroka Medical Center.
Haaretz reports that eyewitnesses say the boy was shot at close range, raising police’s suspicions that he was the intended target of the shooting, which officers speculate was a revenge attack related to feuding criminal groups in Bedouin society.
Police say that large number of forces from the Southern District are operating in Tel Sheva and its surrounding area to probe the incident and locate suspects.
Violent crime in Arab society has spiraled in recent years, claiming 91 lives since the start of 2025.
Earlier this week, Israel’s Channel 12 news reported an 84% jump in the number of Arab community homicides compared to the same time last year, citing the Abraham Initiatives organization.
Trump says US to maintain 10% tariff ‘baseline’ even after trade deals reached
US President Donald Trump says that the United States will maintain a baseline 10 percent tariff on imports even after trade deals are struck, adding there could be exemptions when countries offer significant trade terms.
Trump says to expect new trade deals in the coming weeks, but “we always have a baseline of 10%.”