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US Top Diplomat Rubio Discusses Iran, Gaza Hostages with Israeli PM

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi at the State Department in Washington, US, January 21, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi at the State Department in Washington, US, January 21, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
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US Top Diplomat Rubio Discusses Iran, Gaza Hostages with Israeli PM

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi at the State Department in Washington, US, January 21, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he meets with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi at the State Department in Washington, US, January 21, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to reiterate Washington's support for its ally, and the two also discussed Iran and Israeli hostages in Gaza, the State Department said.
The call was Rubio's first with Israel since the administration of Republican President Donald Trump took office on Monday. Trump and his predecessor, Democratic former President Joe Biden, have both been supporters of Israel during its wars in Gaza and Lebanon, Reuters said.
Rubio underscored that "maintaining the United States' steadfast support for Israel is a top priority for Trump," the State Department said in a statement.
Rubio told Netanyahu that Washington will continue to work "tirelessly" to help free the remaining hostages in Gaza, the State Department added.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian Hamas group attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, the Gaza health ministry says, while also leading to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies. The assault displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza and caused a hunger crisis.
A ceasefire went into effect on Sunday and has led to the release of some Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Rights groups have criticized the mounting humanitarian crisis from Israel's military assault. Washington has maintained its support, saying it is helping its ally in its defense against Iran-backed militant groups including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi group in Yemen.
"The Secretary also conveyed (to Netanyahu) that he looks forward to addressing the threats posed by Iran and pursuing opportunities for peace," the State Department said.

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Spain Says Over 550 Migrants Reached its Canary Islands in 2 Days

A wooden boat used by migrants from Morocco is seen at the coast of the Canary Island on Friday, Oct.16, 2020. (AP Photo/Javier Bauluz, File)
A wooden boat used by migrants from Morocco is seen at the coast of the Canary Island on Friday, Oct.16, 2020. (AP Photo/Javier Bauluz, File)
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Spain Says Over 550 Migrants Reached its Canary Islands in 2 Days

A wooden boat used by migrants from Morocco is seen at the coast of the Canary Island on Friday, Oct.16, 2020. (AP Photo/Javier Bauluz, File)
A wooden boat used by migrants from Morocco is seen at the coast of the Canary Island on Friday, Oct.16, 2020. (AP Photo/Javier Bauluz, File)

More than 550 migrants have arrived in Spain’s Canary Islands in boats over the past two days, Spain’s maritime rescue service said Thursday. At least one body was found in one of the boats.

The Spanish archipelago off northwest Africa is continuing to experience large numbers of migrant arrivals as more people mainly from West Africa attempt the dangerous Atlantic crossing in ramshackle boats. In the first half of January, 3,409 migrants reached Spain by sea, the vast majority to the Canaries, Interior Ministry figures showed. About as many migrants came illegally during the same period last year.

In 2024, Spain received a record number of migrants who crossed illegally via sea, with more than 61,000 people having arrived on boats. Nearly 47,000 of those landed in the Canary Islands. They included several thousand unaccompanied minors, The AP reported.

The islands are roughly 65 miles (105 kilometers) from the closest point in Africa, but to avoid security forces, many migrants attempt longer journeys that can take days or weeks. The majority last year departed from Mauritania, which is at least 473 miles (762 kilometers) from the closest Canary Island, El Hierro.

Earlier this month, the Spanish migration rights group Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) said that 50 people had died in the capsizing of a boat on its way to the Canary Islands. It reported that 44 of them were from Pakistan.

The European Union's border agency, Frontex, said irregular crossings into the bloc in 2024 fell 38% overall but rose by 18% on the Atlantic route between West Africa and the Canary Islands. It attributed the rise in part to more migrants leaving from Mauritania, which has become a primary point of departure for people attempting to reach Europe.

The International Organization for Migration recorded at least 5,000 migrants who died or went missing on the migratory route since it began keeping records in 2014. But Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) says the real death toll is significantly higher, and that over 10,000 people died or went missing while attempting the route last year alone.

Caminando Fronteras says it compiles its own figures from families of migrants and rescue statistics.