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Holiday Ginger Cookies Recipe

  Ingredients: - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour - 2 tsp ground ginger - 1 tsp baking soda - 1 tsp ground cinnamon - 1/2 tsp ground cloves - 1/4 tsp salt - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened - 1 cup granulated sugar - 1 large egg - 1 tbsp water - 1/4 cup molasses - 1/4 cup additional granulated sugar for rolling Instructions: 1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. 3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, water, and molasses, and beat until well combined. 4. Mix Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. 5. Form Dough Balls: Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Roll each ball in the additional granulated sugar to coat. 6. Bake: Place the...

Hamas Releases Video of Two Israeli Captives Held in Gaza

 

Hamas, the militant group in Gaza, has published a video showing the first proof of life of two hostages being held: Keith Siegel, a 64-year-old American-Israeli citizen, and Omri Miran. In the undated footage, Mr. Miran states that he has been held captive for 202 days, while Mr. Siegel mentions the Passover holiday, suggesting the clips were filmed recently.

Mr. Siegel was kidnapped along with his wife Aviva on October 7. Aviva was freed in November during a brief truce, but at that time, she did not know if Keith was still alive. The Hostages Families Forum Headquarters confirmed that the Siegel and Miran families are aware of the latest video. This proof of life is the clearest evidence that the Israeli government must do everything to approve a deal for the return of all the hostages.

The video comes after another proof-of-life video released earlier in the week, showing Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who lost his lower left arm during Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October.

In the video, both Mr. Siegel and Mr. Miran urge the Israeli government to agree to a deal with Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. However, weeks of indirect negotiations have failed to produce an agreement. Hamas has previously insisted that any deal should include a permanent end to the war, full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, and unrestricted return of displaced people to their homes. Meanwhile, Israel maintains its stance that it must destroy Hamas in Gaza and free the hostages.

Despite warnings of potential humanitarian consequences, Israel appears to be moving ahead with plans for an offensive in Rafah, southern Gaza, where 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.



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