US police in riot gear arrive on campuses

More than 100 people were arrested at Columbia University and City College of New York on Tuesday night according to a law enforcement official as protests against Israelrsquos bombardment of Gaza intensified across college campuses in the US CNN reportedPolice in riot gear entered Columbia Universityrsquos Hamilton Hall and used flash bangs when breaching the building in which proPalestinian protesters had barricaded themselves Less than two hours after officers entered the schoolrsquos campus in Morningside Heights Columbia Universityrsquos property was clearedColumbia has asked the NYPD to remain on campus until May 17 two days after its graduation ceremony but protesters remain defiant Columbia has been the epicenter but protests have been roiling universities nationwideIn Los Angeles police in riot gear arrived on campus at UCLA mayor Karen Bass said early on Wednesday Before the deployment proPalestinian protesters and Israel supporters were clashing at UCLA according to multiple reports The clashes took place early Wednesday just outside a tent encampment where proPalestinian protesters erected barricades and plywood for protection and counterprotesters tried to pull them down The protesters shoved and kicked one another sometimes beating people with sticks or throwing chairsBlinken in Israel to push ceasefire dealUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken was meeting with Israeli leaders on Wednesday telling the countryrsquos ceremonial president that ldquothe time is nowrdquo for a ceasefire deal Blinken has blamed Hamas for any delay is getting a deal off the ground ldquoWe are determined to get a ceasefire that brings the hostages home and to get it now and the only reason that that wouldnrsquot be achieved is because of Hamasrdquo he said Blinken visited key regional leaders in Saudi Arabia and Jordan before arriving in Israel He met President Isaac Herzog and is set to meet PM Benjamin Netanyahu laterChildren stand behind barbedwire along a slope near a camp housing displaced Palestinians in Rafah PicAFPHamas to mediators Clarify ceasefire termsHamas has asked Egyptian and Qatari mediators to provide clarity on the terms of the latest ceasefire proposal being discussed as part of negotiations with Israel an Egyptian official said on Wednesday The official who has close ties to the talks and spoke on condition of anonymity in order to freely discuss the deal said Hamas wants clear terms for the unconditional return of displaced people to the north of Gaza and to ensure that the second stage of the deal will include discussing the gradual and complete withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the entire Gaza Strip The official said the current deal didnrsquot make things very clearThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever