Israel frees two hostages, Gaza officials say 67 killed in assault. Madagascar law allowing castration of child rapists prompts criticism from rights groups. Pakistan's premier defends the delay in...

Israel freed two Israeli-Argentinian hostages held by Hamas in Rafah in a fierce rescue operation, killing 67 Palestinians with airstrikes as part of the operation. U.S. President Joe Biden has gotten increasingly vocal that Israel should not carry a ground offensive in Rafah without a plan to protect civilians. (Reuters)

Madagascar’s Parliament passed a law allowing for chemical and surgical castration of those guilty of raping minors, prompting criticism from international rights groups such as Amnesty International. They’ve however received support from activists who say it’s an appropriate deterrent against ‘rape culture.’ (Associated Press)

Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister defended the highly criticized and delayed announcement of election results by saying that authorities only took 36 hours to calculate 60 million votes while juggling militant attacks. Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, won the most seats in Thursday’s election due to their candidates running as independents. This prompted ‘politically motivated’ criminal convictions of a rigged election, which is why Khan can’t run, and talks of a coalition government.