Massive attack destroys one of Ukraine's largest power plants

A massive missile and drone attack destroyed one of Ukraine's largest power plants and damaged others, officials said Thursday, part of a renewed Russian campaign targeting energy infrastructure.

The Trypilska plant, which was the biggest energy supplier for the Kyiv, Cherkasy and Zhytomyr regions, was struck numerous times, destroying the transformer, turbines and generators and leaving the plant ablaze. As the first drone approached, workers hid in a shelter, saving their lives, said Andrii Gota, chairman of the supervisory board of the state company that runs the plant, Centrenergo.

They watched the plant burn, surrounded by dense smoke and engulfed in flames. “It’s terrifying,” said Gota. Hours later, rescuers were still dismantling the rubble.

Speaking in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin cast the attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities as a response to Ukrainian strikes that targeted Russian oil refineries.

The Trypilska plant supplied electricity to 3 million customers — but none lost power because the grid was able to compensate since demands are low at this time of year. Still, the consequences of the strikes could be felt in the coming months, as air conditioning use ramps up with summer.

At least 10 other strikes overnight damaged energy infrastructure in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said more than 200,000 people in the region, which has been struck repeatedly, were without power.

Ukraine's largest private energy operator, DTEK, described the slew of strikes as one of the most powerful attacks this year, while Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko told reporters it was a “large scale, enormous, missile attack that affected our energy sector very badly.”

Russia has recently renewed strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, and attacks last month blacked out large parts of the country — a level of darkness not seen since the first days of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

The volume and accuracy of the attacks have alarmed the country’s defenders and left officials scrambling for better ways to protect energy assets. The strikes have also tested Ukraine’s ability to make quick repairs.

Ukraine’s leaders have pleaded for more air defense systems to ward off such attacks, but those supplies have been slow in coming.

“Today’s situation demonstrates that there’s nothing left to shoot down” the missiles, Gota said.

Associated Press writers Samya Kullab and Illia Novikov contributed to this report from Kyiv, Ukraine.

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, an emergency worker extinguishes a fire after a Russian attack on the Trypilska thermal power plant in Ukrainka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, an emergency worker extinguishes a fire after a Russian attack on the Trypilska thermal power plant in Ukrainka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency workers extinguish a fire after a Russian attack on the Trypilska thermal power plant in Ukrainka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency workers extinguish a fire after a Russian attack on the Trypilska thermal power plant in Ukrainka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency workers extinguish a fire after a Russian attack on the Trypilska thermal power plant in Ukrainka, Kyiv region, Ukraine, Thursday, April 11, 2024. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas militants on Sunday attacked Israel's main crossing point for delivering humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, reportedly wounding several Israelis and prompting Israel to close the terminal.

The attack disrupted critical shipments of food and other humanitarian aid into Gaza, and dealt a new blow to ongoing cease-fire efforts mediated by Egypt and Qatar. In another potential setback, Israel said it was shuttering the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera satellite channel, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he rejected Hamas' latest demands and vowed to keep on fighting.

The Israeli military reported 10 launches at the Kerem Shalom crossing. Hamas said it had been targeting Israeli soldiers in the area. Israel's Channel 12 TV channel said 10 people were wounded, three seriously.

Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing has become the primary gateway for badly needed humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. The military said the crossing was immediately closed, halting deliveries of aid into hard-hit Gaza. It was unclear how long the closure would remain in effect.

The incident comes at a time when Gaza is facing a humanitarian crisis with shortages of food, medicine and other humanitarian items.

The attack threatened to complicate the ongoing cease-fire talks in Egypt. A Hamas delegation was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported “noticeable progress” in the cease-fire talks.

However, Israel hasn’t sent a delegation to Cairo and a senior Israeli official downplayed prospects for a full end to the war while emphasizing Israel's commitment to invading Rafah.

Egyptian and Hamas officials have said the deal calls for an extended pause in fighting in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. But the sides remain at odds over whether the deal would include an end to the war and a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

Netanyahu further lowered expectations on Sunday when he accused Hamas of making unacceptable demands.

While claiming that Israel has shown willingness to make concessions, he said: “Hamas has still held to its extreme positions, first and foremost the withdrawal of our forces from the strip, the conclusion of the war and leaving Hamas intact.”

"Israel will not agree to Hamas’s demands, which would mean surrender; it will continue fighting until all of its objectives are achieved,” he said.

Israel launched its war in response to Hamas cross-border attack on Oct. 7, which killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. An Israeli air and ground offensive has killed over 34,500 people, according to Palestinian health officials, displaced some 80% of Gaza's population and led to a humanitarian disaster.

Egypt and Qatar have been working with the United States to mediate a cease-fire.

On Sunday, Netanyahu's Cabinet approved a measure to shutter Qatar's Al Jazeera news channel, accusing it of broadcasting anti-Israel incitement. The decision threatened to further disrupt the cease-fire talks. There was no immediate comment from Qatar.

Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press wroter Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

Israel says Hamas attacks a crossing point into Gaza, wounding 10 Israelis and forcing its closure

In this image provided by the U.S. Army, soldiers assigned to the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) and sailors attached to the MV Roy P. Benavidez assemble the Roll-On, Roll-Off Distribution Facility (RRDF), or floating pier, off the shore of Gaza on April 26, 2024. The U.S. expects to have on-the-ground arrangements in Gaza ready for humanitarian workers to start delivering aid this month via a new U.S.-backed sea route for Gaza aid. An official with the U.S. Agency for International Development tells the AP that humanitarian groups expect to have their part of preparations complete by early to mid-month. (U.S. Army via AP)

Israel says Hamas attacks a crossing point into Gaza, wounding 10 Israelis and forcing its closure