Middle East
No respite for Gazans even ahead of Eid
Israel bombed and shelled Gaza yesterday, witnesses and first responders said, with fallout from the war bringing a resurgence of tensions to the Lebanon border and Yemen.
Israel hits Gaza as truce talks fail to progress
Israeli strikes hit Gaza yesterday as truce talks with Hamas failed to progress and tensions surged on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
Hezbollah attacks 9 Israeli military sites with rockets
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said yesterday it had launched rockets and weaponised drones at nine Israeli military sites in a coordinated attack, ramping up hostilities on Lebanon’s southern border for the second consecutive day.
Over half of cropland in hungry Gaza damaged: UN
More than half of Gaza’s agricultural land, crucial for feeding the territory’s hungry population, has been degraded by conflict, satellite images analysed by the United Nations show.
Fire erupts on ship after attack off Yemen
A merchant ship caught fire after being attacked off Yemen, a British maritime security agency said yesterday, following months of attacks in the area by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
1.5m pilgrims reach Makkah as hajj begins today
More than 1.5 million Muslims will begin the annual hajj pilgrimage in the Saudi holy city of Makkah today.
Israeli forces strike deeper into Rafah
Israeli tanks advanced deeper into the western area of Rafah, amid one of the worst nights of bombardment from air, ground, and sea, forcing many families to flee their homes and tents under darkness, residents said yesterday.
Child victims of war spiked in 2023
Violence against children in armed conflicts reached “extreme levels” in 2023, particularly in Gaza and Sudan, according to a forthcoming UN report obtained by AFP on Tuesday.
Gaza refugees stuck in limbo in Egypt
Every time a plane flies overhead, Mohanad al-Sindawy shudders. It takes him a moment to remember he isn’t in Gaza anymore and that no one is bombing the Egyptian capital.
Gaza refugees stuck in limbo in Egypt
Every time a plane flies overhead, Mohanad al-Sindawy shudders. It takes him a moment to remember he isn’t in Gaza anymore and that no one is bombing the Egyptian capital.
Eid-ul-Azha in Saudi Arabia on June 16
Saudi Arabia announced on Thursday the sighting of the Dhul Hijjah crescent, signalling the beginning of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar, reports Al Arabiya
Israel launches new incursion into central Gaza
Israel yesterday announced a new military campaign against Hamas in central Gaza where Palestinian medics said dozens of people had been killed in airstrikes, complicating expected talks between mediators to try to finalise a ceasefire deal.
Pressure for Gaza truce deal rises
Qatar, which has been mediating on Gaza between Israel and Hamas, stressed yesterday that there should be a clear position from both parties to reach a ceasefire deal.
Over 1m forced to flee Gaza city of Rafah
Forced displacement has pushed over a million Palestinians away from the Gaza city of Rafah, the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) said yesterday.
More than half of Gaza structures damaged
Some 55 percent of all structures in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed, damaged or possibly damaged since the Israeli offensive began in the Palestinian territory eight months ago, according to preliminary satellite analysis by the UN.
European powers seek to censure Iran at UN nuclear meeting
Britain, France and Germany will seek to censure Iran over its lack of cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog at its board meeting starting today despite US opposition, diplomats told AFP
Palestinian mothers search for milk
Amira al-Taweel scoured pharmacies in northern Gaza for milk to feed her child, but could not find a single bottle to satisfy his hunger.
Israel accepts Biden’s Gaza truce plan
An aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday confirmed that Israel had accepted a framework deal for winding down the Gaza offensive now being advanced by US President Joe Biden, though he described it as flawed and in need of much more work.
