Author: Steven Sahiounie

A Hamas official says the group is holding off on releasing more captives until a ceasefire is agreed on. Russia’s Kommersant newspaper quoted Abu Hamid as saying Hamas also needs time to locate all who were taken to Gaza during its October 7 attack. Israel’s chief military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, said 229 people are currently being held hostage in the Gaza Strip. On Monday, Hamas freed two elderly Israeli women following the release of two captives with dual US-Israeli nationality last week. A Hamas delegation is visiting Moscow for talks marking its first high-profile international visit since the war broke out. Source: AlJazeera

At the temple around the Al Aqsa Mosque, there are very few people here. Normally around this time, with Friday prayers about to get under way, that would be full. They just haven’t been allowed to get in. At Lion’s Gate, the normal entry point for Al-Aqsa, we’ve seen some men being physically abused by the Israel police. One man trying to explain that he is just going into pray was hit by a police officer. It’s incredibly difficult for anyone to get even close to the mosque. Normally we would see thousands of people here for midday prayers. Road…

Israel has blocked petro-imports into Gaza, saying it could be used for offensive military purposes by Hamas United Nations (UN) aid organizations operating within Gaza have been forced to reduce their efforts due to a fuel shortage, the Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Thursday. On Wednesday, the UN warned that limited fuel supplies could seriously hamper aid operations in the coastal enclave, with a representative for the agency telling CNN that UNRWA “will no longer be able to work” if fuel is exhausted. “There has to be a way to get the fuel…

The US president’s party is split over his steadfast support for Israel US President Joe Biden’s approval rating among members of his party has fallen by 11 percentage points to the lowest score of his presidency thus far, according to a Gallup poll published on Thursday. While Democrats usually give Biden near-unanimously good ratings, the party has recently experienced some inner strife over the president’s Israel policy. The survey found that 75% of registered Democrats approve of the job Biden is doing, down from 86% last month. In the same period, Biden’s approval among independents fell four points from 39% to 35%,…

The under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs believes civilians everywhere have the right to protection and basic needs The international community has so far failed to fulfill its basic humanitarian duties and protect civilians in Gaza amid the continued Israeli bombing campaign, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths said on Thursday. Humanitarian aid pledged by national governments and various relief organizations is barely reaching Gaza residents, he added. Israel’s “heavy bombardments” are “getting worse,” even in parts of the enclave that were supposed to be safe, and aid “is barely trickling in,” Griffiths wrote in a statement published on X (formerly known as Twitter). “The rules of war are…

Washington is deploying air defenses and 900 troops to the Middle East for “protection” The US military will deploy 900 soldiers to the Middle East to bolster its “force protection capabilities,” officials said. The personnel will operate new air defense batteries sent to the region amid a string of attacks on US troops in Syria and Iraq. The Pentagon also confirmed at least three more attempted drone and rocket attacks on US bases across Iraq and Syria, following a series of strikes in recent weeks, including one that left 20 soldiers with “minor injuries,” according to US Central Command. Speaking to reporters on Thursday,…

President Joe Biden has ordered the US military to strike two facilities in eastern Syria US forces have launched multiple airstrikes on unspecified military installations in Syria, the Pentagon said on Thursday, claiming the operation was a response to recent attacks against illegal American outposts by armed groups allegedly “affiliated” with Iran. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the “self-defense” strikes, ordered by President Joe Biden, hit “two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)” and related groups, but stressed that they were not related to ongoing fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants. “These narrowly tailored strikes in self-defense were intended solely to protect and…

The Israel Occupation Forces are reportedly “aware of a security incident” An unidentified missile has landed in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Taba, just across the border with Israel, damaging a hospital and injuring at least six people, according to local media reports. The missile allegedly struck a medical facility early on Friday morning, Egypt’s Al Qahera news channel reported, citing official sources. Five victims were treated for light injuries, while the sixth person was said to be in stable condition. Egyptian security forces have launched an investigation to determine the origin of the missile launch, while reportedly reserving “the right to respond…

A rift is reportedly growing between the Israeli prime minister and the military leadership Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is at odds with his own military after refusing to sign off on plans for a ground operation in Gaza, the New York Times said on Thursday. He reportedly wants his entire war cabinet to back an invasion. The Israeli leadership has vowed to “obliterate” the Palestinian militant group Hamas in retaliation for its attack on October 7, but there is no agreement among top officials on how, when and even whether to go all in, the newspaper said, citing multiple sources. The…

This comes after US President Joe Biden expressed doubt regarding the death tolls provided by the Palestinians The Health Ministry in Gaza has published the names of 6,747 people who it says have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory strikes on the Palestinian enclave since October 7. The 210-page report, which came out on Thursday, includes the name, age, gender, and ID number of each of the victims, including those of 2,665 children. The ministry said the list is not complete as almost 300 bodies remain unidentified, many people are missing, and some were buried without being admitted to the hospital. US…