Author: Steven Sahiounie

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) now estimates 65,000 people remain in Rafah, the UN secretary-general’s deputy spokesperson has said. “The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, says that people continue to be displaced amid active fighting and bombardment,” Farhan Haq told reporters. “Currently … UNRWA estimates that 65,000 people remain in Rafah. This is in stark contrast to six weeks ago we when Rafah hosted 1.4 million displaced people before the Israeli evacuation orders and military operation.” Source: alJazeera

The program “Good Morning Egypt,” presented by journalist Mohamed Abdo on Channel One and the Egyptian Satellite Channel, aired a report on the ongoing delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Mamdouh Jameel, Channel One’s correspondent from Arish, reported that the situation remains largely unchanged on the Israeli side concerning the entry of aid. There is a continued scarcity of aid trucks entering Gaza through Karam abo Salem crossing for the third consecutive day, due to ongoing Israeli restrictive measures. Jameel noted that on the first day of Eid al-Adha, Karam abo Salem crossing received only 100 trucks, with…

Europe must host children impacted by the war in Gaza for as long as it continues, Greece’s Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis told Reuters on Wednesday. Reportedly, Gerapetritis was actively searching for partnerships for a project that would temporarily transport Gazan children to countries within the European Union. The idea was proposed and discussed with Palestinian Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa throughout the week. He stressed that the “tragedy” must be faced sooner rather than later, saying “Europe should be open to injured people from [Gaza] but also to children who are now facing famine or other sorts of dangers.” Gerapetritis also highlighted the “tremendous” psychological trauma kids…

Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, Igor Sergeyenko, praised the historical Palestinian-Belarusian relations, stressing that his country stands by the Palestinian cause in all international forums. Sergeyenko’s statements came during his meeting today with the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Belarus, Ahmad Al-Mazbouh, at the Parliament headquarters in the center of the capital, Minsk. Sergeyenko expressed his appreciation for the active role of the Embassy of the State of Palestine and its effective contribution to the development of Belarusian-Palestinian relations, stressing the importance of the detailed reports that the embassy continuously sends about the latest…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator US special envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Beirut on Tuesday morning with a packed schedule of meetings. He is the special presidential coordinator for global infrastructure and energy security, and was successful in brokering a maritime border deal between Israel and Lebanon in 2022, but on this trip he is attempting to make a deal to avoid war between Israel and the Lebanese resistance group, Hezbollah. After the October 7 attack on Israel, the conflict in Gaza began. Hezbollah began strikes on October 8 in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance, and call for the…

The United Nations’ human rights chief warned on Tuesday that the rights situation in the West Bank, including east al-Quds, is rapidly deteriorating, highlighting the “unconscionable death and suffering” occurring in Gaza. “The situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is dramatically deteriorating,” Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the opening session of the UN Human Rights Council. He reported that as of June 15, 528 Palestinians, including 133 children, had been killed by Israeli occupation forces or settlers since October, raising “serious concerns of unlawful killings.” “Israel’s relentless strikes in Gaza are causing immense…

North Korean State Affairs President Kim Jong Un called Russia “a true friend” and its President Vladimir Putin “the dearest friend of the Korean people.” Putin and Kim Jong Un made press statements following the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between Russia and North Korea. “At this moment, as the whole world turns its eyes to Pyongyang, where a friendship mission from Russia has arrived, I stand with my Russian comrades, true friends and associates, in this solemn hall,” Kim Jong Un said. He noted that the conclusion of their latest “very robust treaty” between Russia and North…

Caretaker Foreign Minister of Iran Ali Baqeri has traveled to Qatar for negotiations about a range of bilateral and regional issues, especicially the latest developments in Gaza. Baqeri left Tehran for Doha on Wednesday afternoon for an hours-long meeting. The Iranian caretaker minister is going to hold talks with Qatari officials about ways to mobilize the Muslim world’s support for Palestine, end the Israeli regime’s genocidal and war crimes against Gaza, and provide immediate humanitarian aid to people in the besieged enclave. At least 37,396 people have been killed and 85,523 injured in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7, 2023.…

The official welcome ceremony of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been held in Kim Il Sung Square in central Pyongyang. In the square, which is among the thirty largest in the world and can accommodate more than one hundred thousand people, a guard of honor was lined up. Residents of Pyongyang were also present in the square. The ceremony participants were holding flowers in their hands. On the eve of the ceremony the square had been decorated for the arrival of the high-ranking guest. The buildings were draped with the…

Ukraine will never join the North Atlantic Alliance, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with TASS. Commenting on statements by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that the condition for Ukraine’s entry into the military bloc will be its victory in the conflict with the Russian Federation, the deputy minister said: “This means this will never happen.” “I hope Mr. Stoltenberg understands this,” he added. “He knows better than I how the notorious decision of 2008 was prepared, when NATO leaders wrote at the highest level that Ukraine would become a member of NATO. This became the…