Author: Steven Sahiounie

Israeli forces have “surrounded and besieged” the Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulance centre in Jabalia from all directions, the Palestine Red Crescent Society says in a post on X. Israel said yesterday it had taken control of the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the site of some of the most intense Israeli attacks since the war began. Source: AlJazeera

Israeli forces have destroyed a house near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah. On Tuesday, at least 13 people were reported killed and many wounded in the central Gaza City. Deir el-Balah has come under repeated Israeli assaults since the war began on October 7. Source: AlJazeera

It will be David Cameron second trip to the region since he became foreign minister last month. The UK foreign office says he will focus on “the urgent need for a sustainable ceasefire involving the release of hostages and an end to rocket fire into Israel”. The former UK prime minister will visit Egypt’s El Arish, near the Egypt-Gaza border, as well as the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation. “I will be seeking to build on Israel’s decision to open the Kerem Shalom [Karem Abu Salem] crossing to ensure significantly more aid and fuel can reach Gaza, through as many routes…

Spokesman Matthew Miller declined to comment on why a vote on the latest Security Council resolution related to the war in Gaza has been repeatedly delayed. Speaking to reporters, he said, “We fully support addressing the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza and we’re working through these issues with other countries on the Security Council.” He said the US had been in discussion with Israel related to the resolution, but would not say if Israeli officials had asked the US to use the veto power it holds as a permanent member of the Security Council. He added, “The details…

A Palestinian youth Wednesday was killed by Israeli occupation soldiers after opening fire at his vehicle, near the Beit Ainun roundabout, north of Hebron. Security sources reported that Basil Wajiya Abd al-Afo al-Muhtaseb, 28, died as a result of being shot by occupation bullets while driving his vehicle at the entrance to Beit Ainun, north of Hebron. A video footage circulating on social media showed the soldiers opening fire at the youth’s vehicle. They pointed out that the occupation declared the zone a closed military zone, and prevented citizens from entering or leaving it. Source: wafa

Spokesman Matthew Miller’s comments come a day after the US announced a task force to protect commercial shipping from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. He declined to say if the US had any plans to encourage more Arab nations to join the task force. Bahrain is currently the only country in the region to sign on. However, he said US officials have repeatedly leaned on their Chinese counterparts to leverage their influence in the region. That is also true for the Red Sea task force, he said. “We would welcome China in playing a constructive role in trying to…

Senior Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh is to visit Egypt on Wednesday for talks on a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange with Israel, a source close to the Palestinian group says. Qatar-based Haniyeh will head a “high-level” Hamas delegation to Egypt, where he is due to hold talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and other officials, the source told AFP. The discussions will be “on stopping the aggression and the war to prepare an agreement for the release of prisoners [and] the end of the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip”, the source said on the condition…

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani discussed the ways for de-escalating and reaching a ceasefire during the call with UN chief Guterres, according to a statement from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry. Al-Thani also discussed ways to sustainably open humanitarian corridors to ensure continued access to aid for residents of the Gaza Strip, the statement said. Source: AlJazeera

US national debt has continued to mount, jumping by $2.6 trillion in the six months through December to reach $33.8 trillion, according to the Treasury Department.

Soaring interest rates and the end of Covid subsidies have had a big impact on businesses, the outlet reports