Author: Steven Sahiounie

The situation in Gaza is “catastrophic, apocalyptic” with destruction proportionally “even greater” than Germany experienced in World War II, the EU’s top diplomat says. While denouncing Hamas’s attack, Josep Borrell made clear he saw Israel’s military operation as disproportionate in terms of civilian deaths and damage to civilian property and infrastructure. “The human suffering constitutes an unprecedented challenge to the international community,” Borrell said. “Civilian casualties are between 60 and 70 percent of the overall deaths” and “85 percent of the population is internally displaced”. “The destruction of buildings in Gaza … is more or less or even greater than…

The Iran foreign minister urged the European Union to take more serious steps to end the Israeli regime’s onslaught against the Gaza Strip. Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday sent a letter to Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. In the letter, the Iranian diplomat highlighted the recent positions of the European side on Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need to establish a lasting ceasefire, halt the massacre of civilians in Gaza, and adhere to international humanitarian law. He also touched upon the urgent delivery of aid to the displaced people of Gaza, and…

Asked by reporters if he had a message to nations that opposed a ceasefire in Gaza, China’s representative to the UN, Zhang Jun, said simply: “Enough is enough.” Beijing on Saturday called Washington vetoing a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza “disappointing and regrettable”. China last month called on the UN Security Council to formulate a “concrete” timetable and roadmap for a two-state solution to achieve a “comprehensive, just and lasting” settlement of the Palestinian issue. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has also warned against the conflict spilling over into the entire Middle East. Source: AlJazeera

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi denounced the US’ move to veto the UN Security Council’s demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza as a testament to Washington’s direct role in the massacre of Palestinians. In remarks at a Sunday session of the cabinet, Raisi deplored Washington’s veto of a UN resolution on ensuring an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. “The Gaza incidents uncovered US’ hypocrisy and disclosed the cruel and anti-human image of the US government in the world,” he said. The president noted that the world has now realized the need for an end to unilateralism in the international arena. “The…

“We’ve seen the reports. Certainly concerned about that. We’ll be asking questions to try to learn a bit more,” said White House spokesperson John Kirby when asked about reports that Israel has used US-supplied white phosphorus munitions in southern Lebanon. A Washington Post report found that Israel used the shells in an October attack that injured at least nine civilians, after analysing shell fragments taken from Dheira, the village that was attacked. The rights group Amnesty International has also verified photos and videos showing Israel using white phosphorus in Dheira. However, Kirby said that white phosphorus has a “legitimate military…

The EU Heads of Mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah met with representatives of several Christian Churches present at the Mount of Olives, where several pending Israeli projects in and around Jerusalem’s Old City threaten to alter permanently the character of numerous holy sites and undermine the established religious equilibrium. Such projects include expanding the National Park on the Mount of Olives and a plan to build a cable car in Jerusalem’s historic core. Pursuing these plans could have a detrimental impact on the holy sites, the paths of pilgrimage and the viability of Jerusalem’s communities, said an EU statement. “It…

The foreign minister of Iran lauded the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation for supporting the Palestinian nation amid the Israeli regime’s deadly strikes on Gaza. In a letter to Secretary General of the D-8 Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam on Sunday, Hossein Amirabdollahian lauded the joint statement of the recent meeting of the D8 Commission that showed support for the people of Gaza. He also hailed the D-8 secretary-general’s efforts towards coordination of the organization’s measures to defend the rights of Palestinians. The letter declared the full support of Iran for the complementary actions of D-8 in supporting the Palestinian nation. The…

A Lebanese official was killed in the southern village of Taybeh in an Israeli bombardment during cross-border fighting with Hezbollah. Hussein Mansour, 80, died “in an Israeli enemy attack” on the village. “The shell that targeted [Mansour’s] house did not explode” but struck and killed him, the state-run National News Agency reported. Eight other people were on a balcony with him at the time but were unharmed. Fighting between the Israeli army and Hezbollah has killed more than 120 people in Lebanon since October 7. Israel says six of its soldiers and four civilians have been killed on its side…

Gaza’s government media office says the number of journalists and media workers who have been killed since October 7 now stands at 86. The office published the names of those who it said have been “assassinated” by Israel in an attempt to “stifle the truth”. Among those killed are 10 female journalists. Source: AlJazeera

UN Security Council envoys have arrived in Egypt to inspect the Rafah border crossing with Gaza amid the worsening crisis in the besieged enclave. The daylong visit, organised by the UAE and Egypt, involves about a dozen ambassadors, including those from Russia and the UK. The US and France did not send any representatives. “There is no justification for turning a blind eye to the pain and suffering inflicted on the Palestinian people in Gaza,” an Egyptian Foreign Ministry official told the envoys during a briefing following their arrival. UAE’s ambassador to the UN, Lana Nusseibeh, asserted the countries participating…