Middle East crisis
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Ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas seem “to have broken down completely overnight”. The end of the first phase of the ceasefire two weeks ago created a “tricky, delicate moment” – especially as the Trump administration was occupied with talks to end fighting in Ukraine. There are 59 Israel hostages still being held by Hamas…
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A senior Islamic State (IS) group leader in Iraq and Syria has been killed in an operation by members of the Iraqi national intelligence service along with US-led coalition forces, the Iraqi prime minister has said. Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, “was considered one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq…
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US President Donald Trump said he is committed to “buying and owning” Gaza and that other countries in the Middle East could help to rebuild it. US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his plan to take control of Gaza, and said that he could allow other states in the Middle East to rebuild…
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President Donald Trump said Friday there have been “no deliberations” about his claims that the United States will seek to take over Gaza, but insisted that the region “will be given to us by Israel.” “It’s been perceived [that] the United States would view it as a real estate transaction, where we will be an…
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Palestinians should be able to return to their homes and “rebuild their shattered lives” in Gaza – that’s the view of the UK government, according to the environment secretary Steve Reed, who has told us peace can “only be based on a two-state solution”. Speaking to the media, he said Palestinians have faced “a living nightmare…
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The Israeli security cabinet on Friday approved the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal announced in Qatar on Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. The 11 voting members of the security cabinet approved the deal with a simple majority vote. The full, 33-member Israeli cabinet still needs to approve the agreement. That meeting…
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Israel and Hamas on Wednesday reached a deal to release hostages being held in Gaza and establish a ceasefire, an agreement pushed through mostly because of President-elect Donald Trump’s influence, a diplomat briefed on the negotiations told The Washington Post. About 98 hostages are still being held in Gaza, including seven Americans. Trump took credit for…
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Syria’s interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani on Friday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to guaranteeing freedom for all Syrians, stressing the rule of law and equal citizenship are cornerstones of the nation’s future. He made the remarks during a joint press conference in Damascus with visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. “We remain dedicated to…
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Top US diplomats are heading to the Middle East to help ensure a smooth transition of power in Syria as well as a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza. Secretary of state Antony Blinken is set to visit Jordan and Turkey, while US national security adviser Jake Sullivan is planning stops in Israel, Qatar and…
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At least three Russian warships including two guided missile frigates left the Syrian port of Tartous over the past few days. A satellite image taken by Planet Labs PBC yesterday reveals that the ships left the port between 6-9 December. Some of the fleet is still visible off the coast of Syria in satellite imagery…
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Five agriculture workers were killed and another seriously injured on Thursday in a rocket attack from Lebanon on northern Israel, according to Israel’s MDA rescue service. Israel’s state-owned Kan TV news reported that the rocket fell in an apple orchard near the town of Metula, not far from the Lebanese border. The deaths include four…
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Germany’s foreign minister has visited Lebanon today. Annalena Baerbock met with the speaker of Lebanon’s parliament, Nabih Berri, in Beirut. She said Germany would “not look away” or leave Lebanon on its own as it tries to cope with ongoing fighting between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel across the country. She also said the conflict will…
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The US has “not seen evidence” that there is a Hezbollah bunker underneath the Al Sahel Hospital in Beirut, as Israel has alleged, the defence secretary has said. Israel has claimed Hezbollah is storing gold and cash in an underground bunker, an allegation the hospital denies. Asked about the Israeli claims, Lloyd Austin said: “We’ve not…
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Warplanes of the U.S.-British coalition launched 15 airstrikes on the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the northern city of Saada early Thursday, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. The strikes targeted three sites in Sanaa, in the areas of Al-Jiraf, Hafa and Jarban, as well as two other sites in Saada, in the areas of Kahlan and al-Abla,…
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The UK has donated £1m to the Egyptian health authority to support Palestinians evacuated from neighbouring Gaza for medical treatment. The funding includes vital medical supplies and medication including chemotherapy and equipment to aid rehabilitation. It was announced as Hamish Falconer, the UK minister for the Middle East, visits the region for the first time.…
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Angolan President Joao Lourenco on Tuesday called for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, emphasizing the need for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The world cannot continue to accept the alarming daily death toll of civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, Lourenco said during his annual…
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