Middle East

Trump secures Netanyahu’s agreement to Gaza deal but Hamas support in question

President Donald Trump secured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's backing for a U.S.-sponsored peace proposal to end a nearly two-year-old war in Gaza, but questions loomed over whether Hamas would…

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Italy warns of dangers challenging Israeli naval blockade

An international aid flotilla that paused for several days in Greek waters for repairs has set sail again for Gaza, where activists aim to challenge Israel's naval blockade and deliver…

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‘Time to stop’: Trump vows Israel will not annex West Bank

U.S. President Donald Trump said that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, rejecting calls from some far-right politicians in Israel who want to extend sovereignty over…

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Spain, Italy sending warships to protect Gaza aid flotilla

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he will join Italy in sending a military warship to protect an international flotilla seeking to deliver aid to Gaza after it was attacked…

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22 people die in major Israeli attack on Gaza

Palestinian officials say Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City today killed 22 people, including nine children. The attack struck the Souq Firas area, where video footage showed children’s bodies being pulled…

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Syria to hold parliamentary elections on October 5

Syria will hold its first parliamentary election under its new Islamist-led administration on October 5, state news agency SANA reported. The new assembly is expected to lay the groundwork for…

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Sharaa to become first Syrian leader to attend UN meetings since 1967

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in New York to attend meetings of the UN General Assembly, the first participation of a Syrian president since 1967, the state news agency reported…

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Four major Western nations recognise Palestinian state, to fury of Israel

Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal all recognised a Palestinian state on Sunday in a move borne out of frustration over the Gaza war and intended to promote a two-state solution,…

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What would wider recognition of Palestine mean for Palestinians and Israel?

About 10 countries including Australia, Belgium, Britain and Canada are expected to formally recognise an independent Palestinian state on Monday at a summit before the annual leaders' gathering at the…

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Reports Greta Thunberg left the leadership of global flottila over of internal disagreements

Climate activist Greta Thunberg has stepped down from the steering committee of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a mission seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing disagreements over the group’s…

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US casts 6th veto at United Nations over war in Gaza

The United States vetoed on Thursday a draft United Nations Security Council resolution that would have demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and that Israel lift all…

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Syria’s Sharaa says talks with Israel could yield results ‘in coming days’

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa said that ongoing negotiations with Israel to reach a security pact could lead to results "in the coming days." He told reporters in Damascus the security…

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Israel says ‘Gaza is burning’ as it launches ground assault

Israel has launched its long-planned major ground offensive on Gaza City, conducting heavy air strikes overnight as troops pushed into the edges of the city. Thousands of Palestinians have been…

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UN inquiry finds top Israeli officials incited genocide in Gaza

A United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded on Tuesday that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and that top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu incited these acts -…

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Netanyahu does not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders abroad

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not ruled out further strikes on Hamas leaders following last week's attack in Qatar, saying they would not have immunity "wherever they are". Speaking…

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Israeli military says it controls 40% of Gaza City, plans to expand operation in coming days

Israel controls 40% of Gaza City, a military spokesperson said on Thursday, as its bombardment forced more Palestinians from their homes there, while thousands of residents defied Israeli orders to…

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Israel intensifies attacks on Gaza City

At least 20 Palestinians have been killed since on Sunday as Israeli forces intensified their bombardment of Gaza, a day after 77 people lost their lives, including 11 waiting in…

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Israel recovers body of hostage and remains of another

Israel’s military recovered the body of one hostage and the remains of another in Gaza on Friday, as it declared Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone” ahead of a major…

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UN votes to end its peacekeeping force in Lebanon after nearly five decades

The United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to end the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, marking the conclusion of nearly half a century of international…

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Israeli Foreign Minister Saar says there will not be a Palestinian state

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, asked on Wednesday what the plan was for a Palestinian state, said there would not be any. Saar made the comment to reporters following a…

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Israel hits Gaza hospital, killing at least 15 people, including journalists

Israeli strikes on Nasser hospital in Gaza on Monday killed at least 15 people, including four journalists, one of whom worked for Reuters, Palestinian health officials said. Cameraman Hussam al-Masri,…

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The Muslim world has been strong on rhetoric, short on action over Gaza and Afghanistan

By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor's Strategic Fellow, Victoria University When it comes to dealing with two of…

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Famine has officially struck Gaza, says global hunger monitor

Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, a global hunger monitor determined on Friday, an assessment that will escalate pressure on Israel…

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Syria to revalue currency, dropping two zeros in bid for stability

Syria will issue new banknotes, removing two zeros from its currency in an attempt to restore public confidence in the severely devalued pound, according to seven sources familiar with the…

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Most Americans believe countries should recognize Palestinian state, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

A 58% majority of Americans believe that every country in the United Nations should recognize Palestine as a nation, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, as Israel and Hamas considered…

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Israel takes first steps of military operation in Gaza City

Israel's military has taken the first steps of a planned operation to take over Gaza City, Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. Following a clash with Hamas south…

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Israel to call up 50,000 reservists before Gaza City offensive

Israel will call up 50,000 reservists before a planned offensive to take Gaza City but most forces that would operate in the Gaza Strip's largest urban centre would be active…

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Syrian foreign minister met Israeli delegation for regional stability talks

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met an Israeli delegation in Paris on Tuesday to discuss bolstering stability in the region and southern Syria, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. Syrian…

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Hamas accepts proposed deal for ceasefire with Israel and hostage release

Hamas has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal with Israel that includes the return of half the hostages held in Gaza and Israel's release of some Palestinian prisoners, an Egyptian…

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Israelis stage nationwide protests to demand end to Gaza war and release of hostages

Thousands of Israelis took part in a nationwide strike on Sunday in support of families of hostages held in Gaza, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement…

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Israel in talks with South Sudan to resettle Palestinians from Gaza

Israel is reportedly in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from Gaza to the war-torn East African country, part of a wider effort by Israel to facilitate…

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Anger after Israel strike kills Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza

A prominent Al Jazeera journalist, who had previously been threatened by Israel, was killed along with four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday in an attack condemned by journalists…

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Israel approves plan to take control of Gaza City

Israel's political-security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City early on Friday, hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intended to take military control of the…

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Israeli cabinet may order complete Gaza takeover

Israel's cabinet could authorise on Tuesday a complete military takeover of Gaza for the first time in two decades, media reported, despite international pressure for a ceasefire to ease appalling…

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Israel to decide next steps in Gaza

Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet this week to decide on Israel's next steps in Gaza following the collapse of indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas, with one senior Israeli…

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Hamas says it will allow aid for hostages if Israel halts airstrikes, opens permanent humanitarian corridors

Hamas said it was prepared to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver aid to hostages it holds in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions, after a video it released…

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Portugal makes cautious move towards recognising Palestinian state

Portugal's centre-right government will consult the main political parties and conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa about the potential recognition of a Palestinian state, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said on…

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Israel announces daily pauses in Gaza fighting as aid airdrops begin

Israel on Sunday announced a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and new aid corridors as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates airdropped…

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Syria expected to hold parliamentary election in September

Syria is expected to hold its first parliamentary election under the new administration in September, the head of the electoral commission told state news agency SANA. Voting for the 210-member…

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Israel will let foreign countries drop aid into Gaza

Israel will allow foreign countries to parachute aid into Gaza starting on Friday, Israeli army radio quoted a military official as saying. An Israeli military spokesperson did not immediately reply…

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Germany not planning to recognise Palestinian state in short term

Germany is not planning to recognise a Palestinian state in the short term and said its priority now is to make "long-overdue progress" towards a two-state solution, a German government…

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Israel and US recall teams from Gaza truce talks, US says Hamas not showing good faith

Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from Gaza ceasefire talks for consultations on Thursday, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff accusing the Palestinian militant group Hamas of failing to…

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EU says all options on table if Israel does not deliver on improving Gaza aid

Israel has made some efforts towards improving the delivery of humanitarian aid to the population in Gaza, but the situation remains dire, an European Commission spokesperson said on Thursday. He…

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Gaza facing yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets: starvation

Gaza is suffering man-made mass starvation caused by a blockade on aid into the Palestinian enclave, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. He spoke following an appeal by…

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More than 100 aid, rights groups call for action as hunger spreads in Gaza

More than 100 largely aid and rights groups on Wednesday called for governments to take action as hunger spreads in Gaza, including by demanding an immediate and permanent ceasefire and…

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Israel intercepts missile launched from Yemen

The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen toward Israel that triggered sirens across several areas in the country. The launch from Yemen follows…

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Gaza killings denounced as ‘disgrace to humanity’ by Belgian king

Belgium’s King Philippe said Europe “must show stronger leadership” on the crisis in Gaza, adding that “the current situation has gone on far too long” and “is a disgrace to…

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Pope calls for ceasefire after strike on Gaza church

Pope Leo XIV reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Thursday, following an Israeli strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church that killed two people and wounded…

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US Confirms Efforts to Calm Syrian Tensions Underway After Israeli Air Raids

Israel's military struck the Syrian defence ministry in Damascus and government forces in southern Syria on Wednesday, as deadly sectarian fighting in the mostly Druze province of Suweida continued for…

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UPDATED: Israel steps up Syria strikes with Damascus attack as Druze clashes continue

Israel's military said it struck the entrance to the Syrian defence ministry in Damascus on Wednesday, stepping up attacks on the Islamist-led authorities with the declared aim of protecting the…

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Gaza truce possible in one or two weeks but not in a day, Israeli official says

Israel and Hamas may be able to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal within one or two weeks but such an agreement is not likely to be secured in…

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Hamas security officer says group has lost control over most of Gaza

A senior officer in Hamas's security forces has told the BBC the Palestinian armed group has lost about 80% of its control over the Gaza Strip and that armed clans…

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Trump urges Hamas to accept ‘final proposal’ for 60-day Gaza ceasefire

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran-backed Hamas militants on Tuesday to agree to what he called a "final proposal" for a 60-day ceasefire with Israel in Gaza that will be…

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Israel sought to kill Khamenei, but didn’t find an opportunity

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a circuit of interviews aired Thursday evening that Israel sought to eliminate Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during its 12-day conflict with…

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Trump says Israel and Iran agree on ceasefire to end 12-day war

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day war that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation…

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Airlines weigh Middle East cancellations after US strikes in Iran

Commercial airlines around the world on Monday were weighing how long to suspend Middle East flights after the U.S. struck Iran. Singapore Airlines, one of the highest-profile in Asia, had…

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Violence against children reached ‘unprecedented levels’ last year, especially in Gaza and West Bank, UN says

Violence against children caught in multiple and escalating conflicts reached “unprecedented levels” last year, with the highest number of violations in Gaza and the West Bank, Congo, Somalia, Nigeria and…

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