Syrian, Israeli diplomats discuss de-escalation of violence in Paris meeting
Despite a truce reached last November, Israel has continued to hit targets of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon, and it has occupied territory and hit targets across Syria since last year's fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad.Tuesday's meeting in Paris follows one between Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer in Baku in late July, and another meeting in Paris before that.Israel and Syria have technically been at war since 1948, and the talks also discussed reviving a disengagement accord from 1974 that created a buffer zone between the two countries."These talks are taking place under US mediation, as part of diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing security and stability in Syria and preserving the unity and integrity of its territory," the agency said.The recent meetings between the two countries come after deadly sectarian clashes in July in southern Syria's Druze-majority Sweida province which left over 1,400 people dead.The clashes initially pitted local Druze fighters against Sunni Bedouin tribes but soon saw the involvement of Syrian government forces and Israel, with the latter saying it wanted to protect the Druze.Last month, Israel struck the Syrian presidential palace and the army headquarters in Damascus.The United States, an ally of Israel but who has expressed support for Syria's new leaders, announced a ceasefire between the two sides overnight on July 18.- Ends
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NDTV
17 minutes ago
- NDTV
Israel To Mobilise Thousands Of Reservists For Expanded Gaza Operation
Israel's military said Wednesday that it will call up tens of thousands of reservists and extend the service of others ahead of an expanded military operation it will carry out in Gaza City. Defense Minister Israel Katz approved plans to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gaza's most densely populated areas, the military said. The plan, which is expected to receive the chief of staff's final approval in the coming days, includes calling up 60,000 reservists and extending the service of 20,000 others who are currently serving. In a country of fewer than 10 million people, the call-up of so many reservists carries economic and political weight, and comes just days after hundreds of thousands of Israelis rallied for a ceasefire. It also comes as negotiators scramble to get Israel and Hamas to agree to end their 22 months of fighting, and as international leaders and rights groups warn that an expanded assault could deepen the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where most of its roughly 2 million residents have been displaced, many areas have been reduced to rubble, and the population faces the threat of famine. A military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said troops will operate in parts of Gaza City where they haven't been deployed yet and where Israel believes Hamas is still active. Israeli troops in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City and Jabaliya, a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, are already preparing the groundwork for the expanded operation. Gaza City is Hamas' military and governing stronghold, and one of the last places of refuge in the northern Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands are sheltering. Israeli troops will be targeting Hamas' vast underground tunnel network there, the official added. Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas' senior leadership, parts of the militant group are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel, the official said. It remains unclear when the operation will begin, but it could be a matter of days and the mobilization of reservists would be the largest in months. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war's objectives are to secure the release of remaining hostages and ensure that Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel. The planned offensive, which was announced earlier this month, comes amid heightened international condemnation of Israel's restrictions on food and medicine reaching Gaza and fears of another mass displacement among Palestinians. Associated Press journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but it's unclear how many others will voluntarily flee. Some said they would wait to see how events unfold before moving yet again, with many insisting that nowhere is safe from airstrikes. "What we're seeing in Gaza is nothing short of apocalyptic reality for children, for their families, and for this generation," Ahmed Alhendawi, regional director of Save the Children, said in an interview. "The plight and the struggle of this generation of Gaza is beyond being described in words." The call-up comes as a growing campaign of exhausted reservists accuses the government of perpetuating the war for political reasons and failing to bring home the 50 remaining hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The hostages' families and former army and intelligence chiefs have also expressed opposition to the expanded operation in Gaza City. Most of the families want an immediate ceasefire and worry that an expanded assault could imperil securing the hostages' release. Guy Poran, a retired air force pilot who has organized veterans campaigning to end the war, said many reservists are exhausted after repeated tours lasting hundreds of days and resentful of those who haven't been called up at all. Most now just want to return to their lives. "Even those that are not ideologically against the current war or the government's new plans don't want to go because of fatigue or their families or their businesses," he said. Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Arab mediators and Hamas said this week that the militant group's leaders had agreed to the terms of a proposed ceasefire, though similar announcements have been made in the past that didn't lead to a lasting truce. Egypt and Qatar have said they have been waiting for Israel's response to the proposal. "The ball is now in Israel's court," Egyptian Foreign Minister Bader Abdelattay said Tuesday. An Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media said Israel is in constant contact with the mediators in an effort to secure the hostages' release. Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will oppose a deal that doesn't include the "complete defeat of Hamas." More than 62,122 people have been killed during Israel's offensive, Gaza's Health Ministry said Monday. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but it said women and children make up around half of them. In addition to that toll, 154 adults have died of malnutrition-related causes since late June, when the ministry began counting such deaths, and 112 children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began. Israel's far-right national security minister on Wednesday released footage of Israeli prisons showing Palestinian inmates images of Gaza's destruction. A video posted on Telegram by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shows him pointing to an image of Palestinians walking amid rubble and half-collapsed buildings, saying they were being shown to security prisoners. "So they understand that the people of Israel are not messing around," he wrote. Ben-Gvir's prison visit comes amid a string of provocative moves. It's less than a week after he published a video of himself admonishing an imprisoned Palestinian leader in a face-to-face meeting inside a prison, saying Israel will confront anyone who acts against the country and "wipe them out." Earlier this month, he visited and prayed at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site, triggering regional condemnation and fears that the provocative move could further escalate tensions. Netanyahu's government depends on backing from the far right, which opposes negotiations for a phased ceasefire in Gaza. Ben-Gvir said Monday that Netanyahu didn't have a mandate to pursue such a truce. The far-right bloc nabbed a victory on Wednesday when Israel gave final approval for a controversial settlement project east of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank. The development in what's called E1 would effectively cut the territory in two, and Palestinians and rights groups say it could destroy hopes for a future Palestinian state. Israel's military said Wednesday that it killed a Hamas militant who stormed a kibbutz and abducted Yarden Bibas, a father of three whose wife and two young children were also kidnapped on Oct. 7. The Bibas family became one of Israel's most closely followed hostage cases after body-camera footage of the mother and her young children being abducted was circulated widely in Israel and abroad. The three were later killed during the war, while Yarden Bibas was released. In a statement, Bibas called the killing of his alleged kidnapper "a small part of my closure" and said he was still awaiting the return of hostages held in Gaza.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Kneecap rapper Liam O'Hanna faces terror charge over Hezbollah flag as fans rally in London
The usually grey steps of Westminster Magistrates' Court were anything but quiet on Wednesday. Dozens of Kneecap supporters, waving banners and chanting 'Free Palestine,' flooded the streets in a show of solidarity with Liam O'Hanna, the band's 27-year-old rapper known on stage as Mo Chara. A sea of protest in central London O'Hanna, dressed defiantly and flanked by his bandmates, arrived to face charges of supporting a banned organisation. Prosecutors allege he displayed a Hezbollah flag during a London performance in November 2024, a move that could carry up to 14 years in prison under UK anti-terrorism laws. 🇬🇧 #Kneecap rapper #MoChara, also known as Liam O'Hanna, has been charged with a #terrorism offence over allegedly displaying a #Hezbollah flag at a London concert last more details: Reuters A charge rooted in controversy The case hinges not only on O'Hanna's alleged actions but also on timing. Legal arguments are being made over whether the prosecution missed the six-month window for filing such a charge. Supporters of the rapper describe the case as politically charged and absurd, pointing to Britain's wider clampdown on dissent over Gaza. Since Hezbollah was banned in the UK in 2019, any public support is deemed a criminal offence. Prosecutors argue O'Hanna not only wore the group's flag but also shouted slogans backing Hamas and Hezbollah. Kneecap, however, insists the video evidence has been taken out of context and branded the proceedings a 'farce.' Fans call it 'ludicrous' Among the crowd outside court was Mary Hobbs, a 31-year-old fan from Belfast, who had taken time off work to stand in solidarity. She said the charges highlight what she described as a broken justice system, where symbolic gestures are treated as terrorism offences while the public clamours for fairness. Between art, politics, and provocation Kneecap is no stranger to controversy. The punk-rap trio, performing in both Irish and English, has long relished its reputation as troublemakers. Their lyrics reference drugs, their stage antics spark outrage, and their politics, from anti-British sentiment to fiery support for Palestine, often ignite headlines. Still, their supporters insist the group is being persecuted for speaking truth to power, while detractors call them dangerous extremists cloaked in rebellion. A band that thrives on the edge Since their formation in 2017, Kneecap have turned provocation into an art form, winning awards, selling out shows, and starring in a Sundance-winning film that cemented their cult status. Now, as Mo Chara fights a terrorism charge, the band faces its most dramatic clash yet, not with censors or critics, but with the British courts.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Iran says will deploy new missiles if Israel attacks again
Iran said Wednesday (August 20, 2025) it was prepared for any new Israeli attack, announcing it has developed missiles with greater capabilities than those used during their recent 12-day war. "The missiles used in the 12-day war were manufactured... a few years ago," Defence Minister Aziz Nassirzadeh said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency. "Today, we have manufactured and possess missiles with far greater capabilities than previous missiles, and if the Zionist enemy embarks on the adventure again, we will undoubtedly use them." In mid-June, Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran, triggering a war in which Iran responded with missile and drone strikes. The Israeli offensive killed senior military commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others, striking both military sites and residential areas. The United States briefly joined the war with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place since June 24. Iranian officials have since warned that another round of fighting could erupt at any moment, emphasising that Tehran does not seek war but remains prepared for any confrontation. On Monday, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Iran should be "prepared at every moment for confrontation". "We are not even in a ceasefire; we are in a cessation of hostilities," he added. Iranian media reported that the army is to begin a two-day military exercise on Thursday, featuring a wide range of short and medium-range cruise missiles. Western governments have repeatedly voiced concern about Iran's missile programme, calling it a threat to regional security. In July, France called for a "comprehensive deal" with Tehran that covers not only its nuclear programme but also its missile programme and its regional ambitions. Iran has insisted that its military capabilities are not up for negotiation.
