Latest news with #GazaConflict
Reuters
a day ago
- General
- Reuters
Israeli strikes target Syria's Latakia, Tartous
CAIRO, May 30 (Reuters) - Israeli strikes targeted Syria's coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, killing one person, the Syrian state news agency reported on Friday, despite recent talks between Israel and Syria's interim government. The Israeli military confirmed shortly after it struck what it described as weapon storage facilities containing missiles that "posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation" in Latakia. One civilian was killed in the strike on Latakia, the Syrian state news agency reported. Israel has for years waged a campaign of aerial bombardment that destroyed much of the country's military infrastructure and this ramped up since the Israeli war in Gaza. But the strikes have largely stopped in recent weeks as the two sides engaged in direct talks aimed at avoiding conflict.
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Netanyahu's high-stakes moves between war and trial
As the Gaza conflict escalates into one of the most intense confrontations in recent memory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands at a crucial crossroads. Facing international calls for a ceasefire, domestic political pressures and ongoing legal battles, Netanyahu's refusal to halt military operations without significant concessions reveals a calculated strategy balancing survival, security and power. US President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to call for an end to the hostilities, reflecting the growing global impatience with the ongoing violence. Western powers and international organizations, long weary of the repeated cycles of conflict, emphasize the urgent need for peace. Yet Netanyahu remains defiant, signaling that his calculations extend far beyond immediate diplomatic approval. Israel's traditional allies have become increasingly divided. While the US maintains support for Israel's right to self-defense, its tone has softened to urge de-escalation. Other Western countries like the UK, France and Canada have voiced criticism and are contemplating sanctions in response to Israel's continued military campaigns, while London has suspended trade talks. This shift highlights the global outrage over Gaza's humanitarian catastrophe — widespread civilian casualties, infrastructure destruction and critical shortages of food, water and medicine. Despite international pressure, Netanyahu insists on two conditions for any ceasefire: the full disarmament of Hamas and the implementation of a controversial relocation plan for Gaza's Palestinian population. This plan, widely condemned as forced displacement, raises serious ethical and legal questions. It echoes painful histories of displacement in the region and risks escalating tensions throughout the Middle East. Netanyahu remains defiant, signaling that his calculations extend far beyond immediate diplomatic approval Hani Hazaimeh At home, Netanyahu's political survival is deeply intertwined with the Gaza conflict. Facing charges of bribery and corruption, Netanyahu hopes a successful military campaign will strengthen his standing and divert attention from his legal troubles. Conversely, a premature ceasefire could weaken his position and embolden his opponents. Israeli society remains divided. Many support Netanyahu's hard-line approach as essential to security, while others criticize the human cost and warn of long-term damage to Israel's moral character. Protests both supporting and opposing the government's policies have erupted nationwide. The urgent demand to free Israeli hostages held by Hamas adds another layer of complexity, fueling calls for continued military pressure. The proposed relocation plan for Gaza's nearly 2 million Palestinians is the most contentious element of Netanyahu's strategy. Seen by many as a violation of international law, it recalls fears of ethnic cleansing and risks destabilizing Gaza and the broader region. Neighboring countries with large Palestinian refugee populations, including Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, could see heightened tensions and security risks if displacement occurs. For Netanyahu, this plan aims to permanently neutralize the Hamas threat and reshape Gaza's political reality in Israel's favor. But such a move risks isolating Israel diplomatically and provoking regional backlash. The Middle East remains a volatile landscape of fragile alliances and rivalries. Prolonged conflict or forced displacement could further destabilize the region. The international community faces a dilemma — supporting Israel's alleged right to self-defense while condemning the humanitarian consequences of its military operations. The international community must work toward a sustainable peace that addresses the conflict's root causes Hani Hazaimeh Netanyahu's challenge is to maintain political strength and security credibility at home while managing growing international pressure and Gaza's humanitarian crisis. Persisting with a hard-line stance risks diplomatic isolation and regional escalation. Conversely, conceding without substantial gains could undermine his authority and legal standing. In the coming weeks, Netanyahu's decisions will reverberate far beyond Israel's borders, shaping regional stability and the fate of millions. Amid this political and legal chess game, the civilians of Gaza remain the most vulnerable. The international community must intensify humanitarian aid and work toward a sustainable peace that addresses the conflict's root causes, not just its symptoms. Netanyahu's defiance highlights a broader failure — global and regional leaders' inability to forge a just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Without such a solution, cycles of violence and suffering will persist, threatening any hope for lasting peace in one of the world's most volatile regions. The world watches and waits, hoping humanity does not become the ultimate casualty in this high-stakes game. • Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh
Al Bawaba
a day ago
- General
- Al Bawaba
Haaretz: Israelis have killed 20 of its own captives in Gaza
ALBAWABA - According to a recent study by the Israeli daily Haaretz, Israeli military activities since the war's start on October 7, 2023, have murdered at least 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The research highlights the serious repercussions of Israeli bombings conducted without verified information on hostage locations, even though military authorities have repeatedly said that every attempt is being taken to protect the hostages. According to the research, Israeli attacks have put the lives of 54 prisoners in immediate jeopardy. The military often bombarded sites where hostages could be present without first confirming their precise whereabouts. One such instance mentioned was on April 7, 2025, when an Israeli aircraft struck a structure above a tunnel that was housing two hostages, Matan Zangoker and Idan Alexander. After the tunnel partly collapsed, the two barely made it out alive. Despite assertions of having accurate information, the episode revealed serious intelligence shortcomings. According to military insiders, operations go according to schedule if there is no information available on the hostages. "The more strikes we carry out, the more we risk harming the hostages," one insider told Haaretz. By recounting their horrific stories of barely escaping attacks, several former prisoners also disclosed that they were more afraid of Israeli bombs than of Hamas imprisonment. Three captives—Alon Shamriz, Samer Talalka, and Yoav Haim—were shot dead by Israeli soldiers when they came out nude with white flags, thinking they were being freed, according to the report. The troops were not informed that there were prisoners in the region. Another incidence occurred in February when an Israeli attack on a tunnel produced poisonous fumes that caused six captives to suffocate and die in Khan Younis. Yoram Metzger and Yagiv Buchstab were among the deceased. The hostages' families have voiced their indignation at what they see as the military's and government's "systemic negligence." One hostage's mother, Einav Zangoker, denounced the continuous attacks as politically driven acts that disrespect the life of the captives. "While the government bombs possible holding sites, our sons have been left behind for 600 days," she said. The military acknowledged some of the failures, with officials admitting that intelligence about hostage locations is often fleeting and quickly outdated once captives are relocated. One source described the army as effectively 'blind' in many operations, with decisions frequently made before receiving updated intelligence.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
One afternoon in Gaza, two family tragedies: the childhoods cut short by Israeli airstrikes
At about 3pm last Friday, Dr Alaa al-Najjar, a paediatrician at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, received the charred remains of seven of her 10 children, killed in an Israeli airstrike. The bodies of two others were buried beneath the rubble. A few miles away, 11-year-old Yaqeen Hammad, known as Gaza's youngest social media influencer, was killed after a series of heavy Israeli airstrikes hit the house where she lived with her family. She was watering flowers in a tiny patch of greenery eked out of a displacement camp when she died. Her cousin, 16-year-old Eyad, was gravely wounded. Even by the terrible standards of the Gaza conflict, the deaths had the power to shock. But they were also a reflection of a daily reality in the territory: the killing and maiming of its very youngest citizens and the destruction of a young generation. According to local health officials, whose estimates have generally been found to be accurate by the global humanitarian community, more than 16,500 children have been killed in the 19 months since the war began – a figure almost 24 times higher than the number of children killed in Ukraine, where the population is 20 times bigger, since Russia's invasion. The World Health Organization tally for child deaths stands at 15,613. Colleagues of Najjar say that in the days since she lost her children she has spent her waking hours weeping outside a room in Nasser hospital. Inside lies her only surviving child, 11-year-old Adam, who is clinging to life with the help of a ventilator, his breathing shallow and his more than 60% of his body covered in burns. Najjar's husband, Hamdi, a 40-year-old physician, also survived the strike, but suffered severe injuries including brain damage and fractures caused by shrapnel. Reached by the Guardian, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said 'the Khan Younis area is a dangerous war zone' and that 'the claim regarding harm to uninvolved civilians is under review'. Speaking to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Adam's uncle, Ali al-Najjar, 50, issued a desperate plea: 'Adam must be taken away, to a real hospital, outside Gaza. I beg the Italian government – do something. Take him. Save him, Italians.' On Thursday, Italy's foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said the country was ready to receive Adam for medical care and was working to arrange his evacuation. Along a corridor in the same hospital where Adam is being treated lies Eyad. His father – and Yaqeen's uncle – is Hussein Hassan, a 46-year-old Red Crescent paramedic. Hassan said he was working in the hospital's emergency department when he received a call saying his son had been injured and his niece killed by a missile. Hassan said the family had received no warning that a strike was imminent and that he was haunted by the question of why a missile would be fired that hit children watering and planting flowers. 'How could this be? The children are still so young to be considered targets,' he said. 'Was there a targeted vehicle nearby? Or someone being pursued who passed by the street? I don't know.' When news of Yaqeen's death spread online on Monday, there was an outpouring grief and tributes from activists, followers and journalists. 'Yaqeen was cheerful, full of energy,' Hassan said. 'Due to my workload I hadn't seen her in a month before she died – and that's what hurt the most, that my last sight of her was when she was wrapped in a white shroud. 'I said my goodbye to her in the morgue at al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir-al Balah, and then carried her cold body into the ambulance to be transported for burial. Her family is devastated – she was their pampered youngest, the baby of the family.' Eyad remains in intensive care in Nasser hospital. He lost his left eye in the strike and has a fractured shoulder. When he was admitted to the hospital, shrapnel was embedded in various parts of his body. 'Seeing him in that condition broke my heart – my son, now lying in the hospital before my eyes,' Hassan said. 'Yaqeen's story is like that of so many children in Gaza who have been killed in the war, for no reason. They are not just numbers – each child has a story, a life, and families who are heartbroken by their loss.' The IDF says it is reviewing the circumstances of the strike. Three days later, in Gaza City, another family suffered another unimaginable loss. Six-year-old Ward Khalil's mother and two of her siblings were among dozens of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Fahmi al-Jarjawi school. Harrowing footage showed Ward leaving the scene of the strike, her body silhouetted against flames that had engulfed the school. The next day Ward gave an interview to Al Jazeera in which she recounted the horrors she had experienced. 'When I woke up, I found a huge fire, and I saw my mom was dead,' she said. 'I walked in the fire so I could escape … I was in the fire, and the ceiling fell on me. The ceiling all collapsed. The fire was blazing,' On top of Israeli strikes, Gaza's children are facing catastrophic levels of hunger. Aid agencies say Palestinian children are also bearing the brunt of an Israeli aid blockade that for nearly three months has severely restricted the flow of food and humanitarian assistance into the territory. The consequences have been devastating: last week, in one 48-hour period, 29 children and elderly people died from starvation, according to the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority health minister, Majed Abu Ramadan. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) estimated in May that nearly 71,000 children under the age of five were expected to be acutely malnourished by next March. Of these, 14,100 cases are expected to be severe. According to the UN humanitarian aid organisation for children, Unicef, more than 9,000 children have been treated for malnutrition in Gaza this year. 'These children – lives that should never be reduced to numbers – are now part of a long, harrowing list of unimaginable horrors,' Unicef said in a statement this week. 'The children of Gaza need protection,' it said. 'They need food, water, and medicine. They need a ceasefire. But more than anything, they need immediate, collective action to stop this once and for all.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Dua Lipa and Gary Lineker join stars calling PM to halt all arms sales to Israel
Stars including Dua Lipa, Gary Lineker and Benedict Cumberbatch have urged Sir Keir Starmer to suspend arms sales to Israel as the conflict in Gaza continues. More than 300 actors, musicians, activists and others used an open letter to call on the Prime Minister to 'take immediate action to end the UK's complicity in the horrors of Gaza'. As well as suspending UK arms sales to Israel, the group urged Sir Keir to 'use all available means' to ensure humanitarian aid gets into the territory and 'make a commitment to the children of Gaza' that he would broker an 'immediate and permanent ceasefire'. The signatories included Lineker, who left his role presenting Match Of The Day earlier this month following a controversy over one of his social media posts about the conflict in Gaza. He was joined by actors including Cumberbatch and Brian Cox, along with Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlin, singers Paloma Faith and Annie Lennox, and Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos. Josie Naughton, founder of the charity Choose Love – which organised the letter, said: 'Words won't save the lives of Palestinian children as they are being killed, words won't fill their empty stomachs. 'We need action from Keir Starmer now. That means stopping arms sales, making sure that legitimate humanitarian organisations can reach people in Gaza. It means doing everything possible to make these horrors end.' The letter follows Tel Aviv's decision to renew its military offensive in Gaza last week as it presses for what Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called 'total victory' over Hamas. UK ministers have condemned the decision, suspending trade talks with Israel, sanctioning West Bank settlers and summoning the country's ambassador, while Sir Keir himself called for Mr Netanyahu to end the offensive. The Prime Minister also described the situation in Gaza as 'intolerable' and warned of 'the prospect of starvation' due to a lack of humanitarian aid. Ministers have already suspended licences for some arms sales to Israel, but activists have demanded that the Government goes further, imposing a total ban including on parts for the F-35 jet. But the Government has said halting the export of spare F-35 parts is not possible as the UK is part of a global supply network and cannot control where those parts end up. A Government spokesperson said: 'We strongly oppose the expansion of military operations in Gaza and call on the Israeli Government to cease its offensive and immediately allow for unfettered access to humanitarian aid. 'The denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law. 'Last year, we suspended export licences to Israel for items used in military operations in Gaza and continue to refuse licences for military goods that could be used by Israel in the current conflict. 'We urge all parties to urgently agree a ceasefire agreement and work towards a permanent and sustainable peace.'
