Israel has urged Palestinians in parts of the Gazan city of Rafah to evacuate, preparing for a potential assault on Hamas units. Hamas officials deem it a dangerous escalation, while a resident expresses uncertainty and concern for their family's safety. The UNRWA warns of potential civilian suffering and casualties, vowing to continue aid efforts. The Israeli military initiates a limited operation for temporary evacuation in eastern Rafah, emphasizing it's not a city-wide evacuation. Refugees in Rafah express worries amid the unfolding situation. Israeli Defence Minister briefs the U.S. on recent Hamas attacks near the Rafah Crossing.
The UN's aid chief, Martin Griffiths, warned of an imminent Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, expressing concern over the potential for further trauma and deaths in the city. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his intention to enter Rafah, targeting Hamas's last stronghold, regardless of ceasefire proposals. The US opposes the operation until Israel presents a credible evacuation plan. Negotiations for a ceasefire, hostage release, and aid relief are ongoing, with hopes of a truce and prisoner exchange. Over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the seven-month conflict, prompting international calls for peace.
The Israeli military warned Palestinians not to return to northern Gaza after opening fire and killing five people trying to walk back to their homes following Hamas' attack on southern Israel. Around 300,000 Palestinians in the north are on the brink of famine, amidst flattened areas and restricted aid. Defense Minister Gallant plans an invasion of Rafah, met with objections from the international community and the United States. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza's 2.3 million people, with over 33,700 Palestinians killed and 76,200 wounded in bombardments and ground offensives.
The Israeli army is poised to launch an assault on Rafah in southern Gaza, instructing Palestinians to evacuate parts of the city amidst a breakdown in truce negotiations blamed on Hamas. Israeli forces have called for residents in eastern Rafah to move to an expanded humanitarian area in al-Mawasi refugee camp. Despite warnings of a humanitarian disaster from US allies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on the offensive, citing Rafah as a Hamas stronghold. Concerns arise over where the city's population of around 1.4 million can seek safety during the impending military operation.
Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with US counterpart Lloyd Austin, stating that military action is required in Rafah due to stalling talks over the release of Israeli hostages. The Pentagon confirmed ongoing discussions on hostage negotiations, humanitarian aid, and the need for a credible plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians during any military operation. The Israeli army has ordered Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah for humanitarian reasons, aiming to move about 100,000 people to a designated humanitarian zone called Al Mawasi.
The Israeli army is strengthening its positions in the Gaza Strip, specifically targeting Rafah and Hamas brigades, amidst a surge in population due to families fleeing Israeli attacks. Pressure from allies and threats of invasion have led to the construction of a refugee camp at Khan Younis. Plans for housing evacuees in tents and determining safer zones remain unclear. Right-wing members of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet are pushing for a ground offensive on Rafah, emphasizing the importance of protecting Israel.
Following over 34,000 casualties in Gaza, Hamas plans to send a delegation to Cairo for ceasefire talks with a positive spirit. Hamas demands a complete cessation of aggression, withdrawal of occupation forces, relief, and reconstruction. Despite this, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to crush remaining fighters in Rafah, risking civilian lives. International concern arises over a potential bloodbath in Rafah. Protests against Israel spread globally, and Turkey suspends trade worth $9.5 billion with Israel. Famine threat looms in Gaza as aid struggles to reach those in need.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza to prevent the war from worsening exponentially. Efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are ongoing to mediate talks for a truce and captive release. Concerns are raised about a potential Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, which could endanger hundreds of thousands of civilians. Despite international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to launch a full-scale attack on Rafah. Hamas aims for a lasting ceasefire and complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
A UN Palestinian staff member was killed and 22 others injured in an Israeli strike on a food distribution centre in Rafah, Gaza Strip. The Hamas-run health ministry reported five deaths from an Israeli air strike. The UNRWA chief condemned the attacks, stating they violate international law. The incident occurred as Palestinians seek shelter from Israel's offensive. The UN secretary-general warned of a deepening humanitarian crisis. The war in Gaza began with Hamas attacks on Israel, resulting in numerous casualties. The food centre was a UNRWA facility aiding those in need during Ramadan.
Hamas is considering a new proposal for a cease-fire with Israel to prevent an Israeli attack on Rafah. The United States and other mediators are involved in the negotiations. The deal's success hinges on Israel accepting an end to the war without achieving its goal of destroying Hamas. A UN report warns that the war's aftermath will lead to long-term economic setbacks and delays in rebuilding destroyed homes until 2040. Hamas demands assurances for a full hostage release in exchange for ending the conflict, but Israel insists on maintaining security control post-war.
Residents in Gaza City feel let down by the international community's inaction despite facing danger from Israeli bombs, starvation, and psychological trauma. The United States, Germany, and other Western nations continue to support Israel despite evidence of war crimes. Talks in Cairo continue while Israeli bombardments and blockades persist, putting vulnerable Gazans at greater risk. Medical institutions warn of catastrophic consequences due to lack of aid and ongoing war. Palestinians criticize the lack of humanitarian assistance and call for an end to the conflict, expressing feelings of betrayal and loss.
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering humanitarian aid for Gaza after an attack by Hamas militants, leading Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to warn of a powerful operation in Rafah and across all of Gaza, hindering cease-fire efforts mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed low expectations for a cease-fire deal due to Hamas' extreme demands, while Hamas insisted on negotiations to stop Israeli aggression. The conflict escalated with projectiles launched at the Kerem Shalom crossing, resulting in injuries and military strikes by Israel.
Israel briefed Biden administration officials on a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians in Rafah ahead of a potential operation to root out Hamas militants. The U.S. opposes the operation, warning it could harm innocent civilians and worsen the humanitarian crisis. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu intends to proceed despite concerns from President Biden. Secretary of State Blinken stated that without a credible plan to protect civilians, the U.S. cannot support the operation. The United Nations warns that an assault on Rafah could lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths, as the city is a vital humanitarian aid hub for displaced Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that if Israel agrees to Hamas extreme positions, a cease-fire is only a matter of time, while Hamas is engaged in cease-fire talks in Cairo. Israel has closed its main crossing for aid delivery after Hamas attacked it, escalating tensions. The U.S. is preparing for aid delivery in Gaza via a new sea route. Netanyahu faces pressure from hard-liners in his government to reject Hamas demands. Cease-fire efforts in Cairo are hindered by ongoing attacks and disagreements over terms, with Israel vowing to press on with military operations. A full-blown famine warning in northern Gaza adds urgency to the negotiations.
Displaced residents of Gaza, weary from ongoing conflict, are hopeful for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to end the seven-month pummeling of the Gaza Strip. Talks have faced deadlock as Hamas seeks a permanent end to the war while Israel only offers a temporary pause. Despite skepticism, families like Abeer al-Namrouti's and Wael el-Nabahin's long to return home, highlighting weariness and a desperate need for relief among Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to continue until objectives are met, warning against showing weakness in negotiations. Brokered talks in Cairo hope to secure hostages' release and discuss a potential ceasefire.
Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed seven workers from World Central Kitchen, leading to the suspension of operations by three aid providers including WCK and Anera. The Israeli government is being criticized internationally for the killings and for restricting humanitarian aid. Famine is looming in Gaza with half the population on the brink of starvation. The UAE is also reportedly suspending operations in Gaza. The UN's Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) expresses concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The Israeli army has bombed dozens of targets in Gaza, leading to a humanitarian crisis according to UN Chief Antonio Guterres. Concerns of wider war in the Middle East have risen after Israel's retaliation threats against Iran. The US and Britain have imposed sanctions on Iran's military drone program amidst escalating tensions. Calls for restraint have been made while Iran warns Israel of potential regrets. Despite global focus on Iran tensions, Israel continues its offensive in Gaza, drawing attention to the fragile situation in the region.
Gazans are increasingly criticizing Hamas for the suffering and devastation caused by the ongoing war with Israel. Many feel that Hamas should have limited their attacks to military targets to avoid civilian casualties. Support for Hamas is declining in Gaza, with people holding the group responsible for their hardships. The situation in Gaza is described as catastrophic, leading to a lack of fear among the population. The State Department disputes claims of a 'same standard' for Israeli and Hamas conduct. Additionally, a significant number of people in war-torn Gaza are facing famine, according to the Global Report on Food Crises.
A delegation from Hamas is in Cairo for negotiations with mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the US to halt Israel's war on Gaza for 40 days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israel insists on launching a ground invasion into Gaza's Rafah city. Talks are in a critical phase with progress made but sticking points remain, including the ceasefire and withdrawal from Gaza. UN agencies warn a ground operation would be catastrophic for the 1.5 million people in Rafah.
An armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups has been taking place chiefly in and around the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. After clearing Hamas militants from its territory, the Israeli military embarked on an extensive aerial bombardment of the Gaza Strip followed by a large-scale ground invasion beginning on 27 October. Clashes have also occurred in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and with Hezbollah along the Israel–Lebanon border. The hostilities constitute the fifth war of the Gaza–Israel conflict since 2008 and are part of the broader Israeli–Palestinian conflict. They are considered to be the most significant military escalation in the region since the Yom Kippur War 50 years earlier.The Hamas offensive involved 3,000 militants breaching the Gaza–Israel barrier and attacking Israeli communities and military bases. During this attack, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed, while 253 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive to the Gaza Strip. The attack was proclaimed as a response to the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, the prospect of Arab–Israeli normalization, and the plight of Palestinian refugees and prisoners. In response, Israel declared a state of war, tightened its existing blockade of Gaza and launched one of the most severe bombing campaigns in history, before commencing the ground invasion on 27 October. Israeli forces laid siege to Gaza City on 2 November and moved south to attack Khan Yunis a month later on 3 December; both sieges remain ongoing. Israel's next objective is the capture of Rafah. An estimated 6,000-12,000 militants have been killed during the conflict, and Israel has lost over 200 soldiers during its invasion. A United Nations resolution calling for a humanitarian pause passed on 15 November; the seven-day truce took effect at the end of that month.A humanitarian crisis has developed in the Gaza Strip, with healthcare in a state of collapse, shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel due to the blockade, electricity and communications blackouts, and potential famine conditions. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza during the conflict, including over 12,300 children and 8,400 women. Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population have been internally displaced. The widespread civilian deaths have led to accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas. In February 2024 576,000 people were "facing catastrophic levels of deprivation and starvation", stated The United Nations. More than 100 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops that opened fire when huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.The war has had significant international repercussions. Popular protests that primarily call for a ceasefire have occurred across the world. Israel's actions have been denounced by the Islamic world and much of the Global South; South Africa launched an International Court of Justice case alleging that Israel committed genocide. Israel has however received significant support from its traditional Western allies, especially the United States, which vetoed multiple UN Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire. In response, Iran-backed militias have attacked American military bases in the Middle East, while the Yemeni Houthi movement attacked commercial ships they alleged were linked to Israel, incurring a military response from a number of countries.
Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh expressed openness to continued negotiations with Israel, stating that Israel is responsible for the lack of agreement for a Ramadan truce. Hamas seeks a ceasefire, Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, the return of displaced Gazans, and increased humanitarian aid access. Israel rejects full troop withdrawal and Prime Minister Netanyahu vows to continue campaign against Hamas. Mediators attempted to secure a truce before Ramadan, but Hamas insists on Israeli commitments. The war in Gaza began after Hamas's October 7 attack, leading to about 1,160 casualties, mostly civilians.
The Rafah offensive is a planned offensive in the city of Rafah, part of Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip. Israel announced plans to invade the city in February 2024, and conducted intensified airstrikes as a result. Israel stated it would invade the city if hostages weren't freed by Ramadan.Israel states that multiple Hamas brigades are present in the city which is therefore crucial to its goal of destroying the militant group. Because of the more than one million displaced people in Rafah, and it being the southernmost city in Gaza, multiple countries expressed concerns about potential high casualties. The United States, Israel's largest military supplier, did not approve of plans to invade. Egypt, concerned about a possible refugee crisis in Sinai, increased security on its border with Gaza.
Israel has withdrawn almost all its troops from southern Gaza, leaving only one brigade in Khan Younis. The move comes after ongoing negotiations with Hamas over Israeli hostages. The withdrawal is linked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's desire for a ceasefire deal. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that troops were pulled out to prepare for future missions, including in the city of Rafah. Despite the official explanation of giving troops time to recuperate, some rockets were fired towards Israel from Khan Younis after the soldiers left.
(Bloomberg) -- Israel closed the Kerem Shalom humanitarian crossing into Gaza on Sunday after a rocket barrage was fired by Hamas from the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in an incident that could imperil delicate hostage and cease-fire negotiations. Most Read from Bloomberg Frances Macron Calls for Reset of Economic Ties With China Everything Apple Plans to Show at May 7 Let Loose iPad Event Berkshire Cash Hoard Scores Another Record as Earnings Gain Worsening Weather Is Igniting a $25 Billion Market The Worlds Hunger for Salmon Is Linked to an Ecological Disaster Israel and Hamas have been negotiating for weeks through mediators toward a potential truce that would include the release of hostages held in Gaza and of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. At the same time, Israel has threatened to launch an operation in Rafah, where it says Hamas battalions remain intact, and where hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians are sheltering. The Israeli army said about 10 projectiles were fired at Kerem Shalom, a corridor for humanitarian aid transfers that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited last week. Hamas military wing claimed responsibility for the attack, which Israels Foreign Ministry said in a social media post injured seven people.
Severe restrictions by Israel on aid entering Gaza have led to at least 20 Palestinians, including a one-day-old baby, dying from starvation. The Israeli military offensive in response to Hamas actions has worsened conditions in Gaza, generating famine-like situations. A report by Refugees International states that Israel obstructs aid operations by impeding relief efforts and complicating logistics, despite claims of improving aid delivery. Efforts to broker a ceasefire and release hostages have so far failed, with both sides urged to adhere to international humanitarian law.
On the evening of 27 October 2023, Israel launched a large-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip, with the stated goals of eliminating and destroying Hamas, a military and political movement which led an attack against Israel earlier in October, and to free hostages taken by Hamas. Following the attack, Israel declared a state of war, tightened its blockade, ordered the evacuation of the northern Gaza Strip, and launched "Operation Swords of Iron".More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the Israeli operation, including over 12,500 children and 7,000 women, with another 7,000 people missing and presumed dead under the rubble of destroyed buildings. By mid-December Israel had dropped 29,000 munitions on Gaza, destroying or damaging 70 percent of homes in the Strip. Experts say that the scale and pace of destruction in Gaza is among the most severe in recent history. During the invasion, Israel destroyed at least a third of Gaza's homes and hundreds of cultural landmarks, and desecrated dozens of cemeteries in the strip.A severe humanitarian crisis has developed, with healthcare in a state of collapse, shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel due to the blockade, electricity and communications blackouts, and the UN warning of potential famine. It was widely reported that there is "no safe place in Gaza" as Israel struck areas it had previously told Palestinians to evacuate to. The widespread civilian deaths have led to accusations of war crimes against both Israel and Hamas. Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population have been internally displaced and around 250,000–500,000 Israelis were internally displaced, while thousands of Palestinians have been detained by Israel, and Israel has stated it lost 225 additional soldiers in its invasion as of 4 February 2024.As a result of the invasion, South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), charging that Israel was guilty of committing a genocide, and requesting that the ICJ render provisional measures of protection.
JERUSALEM Israelis marked a somber Passover this week, breathing easier after an ominous military escalation eased with Iran but bracing themselves amid growing signs Israel is preparing the next phase of its war in Gaza : a final fraught assault on Rafah, the packed city where Hamass remaining fighters are holding Israeli hostages and more than a million civilians are sheltering. Gazans reported an increase in Israeli raids and shelling, and the Israeli military said Wednesday that it had struck more than 50 targets in the last 24 hours. It also called up two reserve brigades for both offensive and defensive missions inside Gaza. World Food Program officials warned again of impending starvation in Gaza, particularly in the north. But the United Nations also offered a rare optimistic accounting of humanitarian aid shipments, saying a recent surge of deliveries has boosted the number of food trucks entering Gaza to the highest levels since the start of the war.
The Israeli army has sent tanks to Beit Hanoun in Gaza, surrounded a school housing displaced people, and forced all families to evacuate amidst heavy bombardment. Israeli forces detained several men, and residents reported an internet outage. This escalation comes after Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in retaliation for a previous Hamas rampage, resulting in casualties and displacements. Efforts for a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas led by Qatar and Egypt have not shown progress after six months of fighting.
Israeli forces engaged in a 12-hour counterterrorism operation in Deir al-Ghusun, resulting in the death of 5 Palestinians, with 4 from Hamas' armed wing. The operation involved the use of live ammunition and missiles, and a member of Israel's border police was wounded. Violence in the West Bank has intensified since the Israel-Hamas war started in October, with at least 496 Palestinians killed in the territory. The Gaza war began with a Hamas attack on Israel, leading to over 1,170 deaths in Israel and 34,654 in Gaza.
The Biden administration has halted a shipment of US-manufactured ammunition to Israel since the October 7 Hamas terror attack. This decision does not affect other shipments, and it is not linked to a potential Israeli operation in Rafah. Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu has expressed intentions for a military operation in Rafah despite warnings of civilian casualties. The Biden administration warns of consequences if Israel proceeds without a credible plan to protect civilians. Criticism against Biden's support for Israel has led to protests in American college campuses. The ongoing conflict in Gaza started after the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Yemen's Houthi group, aligned with Iran, plans to target ships bound for Israeli ports in the Mediterranean Sea in solidarity with Palestinians and against Israeli attacks on Gaza. The group's military spokesperson announced this decision which has led to shipping reroutes around southern Africa, causing concerns of regional destabilization. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's threat of a ground offensive in Gaza has sparked international outcry, amidst ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas with significant disagreements. The Houthi spokesperson cited the inability to reach a permanent ceasefire as another reason for targeting Israeli-bound ships.
Amid the chaos of war in Gaza, around 180 children are being born every day. The situation in Gaza is described as 'extremely horrible' with a lack of humanity for people and patients. Many pregnant women in Gaza conceived during a time of relative peace but are now giving birth amidst the airstrikes. One mother almost gave birth under the rubble of a destroyed home, with her daughter being born with a broken leg from an airstrike. The situation for mothers and newborns at Al-Shifa hospital is even worse than at Nasser Hospital.
Six months after a deadly Hamas attack on Israel, the ongoing conflict has led to a high death toll among Gazans, hunger in the strip, and Israeli hostages being held captive. There are no apparent winners, with Hamas possibly facing decimation and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu under pressure. The conflict has also sparked a surge in global antisemitism, causing anxiety in Europe and concerns among American Jews about safety. Anti-Muslim bigotry has also risen as a result of the strife.
"Trucks of cigarettes also entered Gaza last night. Are cigarettes a basic need? How long can the Palestinians fool the world?" read a Facebook post shared on April 19, 2024. It featured a photo of trucks loaded with boxes at a warehouse. The photo was shared in similar posts around the world, including Australia , Britain and Israel . Israel's more than six-month war against Hamas in Gaza has triggered a humanitarian crisis , and it faces growing pressure to enable more aid deliveries as the United Nations warns famine is imminent.
A three-ship convoy has departed from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip carrying nearly 400 tonnes of food and supplies to address the imminent famine in the besieged enclave amidst Israel's ongoing war. The aid includes ready-to-eat items, such as rice, pasta, flour, legumes, canned vegetables, proteins, and dates, traditionally eaten during Ramadan. The mission, supported by the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus, aims to assist Gazans facing hunger and displacement, with the US planning to build a floating pier for aid reception.
An NBC News investigation uncovered that Palestinians were killed in areas of southern Gaza, designated by the Israeli military as safe zones, during deadly airstrikes from January to April. The Israeli military bombarded Rafah, signaling a possible ground invasion. Camera crews documented the aftermath of the strikes, including hits on an evacuation zone and a humanitarian zone. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the accuracy of the map marking safe zones, despite criticisms from aid agencies and Gazans. Human Rights Watch highlighted the impact of civilians following government directives to safe areas where they still faced airstrikes.
Rafah (Arabic: رفح Rafaḥ [rafaħ]; Hebrew: רָפִיחַ Rafiaḥ [ʁaˈfi.aχ]) is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip; it is the capital of the Rafah Governorate, located 30 kilometers (19 mi) south-west of Gaza City. In 2017, Rafah had a population of 171,889. As a result of massive bombardment and ground assaults in Gaza City and Khan Yunis by Israel during the Israel–Hamas war, about 1.4 million people are believed to be sheltering in Rafah as of February 2024.When Israel withdrew from the Sinai in 1982, Rafah was split into a Gazan part and an Egyptian part, dividing families, separated by barbed-wire barriers. The core of the city was destroyed by Israel and Egypt to create a large buffer zone.Rafah is the site of the Rafah Border Crossing, the sole crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Gaza's only airport, Yasar Arafat International Airport, was located just south of the city. The airport operated from 1998 to 2001, until it was bombed and bulldozed by the Israeli military (IDF).
On 12 February 2024, Israel Defense Forces launched an assault on Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip, killing over 83 people. The airstrikes destroyed at least one mosque and multiple inhabited homes, killing most or all of their occupants. Israeli government sources linked the airstrikes to its hostage rescue operation, Operation Golden Hand, describing the airstrikes as a diversion or "covering fire." Israel freed two hostages in that operation. The strikes came as Israel proposed a ground invasion of the city, which caused international concern. The killings are known in Gaza as "the Super Bowl Massacre."Casualties from the Israeli bombings began to reported by 2:30am and 20 were confirmed dead by 5:30am. The total number of deaths was estimated as at least 94 people according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society has estimated the death toll to be over 100. According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which pulled information from Rafah hospitals the dead included at least 27 children and 22 women. The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor compiled a list of 83 people killed, of whom 29 were children and another third were women (as identified by their names).
Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission. Just when you thought President Biden couldnt possibly care less about US national security, the White House is reportedly considering opening the United States to refugees from Gaza . One plan would use the US Refugee Admissions Program (which Biden raised the cap on in 2021, caving to pressure from leftists ) to grant refugee status to those whove fled into Egypt from the Gaza Strip which would mean taxpayer-funded benefits and the potential to gain US citizenship. Gazans who have relatives in the United States could also be let in.
More than a million people are at risk, according to report, as Oxfam says Israeli authorities are blocking relief deliveries Famine is imminent in northern Gaza with people suffering catastrophic levels of hunger, a coalition of aid groups has warned. The situation was called man-made starvation, as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a group that includes the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization, said that 1.1 million people, half of Gazas population, faced famine . The international community should hang its head in shame for failing to stop it, Martin Griffiths, the UN top relief coordinator, said on the X social media platform , adding: We know that once a famine is declared, it is way too late. Jeremy Konyndyk, the head of Refugees International and a former Biden administration official said: In my 25 years as a humanitarian this may be, pound for pound, the grimmest analysis I have ever seen.
Hamas, an acronym of its official name, Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Arabic: حركة المقاومة الإسلامية, romanized: Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah, lit. 'Islamic Resistance Movement'), is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military movement governing parts of the occupied Gaza Strip.Hamas was founded by Palestinian imam and activist Ahmed Yassin in 1987, after the outbreak of the First Intifada against the Israeli occupation. It emerged from his 1973 Mujama al-Islamiya Islamic charity affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election by campaigning on Palestinian armed resistance against the Israeli occupation, thus securing a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council. In 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip from rival Palestinian faction Fatah, which it has governed since separately from the Palestinian National Authority. This was followed by an Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip with Egyptian support, and multiple wars with Israel, including in 2008–09, 2012, 2014, and 2021. The ongoing 2023 war began after Hamas launched an attack, killing both civilians and soldiers, and taking hostages back to Gaza. The attack has been described as the biggest military setback for Israel since the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, which Israel has responded to in an ongoing ground invasion of Gaza.Hamas promotes Palestinian nationalism in an Islamic context. While initially seeking a state in all of Mandatory Palestine, Hamas began acquiescing to 1967 borders in the agreements it signed with Fatah in 2005, 2006 and 2007 In 2017, Hamas released a new charter that supported a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders without recognizing Israel. Hamas's repeated offers of a truce (for a period of 10–100 years) based on the 1967 borders are seen by many as consistent with a two-state solution, while others say that Hamas retains the long-term objective of establishing one state in former Mandatory Palestine. The 1988 Hamas charter was widely described as antisemitic. The revised 2017 Hamas Charter stated that Hamas's struggle was with Zionists, not Jews. Hamas is widely popular in Palestinian society largely due to its anti-Israeli stance.Hamas has carried out attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, including suicide bombings and indiscriminate rocket attacks. These actions have led human rights groups to accuse it of war crimes, and Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Paraguay, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. In 2018, a motion at the United Nations to condemn Hamas was rejected.
This video can not be played Mohammed Zo'rab, 11, gathers a bucket of beans for his siblings and mother, who has bone cancer. Fergal Keane reports from Rafah, in southern Gaza where young children have to collect food for their families. Video edited by Gem O'Reilly A Gazan boy's pursuit for food for his family. Video, 00:01:01 A Gazan boy's pursuit for food for his family Up Next. I miss bread, says girl, as Gaza food crisis mounts.
At least 13 Palestinians, including children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a gathering in the northern Gaza Strip. The airstrike also led to multiple injuries, with a residential area demolished in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The Israeli army intensified bombardment on Gaza following a military operation announcement, amidst ongoing conflict with Hamas. Graphic videos show the aftermath at Al-Maghazi refugee camp, with scenes of chaos, casualties, and families mourning their loved ones
The Rafah massacre occurred on November 12, 1956, during Israel's occupation of the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Protectorate following the Suez Crisis. The town of Rafah, lying on the Egypt–Gaza border, had been one of two invasion points during the initial incursion by the Israel Defense Forces into the Strip on November 1. As with the earlier Khan Yunis massacre, circumstances surrounding the events which led to the deaths of approximately 111 residents of Rafah and the nearby refugee camp are highly disputed, with Israel neither denying nor acknowledging any wrongdoing, while admitting that a number of refugees were killed during a screening operation. Refugees, it is also claimed, continued to resist the occupying army.The Palestinian version maintains that all resistance had ceased when the killings took place. According to survivor testimonies, IDF soldiers rounded up male individuals over fifteen years of age throughout the Gaza Strip in an effort to root out members of the Palestinian fedayeen and the Palestinian Brigade of the Egyptian army. Israel proclaimed that the civilian population would be held collectively responsible for any attacks on Israeli soldiers during the occupation, which lasted from 1 November 1956 to 7 March 1957. Dozens of summary executions took place of Palestinians who had been taken prisoner, and hundreds of civilians were killed as Israeli forces combed through areas like Khan Yunis, and others died in several separate incidents. Calculations of the total number of Palestinians killed by the IDF in this four-month period of Israeli rule vary between 930 and 1,200 people, out of a population of 330,000.
Rafah (Arabic: رفح, IPA: [ˈɾɑfɑħ]) is a city in North Sinai and Egypt's eastern border with the Gaza Strip currently undergoing demolition. It is the capital of Rafah center in North Sinai Governorate, and is situated on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Egypt.Rafah is the site of the Rafah Border Crossing, the sole crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian government announced in early 2015 that it would raze the entire city and build a new settlement for its residents, in order to expand a security buffer between Egypt and Gaza Strip. The Egyptian military reportedly began bulldozing sections of Rafah in late 2014.
This video can not be played A British surgeon who recently returned from Gaza has told the BBC how she was struck by the high number of wounded children she operated on. Dr Victoria Rose said a "huge amount" of her work was on children under 16, including many under six. Over 76,000 Gazans - mainly civilians - have been injured by Israel over the course of the war, the Hamas-run health ministry says, while 33,000 people have been killed. The war was sparked by Hamas attacking Israeli communities near Gaza last October, killing about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking about 250 hostages to Gaza. 'Huge amount' of Gaza surgery on children - UK doctor Doctor's video diary shows reality inside Gaza hospital.
Israel's government has decided to close Al Jazeera in the country, accusing it of being a mouthpiece for Hamas. Police raided the broadcaster's office in Jerusalem, seizing equipment. Al Jazeera condemned the move as a threat to security, asserting its right to pursue legal action. Despite the closure, the channel remains accessible through Facebook in Israel. Criticisms of Al Jazeera's alleged bias have grown since recent Hamas attacks. Israel has restricted foreign journalists from Gaza, where Al Jazeera staff provide on-the-ground reporting. A recent law empowers Israel to shut down foreign broadcasters during conflicts.
As of 29 February 2024, over 30,000 people (29,782 Palestinian and 1,410 Israeli) have been killed in the Israel–Hamas war, including 88 journalists (83 Palestinian, 2 Israeli and 3 Lebanese) and over 136 UNRWA aid workers.On 7 October 2023, 1,139 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 764 civilians, were killed, and 248 persons taken hostage during the initial attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip. Since then, over 29,782 Palestinians (the majority of whom were women and minors) in the Gaza Strip have been killed according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between combatant and civilian casualties in its reports. The IDF estimated 12,000 Hamas combatants were killed as of 19 February 2024. A further 382 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank by Israel military and settlers. Casualties have also occurred in other parts of Israel, as well as in southern Lebanon, and Syria.
After two days of negotiations in Cairo involving Hamas, Egypt, Qatar, and the US, no agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas despite initial optimism. Israel proposed a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, but Hamas seeks a permanent ceasefire while Israel aims for Hamas's total destruction. The fundamental flaw lies in the conflicting end goals of both parties, making a short-term agreement unlikely without a resolution for long-term peace.
On 7 October 2023, as part of the Hamas-led attack on Israel at the beginning of the Israel–Hamas war, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups abducted 253 people from Israel to the Gaza Strip, including children, women, and elderly people. In addition to hostages with only Israeli citizenship, almost half of the hostages are foreign nationals or have multiple citizenships. The precise ratio of soldiers and civilians among the captives is unknown. The captives are likely being held in different locations in the Gaza Strip.As of February 14, 2024, 112 hostages were returned alive to Israel, with 105 being released in a prisoner exchange deal, 4 were released by Hamas unilaterally and 3 hostages were rescued by the IDF. 11 bodies of hostages were repatriated to Israel, with 3 of the hostages killed by friendly fire from the IDF and the bodies of 8 hostages repatriated through military operations. 32 hostages were reportedly killed in Hamas captivity according to Israel. According to unconfirmed Israeli intelligence, at least 20 additional hostages may be deceased, with their bodies being held captive in Gaza. As of February 14, 2024, 134 hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip, with 130 hostages abducted on October 7, 2023 and four hostages having been captured earlier.Hamas has offered to release all hostages in exchange for Israel releasing all Palestinian prisoners. By October 2023, Israel held 5,200 Palestinians (including 170 juveniles) in its prisons. Hamas stated its objective was to secure their release. Several countries have been involved in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with Qatar taking the lead.On 22 November 2023, Israel and Hamas agreed to the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners and a four-day cease-fire in exchange for Hamas's release of approximately 50 of the hostages. The exchange involved hostages from the categories of women and children. As of 30 November 2023, the last day of the ceasefire, 105 civilian hostages had been released, which included 81 people from Israel, 23 Thais and one Filipino. On 12 February 2024, two Argentinian-Israeli civilians were rescued in Operation Golden Hand. As of January 2024, according to Israeli information, Hamas holds 108 hostages alive and 24 bodies.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant will visit the United States to meet with US officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to discuss the war against Hamas in Gaza, efforts to return hostages, humanitarian aid, and regional stability. Tensions have risen as the US warned against an Israeli offensive in Rafah. Israel is prepared to proceed alone if necessary. The conflict arose after Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October, leading to civilian casualties in both Gaza and Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated he cannot accept Hamas demands to end the war in Gaza, with discussions revolving around a new framework from Cairo. Hamas seeks Israeli withdrawal and cessation of hostilities permanently, while Netanyahu accused Hamas of making unacceptable demands like full Israeli retreat from Gaza. Despite some optimism from Egyptian officials on progress, the latest comments show significant differences between the two sides.
Palestinian students and children in the Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah, Gaza, expressed gratitude to student protesters at Columbia University in a display, thanking them for their solidarity. Signs with messages like 'Students of Columbia University continue to stand by us' were displayed near a school serving as a shelter for displaced Gazans. The camp hosts over 1.3 million displaced Palestinians, facing the threat of an Israeli ground invasion. The children's messages on tents highlighted the impact of war on their lives and education, calling attention to the war crimes committed.
The Invasion of Gaza could refer to events in the following conflicts:2006 Gaza–Israel conflict, an Israeli military offensive into GazaGaza War (2008–2009)2012 Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip2014 Gaza War, a conflict that included an Israeli ground invasion of GazaIsraeli invasion of the Gaza Strip (2023–present)
The governance of the Gaza Strip since the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in June 2007 has been carried out by Hamas. The Hamas government in Gaza was led by Ismail Haniyeh from 2007 until February 2017, when Haniyeh was replaced as leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip by Yahya Sinwar. As of November 2023, Yahya Sinwar continues to be the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Hamas control of the northern part of the Gaza Strip came to an end in January 2024, according to Israeli government statements.After Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections on 25 January 2006, Ismail Haniyeh was nominated Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, establishing a Palestinian national unity government with Fatah. This government effectively collapsed with the outbreak of the violent conflict between Hamas and Fatah. After the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas on 14 June 2007, Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led government and appointed Salam Fayyad Prime Minister. Though the new Ramallah-based Palestinian government's authority was claimed to extend to both the Palestinian territories, in effect it became limited to the West Bank, as Hamas did not recognize the dismissal and continued to rule the Gaza Strip. Both administrations – Abbas' Fatah government in Ramallah and the Hamas government in Gaza – regarded themselves as the sole legitimate government of the Palestinian National Authority. The international community, however, recognized the Ramallah administration as the legitimate government.Since the division between the two parties, there have been conflicts between Hamas and similar factions operating in Gaza, and with Israel, including the Gaza War of 2008–2009, the 2014 Gaza War and most notably the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. The radicalization of the Gaza Strip had previously motivated internal conflicts between different groups, in events like 2009 Hamas crackdown on Jund Ansar Allah, an al-Qaeda affiliated group, resulting in 22 people killed; and the April 2011 Hamas crackdown on Jahafil Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad fi Filastin, a Salafist group involved in Vittorio Arrigoni's murder.Negotiations toward reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, which were mediated by Egypt, produced a preliminary agreement in 2011, which was supposed to be implemented by May 2012 through joint elections. Despite the peace plan, Palestinian sources were quoted in January 2012 as saying that the May joint elections "would not be possible". In February 2012, Hamas' Khaled Meshal and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas signed the Hamas–Fatah Doha agreement. A unity government was sworn on 2 June 2014. The government was supposed to exercise its functions in Gaza and the West Bank, and prepare for national elections, though that did not happen, with disagreements between the two parties. With the failure of the national unity government, the Palestinian National Authority continued to exercise power only in the West Bank, while Hamas remained in power in the Gaza Strip.
The Israel–Hamas war sparked protests, demonstrations, and vigils around the world. These events focused on a variety of issues related to the conflict, including demands for a ceasefire, an end to the blockade, returning Israeli hostages, protesting war crimes, and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Protests against Israeli action in Gaza were notably large across the Middle East and North Africa, particularly following the al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion. Since the war began on 7 October, the number of dead has exceeded 20,000.Some of the pro-Palestinian protests have resulted in violence and accusations of anti-semitism, and consequentially in some European countries, some public support for Palestine and the Palestinian cause was criminalized, with countries such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Hungary restricting pro-Palestinian political speech. Germany banned fundraising, the displaying of the Palestinian flag and the wearing of the keffiyeh. The conflict also sparked large protests at Israeli and U.S. embassies around the world.Research by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project indicated that from 7 October to 24 November, there were at least 7,283 pro-Palestinian protests and 845 pro-Israel protests around the world.
Israel's Defence Forces conducted a precision airstrike in south Lebanon, killing Hezbollah commander Hussein Ali Azqul, involved in planning and executing terrorist attacks against Israel. Hezbollah confirmed Azqul's death, stating he was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Following Azqul's assassination, Hezbollah launched an attack on an Israeli base near Acre, marking its deepest incursion into Israel since the Gaza war began. The Israeli military intercepted two 'aerial targets' off Israel's northern coast, denying any knowledge of its facilities being hit by Hezbollah.
On 17 October 2023, an airstrike conducted by Israel Defense Forces struck a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) school in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. Six people were killed by the airstrike. The UNRWA claims that at least 4,000 people had taken refuge in the school since the start of the Israel-Hamas War.
86 House Democrats wrote to President Biden expressing concerns that Israel may have violated U.S. law by restricting humanitarian aid to Gaza, citing reports of insufficient food, arbitrary restrictions, and impediments to aid flow. Biden's February memorandum demanded Israel's compliance with international law regarding U.S.-funded arms. Secretary of State Blinken must report on Israel's assurances by a deadline. If found questionable, Biden could take actions from seeking new assurances to suspending arms transfers.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, pleads for Israel and Hamas to reach a new ceasefire and hostage release agreement. Hersh, kidnapped at the Nova festival, was recently seen in a video displaying medical issues and urging his family to campaign for his release. Israeli tallies report 1,200 deaths and 253 hostages, with more than 360 killed at the festival. Negotiations aim to release hostages, including Hersh, with concerns over his medical well-being. Israel and Hamas are expected to respond to ceasefire proposals while tensions rise, and displaced Palestinians seek shelter in Rafah.
On 7 October 2023, the paramilitary wings of Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, PRC, PFLP and DFLP launched a series of coordinated armed incursions into the Gaza envelope of neighboring Israel, the first invasion of Israeli home territory since the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. The attacks, on a Saturday, initiated the Israel–Hamas war, almost exactly 50 years after Operation Badr and the greater Yom Kippur War of 6 October 1973. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups named the attacks Operation Al-Aqsa Flood (or Deluge; Arabic: عملية طوفان الأقصى, romanized: ʿamaliyyat ṭūfān al-ʾAqṣā, usually romanised as "Tufan Al-Aqsa" or "Toofan Al-Aqsa"), while in Israel they are referred to as Black Saturday (Hebrew: השבת השחורה) or the Simchat Torah Massacre (הטבח בשמחת תורה), and internationally as the 7 October attack.The attacks began in the early morning with a rocket barrage of at least 3,000 rockets launched against Israel and vehicle-transported and powered paraglider incursions into Israel. Hamas fighters breached the Gaza–Israel barrier, attacking military bases and massacring civilians in neighboring Israeli communities, including in Be'eri, Kfar Aza, and Nir Oz, and at the Nova music festival. The attacks resulted in 1,139 deaths—695 Israeli civilians (including 36 children), 71 foreign nationals, and 373 members of the security forces. Approximately 250 Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip, including 30 children, with the stated goal to force Israel to release Palestinian prisoners. Numerous accounts of rape and sexual assault by Hamas fighters have been reported, which Hamas has denied.Hamas said its attack was in response to the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, rising Israeli settler violence, and recent escalations.At least 44 countries denounced the attack as terrorism, while some Arab and Muslim countries blamed Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories as the root cause of the attack. The day was labeled the bloodiest in Israel's history and the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust.
On 26 January 2024, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) announced it was investigating allegations, presented to it by Israel nearly two weeks before, of the involvement of a dozen of its employees in the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.According to Israel, between 4 and 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the attacks, and are accused of participating in various capacities, ranging from roles in logistics and weapons procurement to hostage taking and direct participation in the attacks. Israel alleges that around ten percent of the UNRWA's 13,000 employees in the Gaza Strip have connections to Islamist militant groups, primarily Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and that 190 UNRWA employees were militants. In March 2024, Israel alleged that four additional UNRWA officials were involved in the attacks, alongside 400 personnel.Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of UNRWA, said the organization had dismissed the employees concerned, and launched an investigation, adding that any staff found responsible would face consequences. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that nine UNRWA employees had been dismissed, one was deceased, and the identities of two other individuals involved in the case were under clarification. Lazzarini clarified on 9 February that he had followed "reverse due process", firing the staff without looking into any evidence, deciding that swift action was the priority in the circumstances. On 19 February, Lazzarini stated Israel had not provided any evidence to support its claim. In late February, a US intelligence report expressed "low confidence" about Israeli claims on UNRWA.The controversy led several major donor countries to suspend their funding of UNRWA, including the United States, Germany and Japan. The funds halt was criticized by several international organizations, considering the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli invasion, including, the World Health Organization, Doctors Without Borders, and Amnesty International, which stated that the world's richest countries had made a "heartless decision ... to punish the most vulnerable population on earth because of the alleged crimes of 12 people". However, some other Western countries—Spain, Portugal and Ireland—have increased their funding of UNRWA. The EU, which had suspended funding pending the outcome of the UNRWA investigations, restored and increased its funding on 1 March 2024.
The Rafah Governorate (Arabic: محافظة رفح Muḥāfaẓat Rafaḥ) is a Governorate of Palestine in the southernmost portion of the Gaza Strip. Its district capital or muhfaza is the city of Rafah located on the border with Egypt. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the governorate had a population of 267,635 in mid-year 2022. It contains the closed down Yasser Arafat International Airport.
Misinformation in the Israel–Hamas war refers to the dissemination of false, misleading or unsubstantiated information during the Israel-Hamas war. Much of the content has been viral in nature, with tens of millions of posts in circulation on social media. A variety of sources, including government officials, media outlets, and social media influencers across different countries, have contributed to the spread of these inaccuracies.
Palestinian refugees are citizens of Mandatory Palestine, and their descendants, who fled or were expelled from their country over the course of the 1947–1949 Palestine war (1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight) and the Six-Day War (1967 Palestinian exodus). Most Palestinian refugees live in or near 68 Palestinian refugee camps across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In 2019 more than 5.6 million Palestinian refugees were registered with the United Nations.In 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) defined Palestinian refugees to refer to the original "Palestine refugees" as well as their patrilineal descendants. However, UNRWA's assistance is limited to Palestine refugees residing in UNRWA's areas of operation in the Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.As of 2019, more than 5.6 million Palestinians were registered with UNRWA as refugees, of which more than 1.5 million live in UNRWA-run camps. The term "Palestine refugee" does not include internally displaced Palestinians, who became Israeli citizens, or displaced Palestinian Jews. According to some estimates, as many as 1,050,000–1,380,000 people, who descend from displaced people of Mandatory Palestine are not registered under UNRWA or UNHCR mandates.During the 1948 Palestine War, around 85% of the population or 700,000 Palestinian Arabs, living in the area that became Israel fled or were expelled from their homes, to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and to the countries of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. They, and their descendants who are also entitled to registration, are assisted by UNWRA in 59 registered camps, ten of which were established in the aftermath of the Six-Day War in 1967 to cope with the new wave of displaced Palestinians. They are also the world's oldest unsettled refugee population, having been under the ongoing governance of Arab states following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the refugee populations of the West Bank under Israeli governance since the Six-Day War and Palestinian administration since 1994, and the Gaza Strip administered by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) since 2007. Today, the largest number of refugees, over 2,000,000, live in Jordan, where by 2009 over 90% of UNWRA-registered Palestinian refugees had acquired full citizenship rights. This figure consists almost exclusively of West Bank–descended Palestinians; however, as of December 2021, Palestinians with roots in the Gaza Strip are also still kept in legal limbo. In 2021, Jordanian politician Jawad Anani estimated that roughly 50% of Jordan's population had West Bank–Palestinian roots. Another approximately 2,000,000 refugees live in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, under Israeli occupation and blockade. Approximately 500,000 refugees live in each of Syria and Lebanon respectively, albeit under very different circumstances. While Palestinian refugees in Syria maintained their stateless status, the Syrian government afforded them the same economic and social rights enjoyed by Syrian citizens; they are also drafted into the Armed Forces despite not being citizens. Citizenship or legal residency in some host countries is denied, most notably for the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, where the absorption of Palestinians would upset a delicate confessional balance. For the refugees themselves, these situations mean they have reduced rights: no right to vote, limited property rights and access to social services, among other things. On 11 December 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA) adopted Resolution 194 which affirmed the Palestinians right to return to their homes.
In Pictures The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has said one of its warehouses in war-ravaged Gaza was hit, amid mounting efforts to bring food to the besieged Palestinian territory. Israels war on Gaza, raging since October 7, has caused mass civilian deaths, reduced vast areas to a rubble-strewn wasteland and sparked warnings of looming famine in the Palestinian territory of 2.3 million people. We can confirm that an UNRWA warehouse/distribution centre in Rafah (southern Gaza) has been hit, the UN agency said on Wednesday. We do not yet have more information on what exactly happened nor the number of UNRWA staff impacted, agency spokeswoman Juliette Touma told news agency AFP.
British troops are aiding in the construction of an offshore pier to increase aid delivery to Gaza, but there is no approval for their direct involvement on the ground. The Israeli offensive has led to significant casualties and displacement in Gaza. The UK is collaborating with the US and international allies to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Gaza. US President Biden has stated that no US troops will be deployed on the ground in Gaza.
The Israeli military launched strikes hitting around 40 targets in the Aita al-Shaab area of southern Lebanon, claiming to have killed half of Hezbollah's commanders in southern Lebanon, a claim refuted by Hezbollah. Hezbollah fired rockets at an Israeli border village in response, with tensions escalating since the Hezbollah drone attack on Israeli military bases. Over 250 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli strikes since October, with civilian casualties on both sides. The violence has been concentrated near the Israeli-Lebanese border, with sporadic strikes reaching deeper into Lebanon.
Sweden is resuming aid to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) with an initial disbursement of $20m after extra spending and personnel checks. Israel had accused UNRWA employees of involvement in a Hamas-led attack in October. Other countries like Canada have also resumed funding to UNRWA after freezing aid. The UNRWA faces a funding crisis as Israel restricts humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, leading to famine and deaths among Palestinians. Concerns mount over the humanitarian crisis, with calls for international aid delivery to Gaza.
Nine countries, including the UK and US, have paused funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) after allegations that some of its staff were involved in the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, called the decision "shocking" and warned that the lack of funding threatens the agency's humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip. UNRWA has opened an investigation into the employees involved and has terminated their contracts. The countries that have suspended funding are Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, and the US.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA, pronounced UN-rə) is a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees. UNRWA's mandate encompasses Palestinians who fled or were expelled during the Nakba, the 1948 Palestine War, and subsequent conflicts, as well as their descendants, including legally adopted children. As of 2019, more than 5.6 million Palestinians are registered with UNRWA as refugees.UNRWA was established in 1949 by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to provide relief to all refugees resulting from the 1948 conflict. It also provided relief to Jewish and Arab Palestine refugees inside the State of Israel following the 1948 conflict until the Israeli government took over responsibility for them in 1952. As a subsidiary body of the UNGA, UNRWA's mandate is subject to periodic renewal every three years; it has consistently been extended since its founding, most recently until 30 June 2026.UNRWA employs over 30,000 people, most of them Palestinian refugees, and a small number of international staff. Originally intended to provide employment and direct relief, its mandate has broadened to include providing education, health care, and social services to its target population. UNRWA operates in five areas: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; aid for Palestinian refugees outside these five areas is provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), established in 1950 as the main agency to aid all other refugees worldwide. UNRWA is the only UN agency dedicated to helping refugees from a specific region or conflict. Unlike UNRWA, UNHCR has a specific mandate to assist refugees in eliminating their refugee status by local integration in the current country, resettlement in a third country or repatriation when possible.In recent decades, UNRWA has been involved in controversial incidents connected to its role in the Gaza Strip, relationship with Hamas, and textbook content. The most recent controversy over the alleged involvement of 12 of its employees in the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel prompted lay-offs, an investigation, and the temporary suspension of funding by United States, Germany, European Union, Sweden, Japan, France, Switzerland, Canada, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Austria, Finland, New Zealand, Iceland, Romania and Estonia.
The Battle of Rafah primarily refers to any of the military engagements fought in and around Rafah, today in the Gaza Strip:
Prof Ghassan Abu-Sitta, a surgeon with experience in Gaza, was denied entry to France to speak at the French Senate about the Israel-Hamas war. Germany imposed a Schengen-wide ban on him, leading to his deportation from France. This ban is seen as an attempt to silence witness testimony on the consequences of Israel's military actions in Gaza. Abu-Sitta has provided evidence to Scotland Yard and the ICC, and is planning to challenge the entry ban in German courts. The incident highlights concerns about attempts to discredit medical witnesses discussing the Gaza conflict.
At least 14 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank city of Tulkarm. The Israeli army reported killing 10 militants, while Palestinian sources noted civilian casualties and injuries. The raid caused infrastructure damage, with reports of power outages and food shortages in the camp. Violence has been escalating in the West Bank since the Israel-Gaza war started on October 7. The conflict has resulted in over 480 Palestinian deaths in the West Bank, with clashes also occurring between settlers and Palestinians.
Iran has grounded commercial flights in parts of the country following reports of explosions near the city of Isfahan, leading to the activation of its air defence systems. Tensions in the Middle East are heightened after Iran's recent missile and drone attack on Israel. The Israeli military has not yet responded. Iranian state TV confirmed the firing of air defences across several provinces but did not provide details on the cause. The incident has not resulted in casualties, and there has been no official response from Iran.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., condemns anti-Israel protests on college campuses, stating they hinder peace efforts in the Middle East and questions why protesters are not demanding Hamas accept the recent cease-fire deal. Fetterman emphasizes that the focus should be on demanding Hamas' compliance for a peaceful resolution, attributing the current situation to Hamas' actions. He believes the conflict could end if Hamas surrenders and releases the hostages held during the recent attack on Israel.
Palestine (Arabic: فلسطين, romanized: Filasṭīn), officially the State of Palestine (دولة فلسطين, Dawlat Filasṭīn), is a state in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Founded on 15 November 1988 and officially governed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), it claims the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip as its territory, all of which have been Israeli-occupied territories since the 1967 Six-Day War. The West Bank contains 165 Palestinian enclaves that are under partial Palestinian rule, but the remainder, including 200 Israeli settlements, is under full Israeli control. The Gaza Strip was governed by Egypt but conquered by Israel in 1967. Israel governed the region until it withdrew in 2005. The United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and various human-rights organizations still consider Gaza to be held under Israeli military occupation – due to what they regard as Israel's effective military control over the territory – as well as under blockade by Israel and Egypt. Israel disputes this. Hamas seized power after winning the 2006 Palestinian legislative election.After World War II, in 1947, the United Nations (UN) adopted a Partition Plan for Mandatory Palestine, which recommended the creation of independent Arab and Jewish states and an internationalized Jerusalem. Immediately after the United Nations General Assembly adopted the plan as Resolution 181, a civil war broke out in Palestine, and the plan was not implemented. The day after the establishment of the State of Israel on 14 May 1948, neighboring Arab countries invaded the former British Mandate and engaged Israeli forces in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Later, the All-Palestine Government was established by the Arab League on 22 September 1948 to govern the All-Palestine Protectorate in the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip. It was soon recognized by all Arab League members except Transjordan, which had occupied and later annexed the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Palestine is currently recognized by 138 of the 193 United Nations (UN) member states. Though jurisdiction of the All-Palestine Government was declared to cover the whole of the former Mandatory Palestine, its effective jurisdiction was limited to the Gaza Strip. During the Six-Day War in June 1967, Israel captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.On 15 November 1988 in Algiers, Yasser Arafat, as Chairman of the PLO, issued the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, which established the State of Palestine. A year after the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was formed to govern (in varying degrees) areas A and B in the West Bank, comprising 165 enclaves, and the Gaza Strip. After Hamas became the PNA parliament's leading party in the most recent elections (2006), a conflict broke out between it and the Fatah party, leading to the Gaza Strip being taken over by Hamas in 2007 (two years after the Israeli disengagement).The State of Palestine's mid-year population in 2021 was 5,227,193. Although Palestine claims Jerusalem as its capital, the city is under the control of Israel; both Palestinian and Israeli claims to the city are mostly unrecognized by the international community. Palestine is a member of the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the G77, the International Olympic Committee, as well as UNESCO, UNCTAD and the International Criminal Court. Following a failed attempt in 2011 to secure full United Nations member state status, the United Nations General Assembly voted in 2012 to recognize Palestine as a non-member observer state. On 26 February 2024, the Palestinian government collapsed, with the entire Palestinian government resigning, including the prime minister.
Australia will reinstate $6 million in funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees and provide an extra $2.6 million to UNICEF for urgent services in Gaza. This decision follows allegations by Israel regarding UNRWA staff in Gaza, which Australia refutes. The funding freeze was lifted by Australia, Canada, Sweden, and the European Union after investigations. The move aims to support humanitarian efforts and aid delivery in Gaza amidst a dire situation, with thousands killed and displaced following the October 7 Hamas-led attacks.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; Hebrew: צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , lit. 'The Army for the Defense of Israel'), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym Tzahal (צה״ל), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and the Israeli Navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security apparatus. The IDF is headed by the Chief of the General Staff, who is subordinate to the Israeli Defense Minister.On the orders of David Ben-Gurion, the IDF was formed on 26 May 1948 and began to operate as a conscript military, drawing its initial recruits from the already-existing paramilitaries of the Yishuv—namely Haganah, the Irgun, and Lehi. It was formed shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, and has participated in every armed conflict involving Israel. In the wake of the 1979 Egypt–Israel peace treaty and the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty, the IDF underwent a significant strategic realignment. Previously spread across various fronts—Lebanon and Syria in the north, Jordan and Iraq in the east, and Egypt in the south—the IDF redirected its focus towards southern Lebanon and its occupation of the Palestinian territories, the Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In 2000, the IDF withdrew from Southern Lebanon and in 2005 from Gaza. Conflict between Israel and Islamist groups based in Gaza, notably Hamas, has continued since then. Moreover, notable Israeli–Syrian border incidents have occurred frequently since 2011, due to regional instability caused by the Syrian civil war.Since 1967, the IDF maintains a close security relationship with the United States, including in research and development cooperation, with joint efforts on the F-15I, the Tactical High-Energy Laser, and the Arrow defense systen, among others. The IDF is believed to have maintained an operational nuclear weapons capability since 1967, possibly possessing between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads.
The Rafah Border Crossing (Arabic: معبر رفح, romanized: Ma`bar Rafaḥ) or Rafah Crossing Point is the sole crossing point between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza Strip. It is located on the Egypt–Palestine border. Under a 2007 agreement between Egypt and Israel, Egypt controls the crossing but imports through the Rafah crossing require Israeli approval.
Israeli authorities raided Al Jazeera's office in Jerusalem and shut down its local operations, citing national security threats during the Gaza conflict. Al Jazeera condemned the closure, calling it a "criminal action" and a suppression of free press. Qatar, Al Jazeera's owner, is mediating a ceasefire in Gaza. The ban follows a law allowing temporary closure of foreign broadcasters. The ban is challenged by civil rights groups in Israel. The closure could affect ceasefire negotiations as Hamas and Israel engage in strikes and talks with Egypt.
The State of Israel has been accused of carrying out or inciting genocide against Palestinians during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. This accusation has been linked to the conceptualization of Israel as a settler colonial state. Those who believe Israel's actions constitute genocide typically point to the phenomena of anti-Palestinianism, Islamophobia, anti-Arab racism in Israeli society, and they cite the Nakba, the Sabra and Shatila massacre, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, the 2014 Gaza War and the 2023 Israel–Hamas war as instances of genocide.International law and genocide scholars have accused Israeli officials of using dehumanising language. During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Israeli Holocaust historian Omer Bartov warned that statements made by high-ranking Israeli government officials "could easily be construed as indicating a genocidal intent".On 29 December 2023, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, alleging that Israel's conduct in Gaza during the 2023 war amounted to genocide. South Africa asked the ICJ to issue provisional measures, including ordering Israel to halt its military campaign in Gaza. The Israeli government agreed to defend itself at the ICJ proceedings, while also denouncing South Africa's actions as "disgraceful" and accusing it of abetting "the modern heirs of the Nazis". South Africa's case has been supported by a number of countries. On 26 January 2024, the ICJ issued a preliminary ruling finding that the claims in South Africa's filing were "plausible" and issued an order to Israel requiring them to take all measures within their power to prevent acts of genocide and to allow basic humanitarian services into Gaza.Israel and the United States have rejected the assertion that Israel is engaging in genocide. While some scholars describe Palestinians as victims of genocide, others argue that they are not victims of genocide, but rather of ethnic cleansing, politicide, spaciocide, cultural genocide or similar. Pro-zionist critics of the accusation sometimes argue that the charge that Israel is committing genocide is an assertion commonly made by anti-Zionists with the aim of delegitimising or demonising Israel.
The Arab–Israeli conflict is the phenomenon involving political tension, military conflicts, and other disputes between various Arab countries and Israel, which escalated during the 20th century. The roots of the Arab–Israeli conflict have been attributed to the support by Arab League member countries for the Palestinians, a fellow League member, in the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict; this in turn has been attributed to the simultaneous rise of Zionism and Arab nationalism towards the end of the 19th century, though the two national movements had not clashed until the 1920s.Part of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict arose from the conflicting claims by these movements to the land that formed the British Mandatory Palestine, which was regarded by the Jewish people as their ancestral homeland, while at the same time it was regarded by the Pan-Arab movement as historically and currently belonging to the Arab Palestinians, and in the Pan-Islamic context, as Muslim lands. The sectarian conflict within the British Mandate territory between Palestinian Jews and Arabs escalated into a full-scale Palestinian civil war in 1947. Taking the side of the Palestinian Arabs, especially following the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the neighbouring Arab countries invaded the by-then former Mandate territory in May 1948, commencing the First Arab–Israeli War. Large-scale hostilities mostly ended with ceasefire agreements after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Peace agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt in 1979, resulting in Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula and the abolition of the military governance system in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in favor of Israeli Civil Administration and consequent unilateral annexation of the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem.The nature of the conflict has shifted over the years from the large-scale, regional Arab–Israeli conflict to a more local Israeli–Palestinian conflict, which peaked during the 1982 Lebanon War when Israel intervened in the Lebanese Civil War to oust the Palestinian Liberation Organization from Lebanon. With the decline of the 1987–1993 First Intifada, the interim Oslo Accords led to the creation of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994, within the context of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process. The same year, Israel and Jordan reached a peace accord. In 2002, the Arab League offered recognition of Israel by Arab countries as part of the resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in the Arab Peace Initiative. The initiative, which has been reconfirmed since, calls for normalizing relations between the Arab League and Israel, in exchange for a full withdrawal by Israel from the occupied territories (including East Jerusalem) and a "just settlement" of the Palestinian refugee problem based on UN Resolution 194. In the 1990s and early 2000s, a ceasefire had been largely maintained between Israel and Syria, while limited warfare continued in Lebanon against Iranian proxy militias. Despite the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, the interim peace accords with the Palestinian Authority and the generally existing ceasefire, until the mid-2010s the Arab League and Israel had remained at odds with each other over many issues. Among Arab belligerents in the conflict, Iraq and Syria are the only states who have reached no formal peace accord or treaty with Israel, with both supporting Iran.The Syrian civil war reshuffled the situation near Israel's northern border, putting the Syrian Arab Republic, Hezbollah and the Syrian opposition at odds with each other and complicating their relations with Israel, upon the emerging warfare with Iran. The conflict between Israel and Hamas-ruled Gaza, is also attributed to the Iran–Israel proxy conflict. By 2017, Israel and several Arab Sunni states led by Saudi Arabia formed a semi-official coalition to confront Iran. This move and the Israeli normalization with Gulf states was marked by some as the fading of the Arab–Israeli conflict.
Turkey has stopped all trade activities with Israel due to the ongoing violence against Palestinians in Gaza, prompting Israel to announce measures such as reducing economic connections between Turkey and the West Bank and Gaza, exploring sanctions against Turkey for violating trade agreements, and supporting affected Israeli export sectors. Israel also filed a complaint with the OECD against Turkey for suspending trade, affecting a significant trade relationship between the two countries.
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is an ongoing military and political conflict in the Levant. Beginning in the mid-20th century, it is one of the world's longest-continuing conflicts. Key areas of the conflict include the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, borders, security, water rights, Palestinian freedom of movement, and the Palestinian right of return.The conflict has its origins in the arrival of Jewish immigrants and settlers to Palestine in the late 19th and 20th centuries and the advent of the Zionist movement. The local Arab population opposed Zionism, primarily out of fear of territorial displacement and dispossession. The Zionist movement garnered the support of an imperial power in the 1917 Balfour Declaration issued by Britain, which promised to support the creation of a "Jewish homeland in Palestine". Following World War I, Mandatory Palestine was established, and tensions grew into open sectarian conflict between Jews and Arabs. In 1936, an Arab revolt erupted demanding independence, which the British suppressed.The 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine triggered the 1948 Palestine war, which saw the expulsion and flight of most Palestinian Arabs, the establishment of Israel on most of the Mandate's territory, and the control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by Egypt and Jordan, respectively. In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which became known as the Palestinian territories), which is now considered to be the longest military occupation in modern history, and has drawn international condemnation for violating the human rights of the Palestinians.The conflict has claimed many civilian casualties, mostly Palestinian, since its inception. Various attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli–Palestinian peace process, alongside efforts to resolve the broader Arab–Israeli conflict. Progress towards a negotiated solution between the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was made with the Oslo Accords of 1993–1995. The majority of recent peace efforts have been centred around the two-state solution, which involves the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Public support for a two-state solution, which formerly enjoyed support from both Israeli Jews and Palestinians, has dwindled in recent years. Official negotiations are mediated by the Quartet on the Middle East, which consists of the United Nations, the United States, Russia, and the European Union. The Arab League, which has proposed the Arab Peace Initiative, is another important actor, along with Egypt and Jordan. Since 2006, the Palestinian side has been split between Fatah dominating the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas that gained control of the Gaza Strip. Attempts to remedy this have been repeated and continuing. Since 2019, the Israeli side has also been experiencing political crisis. The latest round of peace negotiations began in July 2013 but were suspended in 2014. Since 2006, Hamas and Israel have fought five wars, the most recent of which began in 2023 and is ongoing as of March 2024.
By Kaia Hubbard May 5, 2024 / 10:41 AM EDT / CBS News Palestinians and others in the Middle East see the U.S. as an "enabler" of Israel in its war with Hamas , Queen Rania al Abdullah of Jordan said Sunday on "Face the Nation." "People view the U.S.
The House of Representatives passed a $1.2 trillion spending bill including a measure to prevent funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), due to allegations of ties to Hamas. Israel praised this move and urged other nations to follow suit, stating that UNRWA has connections to Hamas terror activities. The US, Israel, and some major allies previously cut funding to UNRWA after allegations emerged that employees had assisted Hamas. The Senate also approved the spending bill after a brief government shutdown.
The Iran–Israel proxy conflict, also known as the Iran–Israel proxy war or Iran–Israel Cold War, is an ongoing proxy conflict between Iran and Israel. In the Israeli–Lebanese conflict, Iran has supported Lebanese Shia militias, most notably Hezbollah. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran has backed Palestinian groups such as Hamas. Israel has supported Iranian rebels, such as the People's Mujahedin of Iran, conducted airstrikes against Iranian allies in Syria and assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists. In 2018 Israeli forces directly attacked Iranian forces in Syria.Motivated by the periphery doctrine, Imperial Iran and Israel had close relations, seeing Arab powers as a common threat. After the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran cut off relations, but covert ties continued during the subsequent Iran–Iraq War. Iran trained and armed Hezbollah during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, and continued to back Shia militias throughout the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon. Even before 1979, Iranian Islamists had materially supported the Palestinians; after 1979 Iran attempted relations with the Palestine Liberation Organization, and later with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Israel fought a war with Hezbollah in 2006. Israel has fought several wars with Palestinians in and around the Gaza Strip: in 2008-2009, 2012, 2014, 2021 and 2023-2024. The 1982 Lebanon War and Israel–Hamas war have been the deadliest wars of the Arab–Israeli conflict.Various reasons have been given for the Iran-Israel conflict. Iran and Israel had previously enjoyed warm ties due to common threats, but by 1990s the USSR had dissolved and Iraq had been weakened. Iranian Islamists have long championed the Palestinian people, whom they perceive as "oppressed". Scholars believe that by supporting the Palestinians, Iran seeks greater acceptance among Sunnis and Arabs, both of whom dominate the Middle East. Ideologically, Iran seeks to replace Israel with a one-state solution (though Iran has at times also supported the two-state solution) and has predicted Israel's demise. Israel sees Iran as an existential threat, and accuses its regime of harboring genocidal intentions. Consequently, Israel has sought sanctions and military action against Iran to stop it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Hamas is a Palestinian Islamic organisation. Hamas may also refer to:Hamas of Iraq, a Sunni militia group in IraqMovement of Society for Peace, a political party in Algeria formerly known as HamasHamas (horse)Steve Hamas (1907–1974), American football player and boxer
Rawan Antar, 21, center, chants in support of Palestinians during the University of Michigans Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Katy Kildee/Detroit News via AP) Rawan Antar, 21, center, chants in support of Palestinians during the University of Michigans Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Saturday, May 4, 2024. (Katy Kildee/Detroit News via AP) A plane bearing a banner that reads ""We stand with Israel jewishlivesmatter.
On 13 April 2024, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran, in coordination with the Popular Mobilization Forces of Iraq, Lebanese group Hezbollah, and the Houthis of Yemen, launched attacks on Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, with drones, cruise, and ballistic missiles. The retaliatory attacks, codenamed Operation True Promise (Persian: وعده صادق, romanized: va'de-ye sādeq), were launched in response to the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus on 1 April that killed 16 people. It was Iran's first direct attack on Israel and the first direct conflict since the start of the Iran–Israel proxy war.Iran launched a massive standoff attack on Israel on 13 April 2024 with about 170 drones, over 30 cruise missiles, and more than 120 ballistic missiles. 99 percent were shot down by defensive measures, most before entering Israeli airspace. Only a few missiles were not downed; one caused minor damage to the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel, which remained operational. Israel used Arrow 3 and David's Sling systems to shoot down the incoming weapons; the United States, the United Kingdom, and Jordan also used their own forces to down Iranian drones. France deployed its navy.The IRGC's Tasnim News Agency said the downed drones were "kamikaze" Shahed 136 drones meant to saturate and overwhelm Israeli air defenses to clear the way for dozens of ballistic missiles in the second wave, which damaged the bases used in the attack on the Iranian consulate.Jordan reported some shrapnel falling on its territory, causing no significant damage or injuries. In Israel, one child, a 7-year old Israeli Bedouin girl, was struck and injured by part of a missile. Thirty-one other people suffered either minor injuries while rushing to protected areas or were treated for anxiety. The next day, Iran's envoy to the United Nations said that the attacks "can be deemed concluded".The attack was the biggest drone strike to date and the first time since 1991 that Israel itself was attacked by the military of a UN member state.Iran's attacks have drawn criticism from the United Nations, several world leaders, and political analysts, who warned that they risk escalating into a full-blown regional war.
Prominent Democrats, including Biden re-election campaign co-chairperson Mitch Landrieu, claim President Biden has been strong in his response to pro-Palestinian student protests, amid criticism from Republicans who accuse him of a weak response. Campus protests have escalated with aggressive police actions leading to arrests. Biden has emphasized the need to combat antisemitism and Islamophobia amidst clashes between pro-Palestine and pro-Israel groups. Thousands of students have protested against the Biden administrations' support for Israel at various university campuses across the U.S.
Refugees of the Syrian civil war are citizens and permanent residents of Syria who have fled the country throughout the Syrian civil war. The pre-war population of the Syrian Arab Republic was estimated at 22 million (2017), including permanent residents. Of that number, the United Nations (UN) identified 13.5 million (2016) as displaced persons, requiring humanitarian assistance. Of these, since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011 more than six million (2016) were internally displaced, and around five million (2016) had crossed into other countries, seeking asylum or placed in Syrian refugee camps worldwide. It is often described as one of the largest refugee crises in history.Armed revolts started across Syria in 2011 when security forces launched a violent campaign of clampdown on nation-wide protests, prompting opposition to form resistance militias, escalating the situation towards a civil war. Ensuing assaults on civilian areas by the Syrian Armed Forces resulted in the forced displacement of millions of Syrians, leading to a full-blown refugee crisis. The Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) was established in 2015 as a coordination platform including neighboring countries except Israel. By 2016, various nations had made pledges to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to permanently resettle 170,000 registered refugees. Syrian refugees have contributed to the European migrant crisis, with the UNHCR receiving almost one million asylum applicants in Europe by August 2017. Turkey is the largest host country of registered refugees, with over 3.7 million Syrian refugees.As of December 2022, a minimum of 580,000 people are estimated to be dead; with 13 million Syrians being displaced and 6.7 million refugees forced to flee Syria. The Ba'athist government and its security apparatus have arrested and tortured numerous repatriated refugees, subjecting them to forced disappearances and extrajudicial executions. Around 12 million Syrians live under conditions of severe food insecurity. More than two-thirds of the displaced are women and children.The Law No. 10 issued by Bashar al-Assad in 2018 has enabled the state to confiscate properties from displaced Syrians and refugees, and has made the return of refugees harder for fear of being targeted by the regime. Humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons within Syria and Syrian refugees in neighboring countries is planned largely through the UNHCR office. UNHCR Filippo Grandi has described the Syrian refugee crisis as "the biggest humanitarian and refugee crisis of our time and a continuing cause for suffering."
In 2024, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict escalated to a direct conflict between the two countries. On 1 April, Israel bombed an Iranian consulate annex in Damascus, Syria, killing multiple senior Iranian officials. In response, Iran and its proxies launched strikes inside Israel on 13 April. Israel then carried out retaliatory strikes in Iran on 19 April.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, is traveling to Iran to address the challenges of monitoring Iran's advancing nuclear program with uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels. Tensions are high in the Middle East due to Iran's program and attacks between Israel and Iran. Grossi will attend an Iranian nuclear conference, meet with Iranian officials, and warn of worsening problems. Iranian officials have hinted at the potential pursuit of atomic weapons, despite past assurances against it, while tensions between Iran and Israel escalate.
Google employees who protested the company's work with Israel were fired or placed on leave, leading to a National Labor Relations Board complaint. Around 50 workers were affected, with Google citing the protests as disruptive and unacceptable. The dispute arose from Google's cloud contract with the Israeli government, involving Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion joint venture with Amazon. The workers claimed the contract could enable surveillance and displacement of Palestinians, while Google clarified the contract's focus on commercial cloud services for Israeli government ministries.
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, the Red Sea to the south, Egypt to the southwest, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and the Palestinian territories – the West Bank along the east and the Gaza Strip along the southwest. Tel Aviv is the financial, economic, and technological center of the country, while its seat of government is in its proclaimed capital of Jerusalem, although Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem is unrecognized internationally.Israel is located in the Southern Levant, a region known historically as Canaan, Palestine, or the Holy Land. In antiquity, it was home to several Canaanite, Israelite and Jewish kingdoms, and is referred to as the Land of Israel in Jewish tradition. The region was ruled by powers such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Achaemenids, Greeks, and Romans. During Roman rule, Jews became a minority in Palestine. The region later came under Byzantine and Arab rule. In the Middle Ages, it was part of the Islamic Caliphates, the Crusader Kingdom, and the Ottoman Empire. The late 19th century saw the rise of Zionism, a movement advocating for the establishment of a Jewish homeland. Under the British Mandate placed by the League of Nations after World War I, Jewish immigration to the region increased considerably leading to intercommunal conflict between Jews and the Arab majority. The 1947 UN partition plan triggered a civil war between these groups which would see the expulsion or fleeing of most Palestinians from Mandatory Palestine. The British terminated the Mandate on 14 May 1948, and Israel declared independence on the same day.On 15 May 1948, the armies of five neighboring Arab states invaded the area of the former Mandatory Palestine, starting the First Arab–Israeli War. An armistice in 1949 left Israel in control of more territory than the UN partition plan had called for; no new Arab state was created, as the rest of the former Mandate territory was divided between Egypt, which occupied the Gaza Strip, and Jordan, which annexed the West Bank. The 1967 Six-Day War ended with Israel occupying both the West Bank and Gaza alongside the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula and the Syrian Golan Heights. Israel has since effectively annexed both East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, and has established settlements across the occupied territories, actions which are deemed illegal under international law. Since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt, returning the Sinai Peninsula, and with Jordan, and more recently normalized relations with several Arab countries. However, efforts to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict have not succeeded. Israel's practices, in the longest military occupation in modern history, have drawn international condemnation for violating the human rights of the Palestinians.The country has a parliamentary system elected by proportional representation. The prime minister serves as head of government, and is elected by the Knesset, Israel's unicameral legislature. Israel has the highest Human Development Index of all countries in the Middle East and is one of the richest countries in the Middle East and Asia, and an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member since 2010. It has the highest standards of living in the Middle East, and has been ranked as one of the most advanced and technological countries, with a population of nearly 10 million people, as of 2023. It has the world's 29th-largest economy by nominal GDP and 16th by nominal GDP per capita.
Camps are set up by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to accommodate Palestinian refugees registered with UNRWA, who fled or were expelled during the 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War or in the aftermath of the Six-Day War in 1967, and their patrilineal descendants. There are 68 Palestinian refugee camps, 58 official and 10 unofficial, ten of which were established after the Six-Day War while the others were established in 1948 to 1950s.Whilst only a third of registered Palestinian refugees live within the boundaries of the refugee camps, Palestinian refugees "show extraordinary social and economic integration outside the camps and informal gatherings". Many Palestinian refugees live in adjacent or nearby "gatherings", defined as "the geographic area, outside the official camps, which is home to a minimum 15 Palestinian households."The total number of registered Palestine refugees has grown from 750,000 in 1950 to around 5 million in 2013.
Gazan typically refers to a resident of the Gaza Strip. It may also refer to:Gazan, Natanz, a village in Isfahan Province, IranGazan, Semirom, a village in Isfahan Province, IranGazan, Kermanshah, a village in Kermanshah Province, IranGazan-e Olya, a village in Kurdistan ProvinceGazan-e Sofla, a village in Kurdistan ProvinceGazan, Sistan and BaluchestanGazan Ashehi, Sistan and Baluchestan ProvinceGazan, South Khorasan, a village in South Khorasan Province, IranGazan, alternate name of Darreh-ye Ghazan-e Sofla, a village in South Khorasan Province, IranGazan Bazin (disambiguation), villages in IranJizan, a city in South-Western Saudi ArabiaHonoré Théodore Maxime Gazan de la Peyrière (1765-1845), a French general during the Napoleonic Wars
The Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden is at the center of controversy as Israel's participation amidst protests and calls for boycott due to the war on Gaza. More than 30 entries, including 'Falastinvision' as an alternative, are vying for votes online. Artists, like Ukraine's Jamala, resist calls for boycott, highlighting the need to remind Europe of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Security concerns prompt Swedish police, along with Danish and Norwegian officers, to be on alert. Participants, like Olly Alexander and Bambie Thug, face backlash over their decision to compete despite concerns over Israel's inclusion and ongoing conflicts.
Palestinians (Arabic: الفلسطينيون, al-Filasṭīniyyūn; Hebrew: פָלַסְטִינִים, Fālasṭīnīm) or Palestinian people (الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha‘b al-Filasṭīnī), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs (العرب الفلسطينيون, al-ʿArab al-Filasṭīniyyūn), are an ethnonational group descending from peoples who have inhabited the region of Palestine over the millennia, and who today are culturally and linguistically Arab.Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one half of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the territory of former Mandatory Palestine, now encompassing Israel and the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In Israel proper, Palestinians constitute almost 21 percent of the population as part of its Arab citizens. Many are Palestinian refugees or internally displaced Palestinians, including more than a million in the Gaza Strip, around 750,000 in the West Bank, and around 250,000 in Israel proper. Of the Palestinian population who live abroad, known as the Palestinian diaspora, more than half are stateless, lacking legal citizenship in any country. 2.1 million of the diaspora population are registered as refugees in neighboring Jordan, most of whom hold Jordanian citizenship; over 1 million live between Syria and Lebanon, and about 750,000 live in Saudi Arabia, with Chile holding the largest Palestinian diaspora concentration (around half a million) outside of the Arab world.In 1919, Palestinian Muslims and Palestinian Christians constituted 90 percent of the population of Palestine, just before the third wave of Jewish immigration and the setting up of British Mandatory Palestine after World War I. Opposition to Jewish immigration spurred the consolidation of a unified national identity, though Palestinian society was still fragmented by regional, class, religious, and family differences. The history of the Palestinian national identity is a disputed issue amongst scholars. For some, the term "Palestinian" is used to refer to the nationalist concept of a Palestinian people by Palestinian Arabs from the late 19th century and in the pre-World War I period, while others assert the Palestinian identity encompasses the heritage of all eras from biblical times up to the Ottoman period. After the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the 1948 Palestinian expulsion, and more so after the 1967 Palestinian exodus, the term "Palestinian" evolved into a sense of a shared future in the form of aspirations for a Palestinian state.Founded in 1964, the Palestine Liberation Organization is an umbrella organization for groups that represent the Palestinian people before international states. The Palestinian National Authority, officially established in 1994 as a result of the Oslo Accords, is an interim administrative body nominally responsible for governance in Palestinian population centres in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since 1978, the United Nations has observed an annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. According to British historian Perry Anderson, it is estimated that half of the population in the Palestinian territories are refugees, and that they have collectively suffered approximately US$300 billion in property losses due to Israeli confiscations, at 2008–2009 prices.
May 5, 2024 / 2:43 PM EDT / CBS News On this "Face the Nation" broadcast, moderated by Margaret Brennan: Click here to browse full transcripts of "Face the Nation." MARGARET BRENNAN: I'm Margaret Brennan. And this week on Face the Nation: Campus chaos continues from coast to coast. Plus, South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem kicks off her book tour today, and we have got the first interview. (Begin VT) (SHOUTING) (End VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: Campus protests tied to the war between Israel and Hamas spilled into the weekend.
French police peacefully removed dozens of students from a building at Sciences Po in Paris, who gathered in support of Palestinians amid the Israeli-Hamas conflict. The students waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans, leading to their eviction after occupying the building since Thursday. Similar protests occurred at other universities in France, culminating in a peaceful resolution outside Sciences Po.
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