Middle East Monitor Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa

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  Gaza media office reports 377 Israeli ceasefire violations in April

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  The Government Media Office in Gaza said Israeli forces committed 377 violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip during April 2026, resulting in 111 people killed and 376 injured. In a statement issued on Thursday, the office said the violations represent a “clear and serious breach” of the agreement and have worsened the humanitarian situation, while also undermining efforts to sustain the truce and protect civilians. The statement added that humanitarian access remained severely restricted. Only 4,503 aid trucks entered Gaza during April, compared with 18,000 stipulated under the agreement—around 25 per cent of the expected volume. Fuel deliveries were also far below agreed levels, with 187 trucks entering the territory out of 1,500 planned, equivalent to about

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  Amnesty warns over Tunisian opposition leader’s health in prison

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Amnesty International has expressed deep concern over reports that the health of Tunisian Ennahda leader Rached Ghannouchi, 84, has deteriorated and that he has been urgently transferred to hospital. In a statement published on its official Facebook page, the organisation urged the Tunisian authorities to ensure he receives “immediate and adequate medical care”, in line with their obligations under international human rights law. Amnesty said the right to health is guaranteed for all detainees without exception, including access to appropriate treatment in a timely manner and under qualified medical supervision. It also raised concern over Ghannouchi’s continued detention for more than three years, saying the “ongoing prosecutions” against him raise “serious concerns” about possible political motives, amid what it described

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  Pentagon says Iran still has part of naval fleet despite Trump claims

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  The Pentagon’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, has acknowledged that the US military failed to destroy all vessels in Iran’s naval fleet. Caine said that despite claims of the Iranian navy’s total defeat, some Iranian fast attack boats are still operating in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking during a hearing before the US House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, he said: “Iran still retains small, high-speed vessels.” Earlier, US President Donald Trump made a series of strong statements about the war on Iran, vowing to destroy what remains of its navy and asserting that Iranian military capabilities have been largely eliminated. Trump said: “Some small boats are what remain of Iran’s navy and we will destroy them

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  Pro-Palestinian demonstrators rally at Columbia University on anniversary of Hind’s Hall

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside Columbia University in New York City on Thursday, marking the two-year anniversary of Hind’s Hall, Anadolu reports. Protesters honored Palestinian scholars killed in Gaza and called for long-standing demands to be addressed, including the release of detainees held in Gaza. The group later marched toward the City University of New York as part of the demonstration. READ: Over 180 activists detained in Israeli attack on Gaza aid flotilla in international waters, organizer says A group of antiwar demonstrators entered the historic Hamilton Hall building on the university’s central campus in April 2024, renaming the building “Hind’s Hall,” in reference to Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old girl who was brutally killed by Israeli forces. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at

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  Air defence systems heard over Tehran

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Air defence systems were heard operating over Tehran late on Thursday night, according to Iran’s Tasnim and Fars news agencies, with no immediate explanation. Tasnim, a semi-official news agency, reported that the sound of air defence systems being activated was heard in parts of Tehran, adding that it was not yet clear whether this was “related to a defence test or to counter possible reconnaissance drones.” The agency later said air defence systems had been activated against small aircraft and unmanned reconnaissance drones detected in the airspace. Earlier on Thursday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed that war with Iran “could resume soon”, repeating recent remarks seen as part of efforts by Tel Aviv to push the United States towards

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  Instead of indirectly insulting Yemen, Prabowo should be building relations with it

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  At a high-profile industrial groundbreaking event in Central Java, President Prabowo Subianto responded sharply to critics who describe Indonesia as being in decline. Rejecting the phrase “Indonesia is dark,” he declared that such critics have “blurred vision,” insisted the country is “bright,” and then went further: if they are unhappy, they should simply leave—adding, pointedly, that they could “run away to Yemen.”  It was a moment meant to project confidence. Instead, it exposed a troubling lapse in judgment—one that reaches far beyond Indonesia’s domestic debate and directly into its relationship with the wider world. Let’s be clear: this was not just an attack on critics. It was an insult to Yemen. By invoking Yemen as a destination for those who

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  Spain urges EU to suspend Israel association agreement over Gaza aid flotilla interception

  by MI on May 1, 2026

  Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday called on the European Union to immediately suspend its association agreement with Israel, following the reported targeting of the Global Sumud Flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip. In a post on X, Sanchez said Israel had “Israel is once again violating international law by attacking a civilian flotilla in waters that do not belong to it.”     He added that his government is doing “everything necessary” to protect and assist Spanish citizens detained in the incident, but stressed that this is “not enough”.  He urged the EU to suspend the association agreement with Israel and to demand that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu respect the law of the sea.   The EU–Israel Association Agreement is the

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  US could attack Iran again during negotiations, Iranian president warns

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Thursday that the US could attack Tehran again during negotiations, saying that trust in Washington has been “completely destroyed,” Anadolu reports. In a phone call with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, Pezeshkian said dialogue and diplomacy have always figured atop Iran’s agenda. “Efforts to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy with Iran’s responsibility have always been on the agenda,” Pezeshkian said in his comments carried by the state-run Press TV. “But during the negotiations, the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel) attacked Iran twice, and there is a possibility of such actions being repeated – which has led to Iran’s complete distrust of the United States.” The US and Israel launched joint attacks on

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  Trump says Iran should be allowed to play in US-based World Cup games

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  US President Donald Trump voiced support Thursday, however tepid, for allowing Iran to play in US-based World Cup games during this summer’s football competition, Anadolu reports. “You know what? Let them play,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question in the Oval Office. “(FIFA President) Gianni’s (Infantino) fantastic. He’s a friend of mine, and he talked about it. I said, ‘You do whatever you want. You can have them. You don’t have to have them.’ Probably have a good team.” In announcing that Iran’s national team would participate in US-based games, Gianni argued that the decision was rooted in the responsibility to “bring people together,” saying that football remains a unique force that “unites the world” amid global divisions.

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  Disabled Palestinian child assaulted by Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  Israeli forces assaulted a disabled child and his brother during a raid in occupied East Jerusalem, local sources said Thursday, Anadolu reports A video clip circulated on social media showed Israeli soldiers chasing a child with disabilities through the streets of the Shu’fat refugee camp, northeast of East Jerusalem. The child appeared frightened and disoriented before being cornered and physically assaulted. In a blatant violation of all international conventions, Mahdi Al-Arabi, a child with special needs from the Shu’afat camp, was detained and assaulted. pic.twitter.com/xfbqZTbouj — Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) April 30, 2026 “Israeli soldiers continued to chase the child despite his clear medical condition,” the sources told Anadolu. The sources said the child, who was identified as Mahdi Abu

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  New US shipment of 6,500 tons of military aid arrives in Israel

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  Israel said Thursday it received a new shipment of 6,500 tons of ammunition and military equipment from the US in 24 hours, Anadolu reports. “Two cargo ships carrying thousands of air and ground munitions, military trucks, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), and additional military equipment were offloaded at the ports in Ashdod and Haifa,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement. The daily Maariv said the shipments are part of a “central effort to enhance Israel’s readiness for developments in the war.” According to the paper, more than 115,600 pieces of military equipment have arrived in Israel via 403 airlifts and 10 maritime shipments since the start of the war with Iran in February. Israel has been engaged in ongoing

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  The US–Iran impasse: Who stands to lose more?

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  By the end of this month, US–Iran negotiations had reached a near stalemate, following rounds of talks in Islamabad and Muscat that failed to produce any meaningful breakthrough. At the same time, the conflict has been steadily morphing into something closer to a “cold war,” driven less by direct confrontation and more by sanctions and economic pressure. Trump’s decision to pursue a ceasefire, and then extend it, has effectively shifted the burden of the conflict; what was once carried primarily by Israel on the military front has increasingly been transferred to the economic arena, where Washington now bears the real weight of the war. Since then, Washington has doubled down on this approach, leaning heavily on a policy of “maximum

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  Israel conducts farthest-ever strike in long history of attacks on Gaza humanitarian aid flotillas

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  Israeli naval forces intercepted ships of the Global Sumud Flotilla late Wednesday carrying humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip more than 500 nautical miles away or 926 km, making this interception the furthest away in a long history of maritime assaults aimed at breaking Israel’s illegal blockade, Anadolu reports. The Israeli navy intercepted the vessels in international waters near the Greek island of Crete by surrounding the convoy, jamming communications. As of April 30, 22 vessels have been seized in the 58-strong flotilla, with several of them managing to escape and enter Greek waters following the incident. Since 2009, Israel has illegally intercepted and attacked all humanitarian aid flotillas attempting to break its 19-year siege on Gaza. Even though

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  UN says Israel blocks durable shelter materials from entering Gaza

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  The UN on Thursday said aid agencies are still unable to bring in materials needed to build durable shelters in Gaza, as Israel’s restrictions continue amid worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave, Anadolu reports. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said there has been “no progress” in efforts to allow the entry of more durable shelter supplies. “We’re able to bring tarpaulins, blankets, sheets—whatever. We’re not able to bring anything that will let us build durable shelter,” he told reporters. Asked about Israel’s position, Dujarric said: “They’re saying ‘No’ on this and other items, notably material needed to repair generators to clear rubble. We need more material on that.” He said UN teams and partners on Thursday visited four displacement sites in

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  Flotilla defiance, Zionist terror, and the cowardice of Muslim regimes

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  There are moments when power stops pretending to be lawful and simply performs its obscenity in public. Israel’s assault on the Gaza-bound flotilla is one such moment: a state so accustomed to impunity that it now treats the Mediterranean as its private checkpoint, international waters as occupied territory, and unarmed civilians as contraband. The flotilla’s “crime” was not military. It carried no army, no missiles, no threat to Israel’s heavily armed paranoia. Its cargo was aid, witness, and moral embarrassment. That is precisely why it had to be attacked. Flour is dangerous when starvation is policy. Medicine is subversive when siege is strategy. A civilian boat becomes a menace when it exposes an empire of barbed wire, bombardment, and bureaucratic

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  Greek main opposition questions government’s role in Israel’s interception of Gaza aid flotilla

  by Marwa A on April 30, 2026

  Greece’s main opposition party on Thursday questioned the government’s role in Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla, Anadolu reports. Lawmaker Dimitris Mantzos, the head of the PASOK party’s foreign affairs committee, said the Wednesday incident “constitutes a serious new violation of the international law of the sea and freedom of navigation.” Urging the government to take a clear position, Mantsoz asked whether the government and relevant authorities, including the coast guard, were aware of Israel’s plans before the interception took place. He also asked whether the location of the incident – off the Greek island of Crete – was within Greek jurisdiction for search and rescue, under international law. Moreover, Mantsoz asked the government what actions it

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  Israeli defence firm Rafael eyes takeover of VW’s Osnabruck factory, German lawmaker says

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Israeli defence company Rafael is in talks to take over Volkswagen’s Osnabruck plant as the automaker phases out car production in the northwestern city after 2027, a German lawmaker said Thursday, Anadolu reports. Bastian Ernst, a conservative lawmaker from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU) with prior experience in the defence industry, confirmed the discussions to the German news agency (dpa). “There are talks between Rafael and Volkswagen,” he said, noting that the site could produce components for Rafael’s Iron Dome air defence system, including heavy trucks, launchers, and other parts. “This is a win-win situation. We would have Israeli expertise in Germany, and the Israeli state-owned company would have a production facility that is not threatened by war,” he

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  When a ceasefire becomes an offensive system

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Ceasefires are usually treated as the negative space of war: the moment when fire stops, diplomats return and the strategic temperature begins to fall. That reading is dangerously incomplete. In the present Iran-US-Israel confrontation, the ceasefire is not merely an interruption of violence. It is becoming a coercive architecture in its own right: a system that suspends open combat while keeping pressure, surveillance, blockade logic and nuclear bargaining simultaneously alive. The more radical conclusion is this: a ceasefire can intensify the logic of war precisely because it removes the battlefield without removing the coercion. The question, then, is no longer whether Tehran, Washington and Tel Aviv are moving toward peace or war in the old binary sense. The sharper question

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  Over 180 activists detained in Israeli attack on Gaza aid flotilla in international waters, organizer says

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  The Israeli army attacked a Gaza-bound aid flotilla and detained more than 180 activists in international waters, 500 nautical miles (926 kilometers) off the Palestinian enclave, the head of the International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza, which organized the voyage, said Thursday. “The Global Sumud and Freedom Flotilla was subjected to a fully-fledged act of piracy by the army of the Zionist entity in the open sea, in international waters and at a distance of 500 nautical miles from the occupied Palestinian territories and from the Gaza Strip,” Youssef Ajisa told Anadolu. He accused Israel of staging the raid at night “to cover up the media aspect of this brutal and barbaric act.” “More than 180 activists were

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  Israel bankrolls war crimes in occupied Syrian Golan with $334m settlement expansion plan

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Israel has approved a $334 million plan to expand illegal settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, in a move that Human Rights Watch (HRW) says amounts to the financing of war crimes under international law. The plan, adopted by Israel’s cabinet on 17 April 2026, aims to significantly increase the number of Israeli settlers in the territory by developing the existing settlement of Katzrin into what officials describe as the Golan’s “first city”.  “Israel’s cabinet has put public money behind a war crime in Syria at the same time as it is turbocharging settlement expansion in the West Bank alongside continued impunity for violence against Palestinians there,” said Hiba Zayadin, senior Syria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “A permanent

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  Iran warns US of ‘prolonged, painful blows’ amid reports of potential strike plans

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  A commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force warned the United States on Thursday against potential military action amid reports Washington is considering new strikes against Tehran, Anadolu reports. The warning followed a report by US news website Axios that US President Donald Trump is expected to receive a briefing from US Central Command (CENTCOM) on options for a “short and intense” series of strikes aimed at breaking the current stalemate. In response, Majid Mousavi, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, said Tehran would respond to any such operations “even if short and rapid” with “prolonged and painful blows.” “We have seen the fate of your bases in the region; we will also see your vessels,” he

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  9 Palestinians injured in Israeli attacks in Gaza as ceasefire violations continue

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Nine Palestinians were injured in fresh Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, as Israel continued daily violations of a ceasefire in place since last October, medical sources said. The sources said two Palestinians were wounded after being targeted by a quadcopter drone in the Shujaiya area east of Gaza City. Six more Palestinians were injured in a drone strike targeting a group of civilians near Shuhadaa Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. A fisherman was also wounded by Israeli naval fire off the northwestern coast of Rafah in the south, the sources said. Israeli artillery also shelled areas northeast of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza with several rounds, with no injuries reported, witnesses told

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  Iran’s supreme leader says Gulf future ‘without US,’ new Hormuz rules to boost stability, economy

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Iran’s supreme leader said Thursday the future of the Gulf will be “without US presence,” stressing that new legal and management frameworks for the Strait of Hormuz will bring stability and economic benefits to the region, Anadolu reports. In a written statement released by his office to mark Persian Gulf National Day, Mojtaba Khamenei said the presence of foreign powers, particularly the United States, has been a source of instability in the region, adding that a “new phase is emerging.” He said the Gulf is a key part of regional identity and global economic connectivity, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman. Khamenei said Iran would ensure security in the Gulf through what he described as

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  Tunisia’s Ennahda says its leader Rached Ghannouchi hospitalized after health deteriorates in prison

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Tunisia’s Ennahda movement said Thursday that its leader Rached Ghannouchi suffered a sharp deterioration in his health while in detention and was transferred to a hospital, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the movement said Ghannouchi, 84, “experienced a severe decline in his health condition, which forced prison authorities to urgently transfer him to a hospital for treatment and medical monitoring for several days.” “In light of this serious development, the movement renews its call for Ghannouchi’s immediate release, considering his detention to be arbitrary,” the statement added. Citing a UN expert panel decision, the movement said Ghannouchi is being prosecuted over freedom of opinion and expression and that the charges against him “lack any legal and factual basis.” In March,

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  The disaggregation of OPEC’s Gulf production coalition: UAE’s exit and the unravelling of the Arab oil order

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  On 1st May, 2026, the United Arab Emirates formally departs from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), ending almost six decades of membership that began with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in 1967. Officials in Abu Dhabi frame the decision as a sovereign recalibration of national interest, while markets read it as a supply-side shock muted by the Iran war. Both readings are insufficient. The UAE’s withdrawal is neither sudden nor primarily political. It is the structural endpoint of a six-year economic realignment whose internal logic was always incompatible with collective output discipline. To grasp why, one must abandon the familiar image of OPEC as a unified body of 12 equal members. OPEC has never functioned as a

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  Netanyahu’s adviser fails to advance Israeli plans to relocate Palestinians from Gaza: Report

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to advance plans to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip following Tel Aviv’s two-year war on the enclave, Haaretz newspaper reported on Thursday. Israel has described the relocation of Palestinians as “voluntary migration,” after Tel Aviv’s brutal assault that has killed more than 72,000 people, injured over 172,000 and caused widespread destruction of infrastructure. Israel has also maintained a tight blockade on the enclave, worsening living conditions and leaving the entire population on the verge of starvation. Haaretz said Netanyahu tasked his adviser Caroline Glick with promoting plans to relocate Palestinians from the war-ravaged enclave. According to the paper, Glick contacted Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland and the Democratic Republic

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  ICC chief prosecutor says he is ‘exonerated’ in alleged misconduct probe

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who went on leave in May 2025 amid a UN investigation into sexual misconduct allegations, said he has been “exonerated,” Anadolu reports. Khan told Zeteo in an interview released Wednesday that the inquiry found no “misconduct or abuse of authority” and that he should be allowed to return to work. “I’ve read the UN report. I’ve read the findings of the judges. And in the UN report, there are 137 findings, not one of those findings makes determinations or makes findings of conduct that could be characterized as inappropriate in any way, shape or form,” he said. In March, a panel of three judges unanimously concluded in an advisory opinion that the UN

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  Who truly faces an existential threat?

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  “What I saw today is the existential threat to the State of Israel,” former Mossad director Tamir Pardo stated after a visit to Palestinian villages that have been targeted by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. However, dismissing Zionist history to selectively focus on settler violence absolves Israel of the role it gives to settlers – a direct participation in the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. Settler violence started before the Nakba, and it suited Israel’s purpose to encourage it.  But of course, Pardo’s concern is not the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. The concern is that the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, in which settlers participate under state protection, does not jeopardise Israel’s existence.  Pardo said that Israeli settler

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  Majority of Israelis believe Israel has lost all wars since October 7, survey finds

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Most Israelis believe that Israel has lost every war it has fought since 7 October, including against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran, according to a new survey published by Israel’s Kan News agency. The poll found that 57 per cent of respondents believe Israel has not won in any arena since 7 October. Only 28 per cent said Israel had won in at least one arena, while 15 per cent said they did not know. The findings point to a crisis of confidence in Israel’s wars and assaults across the region, even as Israeli public opinion continues to show overwhelming support for the genocide in Gaza and wider military expansion. When broken down by front, just 17

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  Greater Israel: Coming soon to a neighbour near you; lines may change without notice

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  For seven decades, Israel has functioned not within fixed borders, but through the calculated deployment of “fluid lines.” From the 1947 Partition Plan to modern military doctrines, its geography remains a moving target—a series of unilateral impositions designed to facilitate expansion while evading international law. Effectively, Israel recognizes no definitive borders for itself, nor does it respect the sovereign boundaries of its neighbors. From Iran to Egypt, international borders are treated as mere sketches on a map rather than inviolable markers. This refusal to define its own limits maintains a permanent “frontier status,” where expansion is the only constant and international law is merely an optional suggestion. We must not lose sight of the factual reality: immediately upon its creation

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  Sudanese commander accuses UAE of leading war plan to divide country

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  A Sudanese military commander, Major General al-Nur Ahmed Adam Quba, has said that the war plan in Sudan is an external scheme led by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) aimed at taking control of the country, and if that fails, it is intended to divide it. He said the plan was “known to the whole world” and claimed he could name some Emirati figures coordinating with the militia in the conflict. Speaking at a press conference in Khartoum on Thursday, he said the main operations room managing the war in Sudan is based in the UAE, with subsidiary rooms in Nyala and other parts of Darfur.  He also said members of the Dagalo family have rooms in the UAE through

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  Israel warns US: Deterrence against Hezbollah is eroding

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Israel has told the US administration that its current policy of restraint in Lebanon is undermining its deterrent capability and serving Hezbollah’s interests. Channel 12 reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the issue with US President Donald Trump in a phone call. It said Netanyahu warned that relying only on reactive responses, without taking the initiative, gives Hezbollah an opportunity to recover and strengthen its ideological position, while exposing Israeli forces on the ground to growing risks. According to the Israeli position, the continued use of limited operations is gradually eroding deterrence and negatively affecting the security of residents in the north, as well as the army’s operational readiness. READ: Netanyahu orders ‘special project’ to counter Hezbollah drones In

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  Sudanese doctors warn of looming humanitarian crisis in Blue Nile as rains approach

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  The Sudanese Doctors Network has warned that more than 100,000 displaced people in Blue Nile State face a potential humanitarian catastrophe as the country’s rainy season approaches. In a statement on Wednesday, the network expressed concern over worsening conditions in Ad-Damazin, where around 10 displacement centres are sheltering large numbers of people who have fled violence in Kurmuk and Qaysan districts. The group said children make up about 40 per cent of the displaced population, while women and older people account for roughly 60 per cent, highlighting the vulnerability of those affected. Sudan’s rainy season, which typically runs from June to October, brings heavy downpours and flooding that often worsen living conditions in camps and increase the risk of disease

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  Israeli reports highlight rise of youth gang activity in Tel Aviv

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Israeli security reports have pointed to a growing threat from an organised group of minors operating in Tel Aviv, raising concerns about crime and policing. According to police, the group—reportedly calling itself “SSQ”—includes around 100 boys and girls aged between 11 and 16. Authorities said many members are from migrant backgrounds, including families originating from Eritrea. Police said the group’s activities have escalated beyond theft to include assaults in public spaces and attempts to extort money from businesses and service providers. Officials expressed concern about alleged links between the youths and larger criminal networks, saying minors may be recruited to carry out tasks on behalf of organised groups, partly due to their age and lower likelihood of prosecution. During raids

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  Saudi expert says UAE exit from OPEC to have limited impact on oil markets

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  A Saudi oil expert has said the United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from OPEC and the broader OPEC+ is unlikely to significantly disrupt global markets. Dr Mohammed Sorour Al-Sabban, a former senior adviser to Saudi Arabia’s petroleum minister, described the move as “regrettable” but stressed that the UAE retains the sovereign right to determine its economic policies. Speaking to Sputnik, Al-Sabban said the UAE’s production share within OPEC and OPEC+ could be offset by other member states, particularly Saudi Arabia, which he said has the capacity to maintain supply levels and limit market disruption. The UAE announced that its withdrawal from OPEC and OPEC+ will take effect on 1st May 2026, marking a significant shift in the structure of

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  UAE reviews role in regional blocs amid speculation over further withdrawals

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  An official from the United Arab Emirates has said the country is reassessing its role in multilateral organisations, following its decision to withdraw from OPEC. Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, the official said Abu Dhabi is reviewing the value of its memberships but is not currently considering additional withdrawals. The remarks come amid speculation that the UAE could reconsider its participation in regional bodies such as the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council after announcing it will leave OPEC and the OPEC+ from 1st May. Senior Emirati official Anwar Gargash criticised the performance of regional organisations during a forum earlier this week, saying political and military coordination among Gulf states had been “the weakest in history”. He

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  Christian nun injured in settler attack in Jerusalem

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  A Christian nun was injured on Wednesday after an attack by an Israeli settler in Jerusalem, according to a local human rights organisation. The Al-Baydar Human Rights Organization said the nun was assaulted in one of the city’s neighbourhoods, resulting in injuries and heightened tensions in the area. The organisation said the attack comes amid a rise in violations against civilians in Jerusalem and surrounding areas, including incidents targeting Palestinian residents and religious sites. It added that attacks by settlers have increased alongside restrictive measures imposed by Israeli forces, including checkpoints and limitations on access for worshippers to sites such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Reported incidents include harassment of clergy, assaults on pilgrims

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  Lebanon says Israel must abide by ceasefire, understand talks are key to security

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Israel must realize that the only path to achieve security is through negotiations, the Lebanese president said on Wednesday, stressing that Tel Aviv must first fully implement the ongoing ceasefire before moving on to further talks, Anadolu Agency reported. “We are working as much as possible to mitigate the consequences of the military attacks on Lebanon. “We are conducting intensive contacts for this purpose, as it is unacceptable for Israeli attacks to continue after the ceasefire has been announced,” Joseph Aoun said in a statement released by the Lebanese presidency on US social media company X. Aoun argued that he was in coordination with the Lebanese parliament speaker and the prime minister in “every step” he took regarding the negotiations,

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  17 migrants found dead, 7 rescued off Libya coast after 8 days at sea

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  The Libyan coastguard in cooperation with naval forces has recovered the bodies of 17 migrants and rescued seven others in what was described as one of the most difficult rescue operations off the country’s coast. The operations were off Tobruk city in eastern Libya, near the border with Egypt. “After eight days of distress, Almarqab patrol boat, attached to the naval base, successfully rescued a stranded vessel. The operation resulted in the rescue of seven survivors and the recovery of 17 bodies,” the Red Crescent said in a statement posted on Facebook. It said the rescue operation was “one of the most arduous field missions to date”. The statement did not disclose the nationalities of the migrants or further details

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  Over 1.25 million in Lebanon at risk of food insecurity, UN report warns

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  More than 1.25 million people in Lebanon could face crisis-level or worse food insecurity by August, according to a joint United Nations and Lebanese government report released on Wednesday.  The report published by Lebanon’s Ministry of Agriculture, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the latest war in the country has reversed previous humanitarian gains and pushed Lebanon back into crisis, amid growing economic and living pressures.  WFP representative in Lebanon Allison Oman Lawi said the fragility previously flagged “has now proven to be real”. She added that “Families who were just managing to cope are now being pushed back into crisis as conflict, displacement and rising costs collide, making food increasingly unaffordable.”       

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  Trump renews pressure on Israel’s Herzog to pardon Netanyahu: Report

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has renewed his “pressure campaign” on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump told Axios on Wednesday that Netanyahu had raised his corruption trial when they spoke Tuesday night and told him he’d be back in court on Wednesday, instead of focusing on Iran. “In the middle of a war? Give me a break,” Trump said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a court session in his corruption trial on Wednesday to hold security consultations related to an aid flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip. Before the trial session began in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu asked to shorten Wednesday’s hearing to three hours, but judges rejected the request. He then asked

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  ‘Apartheid without borders,’ says UN special rapporteur on Israel’s interception of Gaza-bound aid flotilla

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  The UN special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories on Thursday described Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla as “Apartheid without borders,”Anadolu reports. “ALARM! How on earth is possible that Israel is allowed to assault and seize vessels in international waters just off Greece/Europe? Besides what you can think of Apartheid Israel and its genocidal leaders, this should send shock waves across Europe,” said Francesca Albanese on the US social media platform X. The Israeli navy intercepted vessels from the flotilla late Wednesday as they headed toward Gaza to break a longstanding blockade on the enclave. The group said Israeli forces surrounded the convoy in international waters near the Greek island of Crete, jammed communications, and seized 21

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  America as a war economy: Eisenhower’s warning that still runs Washington

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  One of the strangest things about U.S. politics is this: many countries look for reasons first, then go to war. Washington often does the opposite. It decides on war first, then changes the justification as pressure rises and as it needs to “sell” the decision at home and abroad. We saw this in Iraq, and we see it again in other files today: one reason, then another, then a third “explanation”; while the core decision stays the same for years. So why does the United States keep the weapon always on the table, and turn politics into a permanent stage for threats and escalation? A big part of the answer was named by a U.S. president from inside the system

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  Qatar denies claims of backing ICC prosecutor over Netanyahu case

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Doha said on Wednesday it rejects Israeli claims that it supported International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan in return for pursuing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the court. Qatar described the allegations as “an attempt to evade international accountability”. In a statement, the country’s International Media Office said the claims were based on false media reports concerning the ICC prosecutor. On Tuesday, the US newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported allegations that Qatar had promised to support Khan following sexual assault accusations against him, in exchange for taking action against Netanyahu over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the war in Gaza. Qatar’s International Media Office said that “recent attempts to implicate Qatar

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  Israeli navy intercepts Gaza aid flotilla amid reported interference near Greece

  by MI on April 30, 2026

  Hebrew media reported on Wednesday evening that the Israeli Navy has begun seizing ships from the “break the siege” flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip, before they could approach the coast. In contrast, the Global Sumud Flotilla said its ships were experiencing signal interference near Greek waters, with unidentified warships approaching them. Israel’s Channel 14 reported that naval forces had started taking control of the maritime fleet heading to Gaza, far from the coast. The boats, part of the “Spring 2026 mission” organised by the Global Sumud Flotilla, set sail on Sunday from the Italian island of Sicily in an effort to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to its residents. The flotilla had originally departed from

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  UN experts warn Gaza reconstruction cannot succeed without ending occupation

  by MI on April 29, 2026

  UN experts said Wednesday that reconstruction in the Gaza Strip cannot succeed without ending Israel’s occupation and ensuring rebuilding efforts are rooted in human rights and Palestinian self-determination, Anadolu reports. “The occupation must end, and the dispossession and discrimination against Palestinians must stop if rebuilding is to have any real chance of success,” the experts said in a statement. Citing the Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, they said more than 371,000 housing units have been destroyed or damaged, 1.9 million people displaced, and over 60% of the population remains homeless, with reconstruction needs estimated at more than $71 billion. “The data confirms a pattern of structural discrimination that reconstruction efforts must urgently correct rather than reproduce,” they said, warning

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  The pendulum swings: The slow death of Europe’s pro-Israel consensus

  by MI on April 29, 2026

  The European Union is the “chief of all cowards,” Amnesty International declared in a searing statement issued on April 21. The condemnation was a direct response to the European bloc’s systemic failure to sever ties with Israel during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg. Despite months of legal warnings, the EU once again prioritized procedural safety over the urgency of human life. The efforts to press the EU to finally take a moral position were led by a coalition of Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, later joined by Belgium. They argued that the EU-Israel Association Agreement—the legal framework governing their trade relationship—is predicated on the “respect for human rights.”  To maintain this agreement while the extreme violations in occupied Palestine

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  European natural gas prices surge more than 8% amid Hormuz closure tensions

  by MI on April 29, 2026

  European natural gas prices rose sharply Wednesday as tensions between the US and Iran persisted and markets saw no concrete progress toward fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. May-dated natural gas futures at the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF), Europe’s benchmark gas trading hub, climbed more than 8% to €47.2 ($55.1) per megawatt-hour as of 1735GMT. Markets were supported by the lack of clear progress in reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran, as well as uncertainty about when energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz could return to normal. US media reports said Washington is considering increasing pressure on Iran, with a focus on limiting oil exports and restricting maritime traffic linked to Iranian ports. The approach is

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  Iran does not stand alone – China and Russia create restraint

  by MI on April 29, 2026

  China, and Russia do not stand aside; they hold the war in deliberate abeyance add solidarity and deterrence. What appears as support is, more precisely, structured pre-emption against reckless US escalation. The United States is compelled to calculate against a dispersed but formidable alignment of power. The ongoing war is not sustained war, but a multipolar, multi-cornered balance that restrains dominance. This is no longer a theatre of dominance, but a multipolar, multi-cornered contest of endurance. The most consequential actors in the Iran conflict are not only those deploying force on the battlefield, but those who have embedded themselves within the conflict’s underlying architecture. Russia and China have not declared war, yet to characterise them as peripheral or neutral is

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  UN raises alarms over ‘intolerable’ situation in occupied West Bank

  by MI on April 29, 2026

  The UN on Wednesday voiced concern over escalating tensions and violence in the occupied West Bank, describing the situation as “intolerable,” Anadolu reports. “I also want to tell you that we continue to monitor the latest developments in the West Bank very closely, be they Israeli settler attacks or Israeli security operations,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. “The situation in the West Bank is not only concerning, it is intolerable,” Dujarric added. He stressed that such activities run counter to Israel’s obligations under international law, particularly regarding its “unlawful continued presence” in the occupied Palestinian territory. “They also undermine the Palestinian Authority,” he added. His remarks came after Israel approved on Wednesday the construction of 126 illegal settlement units in Jenin