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

• 
  Israeli forces kill Palestinian man inside home in occupied West Bank raid

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  A Palestinian man was killed Thursday after being shot by Israeli forces during a raid on the town of Sarta in the occupied West Bank, as his family said Israeli troops prevented paramedics from reaching him for nearly two hours after shooting him inside his home. Israeli forces raided the town, west of Salfit, conducting house searches and arrest operations targeting several Palestinians, witnesses told Anadolu Agency. During the raid, Israeli soldiers entered a home and opened fire at Mustafa Taha Khatib inside the house, critically wounding him, the witnesses said. Khatib was transferred to Salfit Government Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Khatib’s uncle, Yassin Khatib, said the family awoke to find Israeli troops

• 
  Gaza shifts US politics as pro-Israel lobby suffers setback in New York primaries

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  New York City’s Democratic primary elections have highlighted a growing shift in attitudes towards Israel among Democratic voters, after three progressive candidates secured notable victories that were seen as a blow to the traditional party establishment and the political influence of pro-Israel groups, particularly the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Brad Lander won in the 10th District, Claire Valdez in the 7th District, and Darializa Avila Chevalier in the 13th District, putting them on a near-certain path to reaching Congress in the November elections. Lander and Avila Chevalier also succeeded in unseating incumbent members of the House of Representatives. Observers said the war in Gaza and US support for Israel played a key role in several of the races,

• 
  Israel prepares to resume fighting on Yemen front, updates plans against Houthis

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  Israeli Channel 14 has reported that the Israeli military is preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting on the Yemen front, amid what it described as the reactivation and updating of operational plans targeting the Houthi group.  The channel said the move follows statements by Israeli Défense Minister Israel Katz, who issued direct threats to the Houthi leadership, asserting that “the account with the group remains open” and that it would pay a heavy price for its attacks against Israel and its interests in the region. According to the report, military plans have been updated in preparation for any political decision to launch new operations against the group in Yemen. It added that the Israeli security establishment is working to

• 
  215 civilians die in RSF-run prison in South Darfur: Sudanese medics

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  More than 215 civilians died at a prison run by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in South Darfur due to the spread of diseases and epidemics in less than two months, a Sudanese medical group said Wednesday. In a statement, the Sudan Doctors Network said the deaths were reported inside Daqris Prison during May and June. The deaths were caused by “the spread of diseases and epidemics, as well as torture and mistreatment of detainees, under detention conditions that lack even the most basic standards of healthcare and human dignity,” it added. The group said 31 detainees, including children, were transferred to a hospital in Nyala more than two weeks ago despite showing no apparent illnesses. “Their fate remains

• 
  Iranian, Saudi foreign ministers discuss US negotiations, regional developments

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan over the phone on Wednesday the latest progress in negotiations with the US and regional developments, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency, (IRNA). Araghchi briefed the top Saudi diplomat on “the latest course of negotiations, progress achieved in implementing agreed understandings, and consultations carried out within this framework,” IRNA said. The two ministers also reviewed the latest regional and international developments. They stressed “the importance of continuing consultations, maintaining diplomatic channels, and strengthening joint cooperation” to support regional stability, advance the negotiation process, and achieve “positive and lasting results.” The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement the two diplomats emphasized “the importance of continuing efforts

• 
  Ultra-orthodox Jews protests disrupt traffic across Israel amid opposition to military conscription

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  Mass demonstrations by ultra-orthodox Jews (Haredim) caused widespread traffic disruption across Israel on Wednesday as protesters opposed efforts to expand mandatory military service for members of the community. Large vehicle convoys travelled at slow speeds from dozens of locations across 19 cities, from northern to southern Israel, before converging on Military Prison 10 near Kfar Yona, where individuals accused of evading military service are being held. The protests were organised in response to recent measures aimed at increasing the enlistment of Haredi men into the Israeli military. United Torah Judaism leader Yitzhak Goldknopf led one of the convoys departing from Jerusalem and criticised the government’s conscription policy. “It is inconceivable that a young man can study Torah in Bulgaria without

• 
  Oil, Elites, and Empty Promises: Inside the US-Backed Coup Against the UN in Libya

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  Following the conclusion of the United Nations-facilitated Structured Dialogue, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNSMIL, Hanna Tetteh, briefed the UN Security Council on the fragile state of play in Libya. Her briefing shed light on the UN’s latest efforts to revive a stalled political process, but it also highlighted an emerging geopolitical friction point: a competing, US-backed counter-push led by Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Massad Boulos. This American initiative is increasingly seen as a direct challenge—and direct competition—to UNSMIL’s long-term election roadmap. According to the final report of the Structured Dialogue—which concluded on June 7, 2026, after six months of deliberations—the group of approximately 120 Libyans representing civil society and various interest groups produced nearly

• 
  Report: Israeli officials lobby Washington over proposed Turkey-Saudi trade corridor

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  Israeli officials are reportedly lobbying the Trump administration to oppose a proposed overland trade corridor linking the Gulf to Europe via Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Turkey, according to media reports. The proposed project would establish a land transportation route for goods, commercial cargo and passenger traffic, connecting Gulf states with European markets through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Turkey. According to the reports, senior figures within Israel’s governing coalition have stepped up contacts with officials in Washington in an effort to persuade the US administration to intervene against the initiative. The reports claim Israeli officials believe the corridor could undermine Israel’s strategic and economic position by diverting regional trade flows away from Israeli infrastructure. According to the reports, Israeli

• 
  Shin Bet chief orders removal of memorial for 7 October victims to avoid ‘constant reminder of defeat’

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  Israel’s Shin Bet chief David Zini has ordered the removal of a memorial inside the agency’s headquarters dedicated to personnel killed in the 7 October attack and its aftermath. Israeli critics said the move appeared to be an attempt to remove symbols of the failure and defeat associated with that day. In a statement, the Shin Bet confirmed that Zini had instructed staff to dismantle the memorial. The agency said the decision was based on the view that displaying photos of only some of those killed “reduces the scale of the failure and reflects only part of the disaster”. It noted that a permanent memorial wall bearing the names of all fallen agency personnel already exists. However, Haaretz quoted people

• 
  Washington talks stall as Israel refuses to leave southern Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon in Washington have reportedly hit a deadlock over the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, amid Israeli demands for guarantees preventing the return of Hezbollah and preserving the operational freedom of its military. According to diplomatic sources cited by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, the fifth round of US-mediated talks has so far failed to produce an agreement that would allow Israeli troops to withdraw. Israel is insisting on remaining in southern Lebanon until it is assured that Hezbollah has been pushed away from the area and prevented from rebuilding its military infrastructure. The dispute emerged during the fifth round of meetings between the Israeli and Lebanese delegations in Washington, according to the London-based newspaper

• 
  Trump says Turkey was poised to join war alongside Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Turkey had been a potential participant in the war on Iran’s side. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “was a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran — maybe on the Iran side, because he’s not a big fan of Israel,” Trump claimed that he personally intervened and asked Erdogan to stay out of the conflict, adding that the Turkish president had complied with the request. Asked whether he would respond positively to Ankara’s request to acquire F-35 fighter jets and jet engines needed for its domestically produced combat aircraft, Trump said he would “probably do something” that would satisfy Turkey. He also confirmed

• 
  Awakening Human Consciousness to the Reality of the Horrific Genocide in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on June 25, 2026

  People can be consciously aware of atrocities without experiencing the moral outrage those horrors warrant. This emotional detachment is particularly pronounced when atrocities target “those who are different,” occur in seemingly “remote” lands, or repeat so frequently that they dissolve into a familiar, predictable monotony. Psychological frameworks explain this affective insularity through cognitive biases like the “just-world fallacy,” which blocks empathy in otherwise deserving cases to protect one’s own psychological comfort. Alternatively, it manifests as victim-blaming to rationalize aligning with the oppressor, or as compliance with propaganda narratives designed to dehumanize victims and render them unworthy of concern. The rendering of atrocities into something ordinary through repetitive exposure systematically erodes the human capacity for a fittingly shocked response. This was

• 
  ‘Shocking’ photo of freed Palestinian journalist shows ‘tragic’ conditions in Israeli prisons: Rights group

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  A prisoner advocacy group said Wednesday the “shocking” photo of Palestinian journalist Mujahid Bani Mufleh after six months in Israeli detention shows the ongoing “tragic” conditions in Israeli prisons, Anadolu reports. “Israeli prisons have turned into a tool for slow and direct killing of Palestinian prisoners,” the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a statement. Bani Mufleh posted a photo of himself on Wednesday after a long treatment journey for an illness he contracted while imprisoned by Israel. The photo showed part of his brain skull removed as a result of surgeries he underwent while in Israeli detention. The Palestinian journalist also lost significant weight, appearing noticeably pale and almost unrecognizable. “Bani Mufleh is not an isolated case, but points to

• 
  Israel declares 115 acres as ‘state land’ to expand illegal West Bank settlement

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Wednesday the designation of 465 dunams (115 acres) of land as “state land” to expand the illegal settlement of Givat Haroeh, built on lands in the Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate in the occupied West Bank. Smotrich wrote on the US social media company X that “465 dunams have been declared state land for the purpose of expanding Givat Haroeh settlement.” He added that “we continue to build, expand, and strengthen effective sovereignty on the ground,” claiming the move would “strengthen Israelis’ security.” Smotrich also reiterated his opposition to Palestinian statehood. “During my term, a Palestinian state will not be established,” he wrote. READ: Israeli Cabinet minister brags about demolishing 5,700 Palestinians homes in 1 year,

• 
  Israel forces destroy cemetery containing remains of Canadian soldiers in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  Israel has destroyed a cemetery in the Gaza Strip containing the remains of 22 Canadian soldiers killed in the first UN peacekeeping initiative in 1956, according to media reports Wednesday. “It’s like there’s no headstones anymore,” Lia Bons, whose brother Adriann is buried in the cemetery, told CBC News. “It just looks like dirt, gravel, sand.” An officer with the Israel military admitted that soldiers in the Brigade Combat Team dug down to a depth of 20 – 30 meters (66 to 98 feet) under the cemetery to destroy a Hamas tunnel in February and no measures were taken to safeguard the remains of the soldiers because the operation was conducted under combat conditions. The Gaza War Cemetery in the

• 
  The Illusions of Western Virtue: Ursula von der Leyen and Europe’s Moral Bankruptcy

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has every right to condition European relations with any other country or bloc on respect for human rights. That, of course, would hold true if she genuinely cared about such values herself. In response to the June 19 signing of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran—intended to bring an end to a destructive war—von der Leyen declared that the European Union does not intend to lift its sanctions on Tehran. Speaking on June 15, ahead of the G7 summit, she firmly conditioned any diplomatic thawing on domestic changes within the Islamic Republic. “The principle of sanctions is that we need real change on the ground before we can think

• 
  Israeli Cabinet minister brags about demolishing 5,700 Palestinians homes in 1 year, vows to demolish more

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir bragged Wednesday about demolishing 5,700 Palestinian homes over the past year, vowing to demolish more buildings amid ongoing Israeli military escalation against Palestinians. “I demolished 5,700 homes in the past year alone,” Ben-Gvir said during a conference in Tel Aviv, as cited by Israel’s Channel 12. “I will continue demolishing more and more homes in Bedouin communities,” he vowed. Palestinian Bedouin villages and communities are spread across northern and southern Israel, including the Negev, as well as in the occupied West Bank. In a report on June 10, Amnesty International said Israel has accelerated policies targeting Bedouin and herding communities in the occupied West Bank through land seizures and related measures. READ: Olmert: Israel is

• 
  Thank you, Israel, for overplaying the empire’s hand

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  One must give credit where credit is due: Israel, by behaving with the strategic subtlety of a chainsaw in a porcelain museum, has achieved what diplomats, clerics, monarchs, generals, and think-tank acrobats spent decades failing to accomplish. It has helped bury the old Sunni–Shia melodrama as the organizing principle of West Asian politics, and it has made the American “security umbrella” look less like an umbrella than a very expensive lightning rod. This is no small accomplishment. For years, the region was instructed to understand itself through sectarian grammar. Riyadh and Tehran were not merely rival capitals; they were presented as metaphysical opposites, civilizational antagonists, eternal enemies locked in theological combat. Every battlefield was translated into sectarian prose. Yemen, Syria,

• 
  Israeli media highlight concerns over Egypt’s growing military capabilities

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  Israeli media have once again highlighted Egypt’s growing military capabilities and moves linked to strengthening its military presence in Sinai, reflecting concerns within Israeli security and political circles. Israeli platform News1 published a report citing Israeli security assessments regarding Egypt’s military capabilities. The report claimed that decision-makers in Tel Aviv are closely monitoring the modernisation and development programmes undertaken by the Egyptian army in recent years. According to the report, some Israeli assessments believe that the scale of Egypt’s military procurement and training exceeds the requirements of traditional threats along its western and southern borders. This has prompted questions within Israeli circles about the long-term strategic objectives behind these capabilities. READ: ‘Israel will have a war with Egypt in 15 years’:

• 
  Israeli minister says army won’t leave occupied territory in Lebanon ‘even if US demands’ it

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Wednesday army forces will not leave territory occupied in southern Lebanon “even if the United States demands withdrawal.” “Israel will not leave its security zone in Lebanon, even if the United States demands withdrawal,” Katz said during an event in Tel Aviv, as cited by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. There was no immediate response from Washington. The comments come as senior Israeli officials continue to insist on maintaining control over occupied areas in southern Lebanon despite a recent US-Iran understanding, which includes commitments related to respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Katz and Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir pledged to maintain control of what Israel describes as

• 
  Critical minerals: The next energy battle in West Asia

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  For decades, oil and natural gas defined power in the Middle East. Control over hydrocarbon resources shaped alliances, triggered conflicts and influenced the global economy. Today, however, a quieter but equally significant competition is emerging beneath the surface. The next strategic battle in West Asia may not be fought over oil fields or gas pipelines, but over the critical minerals required to power the global energy transition. As governments around the world accelerate efforts to reduce carbon emissions, demand for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, batteries and advanced digital technologies is increasing rapidly. These industries rely heavily on critical minerals such as lithium, copper, cobalt, nickel and rare earth elements. Without them, the green transition cannot occur. As a result,

• 
  “The Jewish KKK” and the Catastrophe Jewish Critics Warned Was Coming | Palestine This Week

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  This week, we begin with Hannah Arendt, the Jewish intellectual who warned that a state built without Palestinian consent would be condemned to permanent war. Her warning now feels less like abstract history and more like a description of Israel today: a militarised society, trapped in endless war and dependent on propaganda to justify the violence needed to sustain its project. We also look at the casual anti-Muslim racism used by Israel advocates to dismiss equality for Palestinian, the UN Human Rights Council’s findings on Israel’s targeting of children in Gaza, and the rise of settler violence in Hebron and around Al-Aqsa Mosque. The episode ends with Trump’s U-turn on Iran, Lebanon’s central role in US-Iran diplomacy and the pro-war

• 
  Netanyahu’s corruption case testimony concludes after 98 hearings

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial testimony concluded Wednesday after 98 court hearings spanning one-and-a-half years, with the Israeli premier describing the proceedings as “10 years of hell,” Anadolu reports. Corruption allegations against Netanyahu first surfaced publicly in 2016 before then-Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit filed formal indictments against him in November 2019. He faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three major corruption cases known as Cases 1000, 2000 and 4000. Case 1000 centers on allegations that Netanyahu and members of his family received expensive gifts from wealthy businessmen in exchange for favors. Case 2000 involves accusations that Netanyahu negotiated with Arnon Mozes, publisher of prominent Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, to secure favorable media coverage in return

• 
  Trump warns Iran negotiations would end if tolls imposed on ships

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that diplomatic talks with Iran would terminate instantly if Tehran attempts to collect fees from maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. He claimed Iranian officials assured Washington that there are “no tolls, no insurance costs, & no other charges of any kind” being sought or received from vessels transiting the strategic waterway. “If this is false information, negotiations would end, immediately,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. The US president also reiterated that no cash will be provided directly to Tehran. Instead, Washington intends to utilize controlled Iranian funds to pay American farmers for exports such as corn and wheat. “Food is desperately needed in Iran, and we

• 
  Israeli minister warns US will soon find itself ‘on collision course’ with Tel Aviv over Iran deal

  by Mehdi Editor on June 24, 2026

  The US will soon find itself “on a collision course” with Israel over its agreement with Iran, Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar said Wednesday, arguing that the deal will not resolve concerns over Tehran’s nuclear program, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the Local Government Conference in Tel Aviv, Zohar criticized US handling of negotiations with Tehran, and warned: “The conduct of the US at this moment regarding the Iranian issue is not good.” “They do not internalize who they are dealing with,” Zohar was quoted as saying by Israeli news site Ynet. “The US will find itself on a collision course with Israel in the near future, and our response to the US will not be automatic,” he added,

• 
  From “never again” to the “gates of hell” in Gaza and Lebanon

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Israel’s politicians and generals have a strategy: not security, not coexistence. It is the oldest colonial formula in history: seize the land, expel the indigenous population, and then call the defenders terrorists. On March 16, Israel invaded  South Lebanon under the pretext of protecting its Jewish-only colonies in the north. At first, it was a so-called security zone ranging from four to six miles inside Lebanon. This was followed by ordering the evacuation  of towns and villages for an area of roughly 775 square miles, about a fifth of the entire country. Now, to shield its occupying army in the “security zone” it created weeks earlier to protect the Jewish-only colonies across the borders. Over a million Lebanese were ethnically

• 
  Luhut’s BlackRock outreach legitimises genocide in Gaza

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, chairman of Indonesia’s National Economic Council and one of the most influential figures in the country’s economic policymaking establishment, recently revealed that he had been encouraging BlackRock to invest in Indonesia. Speaking at Indonesia Summit 2026, Luhut described how executives from the world’s largest asset manager questioned Indonesia’s economic prospects and even raised concerns about the possibility of another crisis similar to 1998. His response was not to ask whether BlackRock was the right partner for Indonesia. Instead, he reassured them that Indonesia’s future remained bright and that now was precisely the right time to invest. Those remarks should alarm anyone who believes Indonesia’s solidarity with Palestine is more than a diplomatic slogan. This was not merely

• 
  Tales of the Palestinian wheat sheaves: When a harvest turns to ash

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  For generations of Palestinian farmers, the June harvest was a sacred time of community, folklore, and relief from the winter’s anxieties. But in recent years, a systematic campaign of arson and violence by Israeli terrorist settlers has turned Palestine’s historic wheat fields and threshing floors from spaces of celebratory feasts into dangerous frontlines of popular resistance. From our fields in the village of Qira, the struggle to reap what we sow has become an urgent testament to our unyielding steadfastness on our ancestors’ land. June: the month of wheat harvest Historically, Palestinians named June “Iqlaash” after the “Qaloosha” (sickle). This directly reflects the primary work of the month: the wheat harvest and the threshing floor (Baydar) operations, which represent—alongside the

• 
  Gaza is not Netanyahu’s exit; it may be his political end

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Benjamin Netanyahu is looking for an alternative war. After his room for action against Iran became limited, and after Washington began pressuring Israel to restrain its actions in southern Lebanon, Gaza seems to be the only battlefield left for him. He needs a war to survive politically. He needs an open front to escape domestic questions, failure, and the image of a leader who promised to reshape the Middle East but now waits for Washington to allow or stop him. But Gaza is not an exit. Gaza may be his final trap. Since the ceasefire, Israel has not treated the agreement as a path to end the war. It has treated it as a temporary pause before another round. The

• 
  Pakistan PM: US-Iran memorandum excludes ballistic missile issue

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that the memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran, with Pakistani mediation, does not include any provisions related to Iran’s ballistic missiles. Sharif made the remarks during a delegation-level meeting held as part of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan. “There are no ballistic missiles in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding (MoU). The issue was never on the table, was never part of the agenda, and the Iranian side never even wanted to discuss it,” Sharif said. He claimed that some parties around the world are seeking to scuttle the agreement. “They don’t want the Iranian nation, a great nation, to come out of the ashes of war and

• 
  Iran air defence forces on full alert, senior commander says

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Iran’s air defence forces remain at the highest level of operational readiness and are fully prepared to protect the country’s airspace, a senior military commander said on Tuesday. According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Brigadier General Ali Reza Elhami, commander of the Joint Air Defence Unit at the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, made the remarks during a visit to the Army’s northwestern air defence zone on the occasion of Air Defence Martyrs’ Day. Elhami praised the performance of Iran’s air defence personnel, describing their role as a source of national pride. “The courage and bravery of the Army and Revolutionary Guard air defence personnel throughout the Islamic Republic of Iran are a source of pride,” he said. He

• 
  Gaza officials warn of ‘silent famine’ as aid deliveries fall far below planned levels

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Gaza’s Ministry of Social Development has warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis, saying the territory is experiencing a “silent famine” amid a sharp decline in the flow of humanitarian assistance. Aziza al-Kahlout, spokesperson for the ministry, said on Tuesday that living conditions across the Gaza Strip have deteriorated significantly as aid deliveries continue to fall well below projected needs. “The Gaza Strip is going through a critical phase,” al-Kahlout said, describing the situation as a “silent famine” that is gradually spreading across the territory. She added that the humanitarian crisis extends beyond the direct impact of military operations, pointing to the growing difficulty many residents face in accessing food, clean water and essential services. According to figures cited by the

• 
  Moroccan Army officers arrive in Israel to join Gaza stabilisation force

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Israeli media reported on Tuesday that representatives associated with Moroccan participation in the proposed international stabilisation force for Gaza have arrived in southern Israel, although no official confirmation has been issued by Rabat. According to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, an initial group of representatives linked to the Moroccan Armed Forces arrived at the Civil-Military Coordination Center in southern Israel, where preparations related to the international stabilization force are reportedly being coordinated. The broadcaster said the representatives arrived at the US-operated headquarters in Kiryat Gat as part of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), a component of the broader framework envisioned under the Gaza post-war plan backed by US President Donald Trump. Kan reported that the delegation’s arrival marks the first publicly

• 
  Human Rights Watch urges Jordan to reinstate death penalty moratorium after six executions

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Jordan to reinstate its moratorium on the death penalty and end the trial of civilians before military courts after authorities carried out the execution of six prisoners convicted in security-related and criminal cases. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the New York-based rights group described the executions as a setback for human rights protections in the kingdom and urged the government to halt further use of capital punishment. “Jordan should renew its moratorium on the death penalty and end the trial of civilians before military courts,” the organisation said. The statement quoted Adam Coogle, deputy Middle East director at HRW, as criticising the executions, which marked the first known implementation of death sentences

• 
  Iran says Israeli strikes on Lebanon delayed next round of US talks

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva has accused Israel of attempting to undermine understandings reached between Tehran and Washington by continuing military operations in Lebanon. Speaking to reporters at the United Nations Office in Geneva on Tuesday, Ali Bahreini, Iran’s permanent representative, said Israeli attacks on Lebanon had delayed the next round of negotiations between Iran and the United States. Bahreini argued that a ceasefire across all regional fronts, including Lebanon, formed a key component of the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between Tehran and Washington. According to the Iranian diplomat, Israel’s actions complicated efforts to advance the agreement and postponed the resumption of talks. “Israel did not acknowledge or implement the first clause of the agreement,” Bahreini

• 
  Israeli fears grow over soldier capture attempt in southern Lebanon

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Amid Israeli reports that dozens of Hezbollah members are trapped inside tunnel networks in the southern Lebanese village of Kfartebnit, Israeli news website Walla has reported growing concerns that an attempt could be made to capture Israeli soldiers for use in a prisoner exchange. According to Walla, messages have been conveyed to Israel through several mediators requesting safe passage for the besieged Hezbollah fighters. However, a security source said Israel’s response to all mediators was clear: “Surrender or be killed inside the tunnel network.” At the same time, concern is increasing among Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon that Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force may seek retaliation by carrying out an operation to capture Israeli soldiers and use them as leverage

• 
  Israeli soldiers’ parents demand end to Lebanon fighting and return of troops

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Parents of dozens of Israeli soldiers serving in Lebanon have said they will not allow their sons to be “sacrificed for external considerations”, calling for an end to the fighting and the immediate return of troops. The appeal came in an “urgent” letter sent to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz, and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, according to Israel’s Channel 12 television on Tuesday evening, as reported by Anadolu Agency. In the letter, the parents said: “Our soldiers in Lebanon are operating with their hands tied, and it appears that external factors are dictating the course of events. We will not allow our soldiers to be sacrificed because of external considerations or indifference on the part

• 
  Netanyahu to hold meeting on Israeli concerns over possible Syrian role in Lebanon

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  Israel is increasingly concerned about a growing Syrian role in Lebanon amid the rapid rapprochement between US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the possibility of regional arrangements that could give Damascus greater influence in Lebanese affairs. According to Israel’s Channel 12 on Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to hold a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss developments related to Syria and their implications for Lebanon. The report said the meeting follows recent remarks by Trump, who said he was “close” to assigning responsibility for dealing with Hezbollah to the Syrian authorities. According to the channel, Israel does not view Trump’s comments as merely rhetorical, but believes discussions and arrangements may be taking

• 
  Palestinian Authority urges international action over Israel’s withholding of $11 billion

  by Marwa A on June 24, 2026

  The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday called for international action after Israel withheld around $11 billion in Palestinian funds, warning that the move poses a serious threat to the ability of Palestinian institutions to continue operating. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa made the remarks during a meeting in Ramallah with European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica, EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Christophe Bigot, and the EU Representative to Palestine Alexandre Stutzmann. According to a statement from his office, Mustafa said that Israel is withholding around $6 billion in Palestinian tax revenues, known as “clearance revenues”, in addition to $5 billion in frozen banking funds. Clearance revenues are one of the Palestinian Authority’s main sources of income.

• 
  UN warns of dire conditions in Gaza displacement sites as 1.7M Palestinians face shortages

  by Marwa A on June 23, 2026

  The UN warned on Tuesday that nearly 1.7 million displaced Palestinians, about 80% of Gaza’s population, are living in extremely poor conditions across nearly 1,600 displacement sites, with acute shortages of water, shelter, and basic services, Anadolu reports. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference that “shelling, gunfire, bombing, and airstrikes continue to harm civilians across the Gaza Strip.” He noted that UNICEF announced in a social media post that a 17-year-old girl, one of its Youth Champions, was killed while on her way to sit for her high school exam. “We reiterate that civilians, including children, must always be protected,” Dujarric said. He said that a newly released

• 
  Fresh Israeli attacks kill 2 Palestinians in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by Marwa A on June 23, 2026

  Two Palestinians were killed on Tuesday in fresh Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip amid continued violations of a ceasefire in effect since last October, a medical source said, Anadolu reports. The source stated that an Israeli drone struck a tent sheltering displaced people in Bir Ayyad in the southern city of Khan Younis, killing one person and injuring another. Another Palestinian was killed and several people were injured in a drone strike targeting a motorcycle west of Khan Younis, the source added. Since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,027 people and injured 3,280 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ceasefire was reached after two years of a genocidal war

• 
  New survey finds decline in trust of US among key allies under Trump

  by Marwa A on June 23, 2026

  Confidence in the United States as a reliable partner has fallen sharply among many of Washington’s closest allies, a new survey found on Tuesday, with President Donald Trump receiving lower trust ratings than Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Anadolu reports. The Pew Research Center survey, which covered 42,151 adults in 36 countries between Feb. 8 and May 13, 2026, found that only a median of 23% of respondents expressed confidence in Trump to “do the right thing regarding world affairs,” while 76% said they had no confidence in him. Trump ranked below French President Emmanuel Macron (43%), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (35%), Xi (34%) and Putin (31%) in the global confidence comparison. Only Israeli Prime Minister

• 
  Iran reopens western part of country’s airspace

  by Mehdi Editor on June 23, 2026

  Iran’s civil aviation authority said Tuesday it reopened the western part of the country’s airspace, Anadolu reports. “The western airspace of the country, like the eastern airspace, has been activated operationally and 24 hours a day,” Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB said, citing the authority. It said the necessary conditions have been put in place to allow domestic and transit flights over Iranian airspace. “All airports in the country are allowed to operate in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP),” it added. The aviation authority explained that Kish and Asaluyeh airports in southern Iran will also operate from sunrise to sunset. READ: US temporarily eases sanctions on Iranian oil sector under new understanding with

• 
  Egypt-Turkey defence partnership could help stabilise the region

  by Mehdi Editor on June 23, 2026

  Joint air and naval exercises, military co-production projects, and growing security, intelligence and diplomatic coordination between Egypt and Turkey are taking place amid mounting regional tensions and geopolitical shifts, particularly in the aftermath of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Developments in Egyptian-Turkish relations across multiple fronts have been significant and striking. They represent a strategic shift that could open the door to a reconfiguration of regional alliances and may signal the emergence of a defence partnership between the two countries—or even a wider regional alliance should other states join—capable of reshaping the balance of power in the region. This growing rapprochement has reportedly raised concerns in both Israeli and American circles, amid reports that Washington has sought clarification regarding the

• 
  Oman, Iran form ‘joint working group’ on future management of Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on June 23, 2026

  Oman and Iran have agreed to establish “a joint working group” to negotiate the future management of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement issued Tuesday by Oman’s Foreign Ministry, Anadolu reports. The statement came following talks in the Omani capital Muscat during a visit by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. During the visit, the Iranian delegation met with Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and also held discussions with Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi. The two countries, which share coastlines along the Strait of Hormuz, affirmed their commitment to guaranteeing safe passage through the waterway in accordance with international law, while emphasizing their sovereignty and sovereign rights over their territorial waters in

• 
  Trump says released Iranian funds to be used to buy US goods

  by Marwa A on June 23, 2026

   US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said any Iranian funds released by the US Treasury will be strictly controlled and limited to the purchase of American-made humanitarian goods, Anadolu reports. “The money and/or sanctions that the U.S. Treasury is releasing goes into escrow, controlled by the U.S.A., and will be used for the purchase of food and medical supplies, exclusively from the United States,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. He noted that the funds would support American farmers through the export of corn, wheat, and soybeans, which he claimed “are desperately needed” by Iran because of “a humanitarian crisis.” The directive follows the Treasury Department’s issuance of a temporary 60-day license for Iranian oil sales as

• 
  Sexual violence used as ‘weapon of war’ in Sudan conflict: UN report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 23, 2026

  Sexual violence has been systematically used as a “weapon of war” throughout Sudan’s conflict, with hundreds of verified cases representing only a fraction of the actual scale of abuses, according to a UN human rights report released Tuesday. The report by the UN Human Rights Office documented 546 incidents of conflict-related sexual violence across 16 of Sudan’s 18 states between the start of the conflict in April 2023 and mid-April 2026, affecting at least 838 victims, including 539 women, 284 girls, eight men and seven boys. The report said sexual violence has accompanied both the geographic spread of the conflict and displacement routes, and has been used to terrorize and traumatize civilians. “As I warned at the end of my

• 
  ‘Israel not party to US-Iran talks, will continue full operations in Lebanon,’ Israeli far-right minister says

  by Mehdi Editor on June 23, 2026

  Israel is not part of the negotiations between the US and Iran and will continue its offensive on Lebanon until Hezbollah is “fully dismantled,” not just disarmed, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said. Smotrich, a far-right extremist member of Israel’s security cabinet, made the remarks Tuesday morning in an interview with Israeli Army Radio. “Israel is not part of the negotiating talks with Iran by choice,” he said, adding: “We will not hold talks with the devil.” “We are not a party to the negotiations between the United States and Iran, and they do not concern us at all,” Smotrich said. “We will continue operating in Lebanon fully,” he added. “The Israeli army will not withdraw from the security zone

• 
  Netanyahu says Israel must ‘break free from dependence’ after tensions with Trump administration

  by Mehdi Editor on June 23, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel must reduce its dependence on foreign support and build an independent arms system amid disagreements between his government and the administration of US President Donald Trump, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a meeting with reserve combat officers attending a course in the illegal Gush Etzion settlement bloc in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu said Israel values the assistance it has received from Washington but must strengthen its own capabilities. “I greatly appreciate the support Israel has received from our American friends, but we need to break free from dependence and build our own independent armament system,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying by Israeli news site Ynet. Netanyahu said Israel must continue expanding

• 
  Palestinians in Gaza protest Israeli ceasefire violations, call for civilian protection

  by Mehdi Editor on June 23, 2026

  Palestinians gathered outside Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday, to protest what they said were Israeli violations of the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, following a call by national and Islamic groups. Demonstrators held a rally condemning the alleged breaches and calling for the ceasefire to be upheld. During the demonstration, attended by relatives of those killed and representatives of human rights organizations, speakers said that more than 1,000 Palestinians had been killed in attacks since the ceasefire was declared. The protesters called on the international community and human rights groups to take action to stop ceasefire violations and protect civilians. READ: UN committee warns Palestinian children increasingly unprotected amid pressure on rights groups Hamas spokesperson Hazem