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

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  Israeli president tasks Eisenkot with forming new government

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday tasked Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming a new government after parliamentary elections left his bloc and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alliance short of a majority. Eisenkot formally received the mandate to form the next government during a meeting with Herzog at the presidential residence in West Jerusalem, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported. The appointment followed Herzog’s consultations with parties represented in the Knesset. Sixty-seven lawmakers recommended Eisenkot, 46 backed Netanyahu and seven declined to recommend either candidate. Under Israeli law, Eisenkot has 28 days to form a governing coalition. The president can grant him an extension of up to 14 days. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Herzog said Eisenkot had secured clear

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  Around 80% of Palestinian prisoners suffer from scabies in Israeli jails, advocacy group says

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Scabies affect around 80% of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, including children, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said Sunday, citing accounts from inmanes and freed detainees, Anadolu reports. In a briefing, the nongovernmental organization said its legal teams visited dozens of prisoners in October and early November. It said severe clothing shortages and overcrowding helped spread the disease, while prisoners received inadequate treatment. The society said the accounts pointed to a “systematic policy” of abuse, starvation and medical neglect across Israeli prisons. Prisoners told lawyers that special units from the Israel Prison Service entered prison wings with dogs and used rubber-coated bullets and weapons the prisoners could not identify. Some reported burns or said they were temporarily unable to move

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  Large crowds in Amsterdam join Red Line demonstration for Gaza

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Large crowds dressed in red gathered at Museumplein in Amsterdam on Sunday, for the fourth Red Line demonstration in solidarity with the people of Palestine, Anadolu reports. The demonstration, backed by humanitarian and human rights organizations including Amnesty International, Oxfam Novib and Save the Children, called on the Dutch government to take action over the situation in Gaza. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said Thursday that 1.98 million people, about 94% of Gaza’s population, needed shelter and other essential supplies, citing surveys conducted in June. It said 58% faced critical or catastrophic shelter needs. READ: Gaza civil defense warns heavy rains, strong winds threaten nearly 950,000 displaced Palestinians In October, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

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  EU commissioner urges more aid access to Gaza as floods sweep through displacement camps

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib on Sunday called for greater access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as heavy rains flooded displacement camps, worsening conditions for families already facing a severe humanitarian crisis, Anadolu reports. “In Gaza, families are bailing water out of their tents with pots and pans,” Lahbib wrote on US social media platform X. She said flooding had swept through camps sheltering displaced Palestinians, adding that the rainfall was further aggravating an already dire situation. “The rain makes a crisis that was already unbearable worse,” she said. READ: Flooded out of their tents, Gaza families have nowhere left to go Lahbib noted that humanitarian organizations were continuing their operations despite the storm

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  Former Israeli premier urges Eisenkot to swiftly replace Netanyahu government

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday urged Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot to form a new government quickly, saying his first priority should be replacing Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Anadolu reports. “Eisenkot should move as quickly as possible,” Barak, who served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001, told Israel’s public broadcaster KAN. “The most important pledge is to oust Netanyahu, and the first priority is to replace this government,” he added. Barak said he would welcome Arab parties joining the next government. He also said Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party could have been a partner in a unity government without Netanyahu. Separately, caretaker Defense Minister Israel Katz called for unity in the face of “Iranian threats.” READ: Hundreds rally in

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  Activists raise Palestinian flag outside German parliament

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Germany’s national flag was replaced by a Palestinian flag on a flagpole in front of parliament on Sunday, as activists denounced the government’s pro-Israeli policy and its silence on war crimes in Gaza, Anadolu reports. The group Peacefully Against Genocide said the action was meant to show solidarity with people in Palestine and to protest German politicians’ failure to act against grave human rights violations and genocide targeting Palestinians. Aaron, a member of the group, said in a press release that governments worldwide do not act in the name of the people when they stay silent on, permit or support genocide in Palestine. “No matter where in the world a genocide is committed, it affects us all,” he added. “We

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Caroline Rose: Can Trump Escape His Current Quagmire?

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Jeremy Corbyn: A Nation Mutinies: Can Trump Survive His Own War?

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  United Arab List to back possible Eisenkot-led gov’t in Israel without coalition deal: Report

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  United Arab List (Ra’am), a political party in Israel headed by Mansour Abbas, intends to support a possible government to be formed by Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot even without a coalition agreement, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Sunday. “Our party, which has eight Knesset members, will support a Gadi Eisenkot government even if no coalition agreement is signed,” Haaretz quoted a party source as saying. The party did not immediately comment on the report, which came a day after Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Eisenkot with forming a new government. The report said the move is intended to avoid the risks of Eisenkot’s bloc relying on support from the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party. READ: Arab Joint List formally recommends

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  Saudi Arabia says Aramco building suffers ‘minor damage’ after attempted attack in Riyadh

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Falling shrapnel caused “minor damage” to an administrative building of the Saudi state oil giant Aramco following an attempted attack in the capital Riyadh, the Energy Ministry said Sunday, Anadolu reports. No casualties were reported in the incident, an official source with the ministry said in a statement. The source said relevant authorities “promptly responded to the incident and took the necessary measures.” READ: Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted 4 missiles over Riyadh, southern regions The announcement came after the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis reported intercepting and destroying missiles over the Riyadh and southern regions of the kingdom early Sunday. ​​​​​​​It came amid continued military escalation between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi group, which has launched repeated missile and

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  UAE National Guard rescues 22 after fire breaks out on cargo ship in Gulf of Oman

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  The UAE National Guard said Sunday it had rescued 22 people after a fire broke out on board a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, Anadolu reports. The rescued people were Arab nationals, it said in a statement on US social media platform X, adding that they “received necessary first aid before being handed over to the relevant authorities.” They were all in “stable” condition, it added. The incident came amid ongoing tensions over navigation in the nearby Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israeli offensive against Iran began in late February. READ: Iran’s navy reports oil tanker fire in Gulf of Oman

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  Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted 4 missiles over Riyadh, southern regions

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis said on Sunday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone and four missiles, including two ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles, Anadolu reports. “Air defenses intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward the southern region,” coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said in a statement on US social media platform X. Earlier, the coalition announced the interception and destruction of two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward the Saudi capital Riyadh. READ: Saudi Arabia denies report that Houthis demanded $51 billion and official recognition for ceasefire It also reported intercepting two cruise missiles in the Riyadh and southern regions, without providing details regarding the origin of the missiles.

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  Israeli forces shoot Palestinian child, detain 2 in West Bank raids

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Israeli forces shot and wounded a Palestinian child and detained two men during raids in the occupied West Bank late Saturday, Palestinian media reported. Palestine TV said the child was shot in the foot during a raid near the Kafr Saba neighborhood in the northern city of Qalqilya. The official Wafa news agency separately reported that troops detained a man at his home in Hebron and another in Taybeh, east of Ramallah. The second man’s vehicle was also seized. In Hebron, soldiers raided another house, confined the family to one room and ransacked the property. Hundreds of Israeli occupiers entered the city’s Old City under army protection and forced shopkeepers to close their businesses. Occupiers also attacked a Palestinian home

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  Israeli troops storm school, raid homes in southern Syria

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Israeli troops stormed a school on Saturday and raided several homes in southern Syria, state media reported. Al-Ikhbariya TV said a patrol of 14 military vehicles entered the village of Al-Samadaniyah al-Gharbiyah in Quneitra province. Soldiers forced open the school’s gate and entered the grounds. The report provided no details on casualties or arrests. Israeli troops set up a temporary checkpoint earlier Saturday in northern Quneitra. Another unit advanced toward Wadi al-Raqad in western Daraa. READ: Israel carried out over 1,000 attacks on Syria in less than 2 years, says Syrian foreign minister Israeli engineering units also continued building fortifications near Saida al-Hanout in southern Quneitra. Israeli forces have repeatedly carried out incursions in the southern Syrian provinces of Quneitra and

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  Palestinian church committee urges aid for flood-hit Gaza

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  A Palestinian presidential committee on Saturday urged churches worldwide to provide aid to the Gaza Strip and help protect its places of worship as heavy rain battered displaced families already struggling without safe shelter, Anadolu reports. In an urgent appeal, the Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs in Palestine called for food, drinking water, medicines, tents and winter supplies, with a priority for children, infants, the elderly and the sick. About 950,000 displaced people are living in flood-prone areas, including more than 400,000 at high risk, said the committee. It said rainwater seeped into Gaza City’s historic Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church, underscoring the need to protect places of worship and repair damage to religious and historic sites. The destruction

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  Yemeni army says it carried out over 800 operations against Houthis

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Yemeni government forces said on Saturday that they carried out 875 operations against the Houthis in recent hours, claiming to have killed or incapacitated 130 fighters and commanders, Anadolu reports. Military spokesman Majed al-Nazili said in a statement on US social media company X that the operations targeted Houthi positions, reinforcements and military equipment as part of Operation Dawn of Yemen. He said warplanes, drones and artillery supported the operations, which destroyed or damaged 50 military vehicles and pieces of equipment, including missile launchers. In southwestern Taiz province, government troops and allied Popular Resistance fighters continued to repel Houthi attacks and target the group’s positions and movements. READ: Yemeni army claims 336 Houthis neutralized in ‘Dawn of Yemen’ operation Other units

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  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say 2 oil tankers hit mines, caught fire near Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Saturday that two oil tankers were burning after striking naval mines in and near the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. The IRGC said the tankers switched off their navigation and positioning systems and attempted to use an unauthorized route. It accused both vessels of multiple violations, saying one was hit east of the strait and the other inside it. Earlier on Saturday, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said an American aircraft disabled a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after repeated attempts to breach the US naval blockade of Iran. CENTCOM identified the vessel as the St. Kitts-flagged Huda and said it had visited an Iranian port. Tensions over

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  Israel’s president says will task Eisenkot with forming next government

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Israeli President Isaac Herzog will task Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot with forming the next government, his spokesperson said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. The spokesperson said in a statement that Herzog informed Eisenkot of his intention to task him with forming the government. Herzog has invited Eisenkot to the president’s residence, where he will formally hand him the mandate at 5 pm local time (1500GMT) on Sunday. During consultations, parliamentary factions representing 67 Knesset members recommended that Herzog give the mandate to Eisenkot. Factions representing 46 lawmakers recommended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud leader and a member of the Knesset. One seven-member faction declined to recommend a candidate. The spokesperson said Herzog held in-depth talks in recent days with

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  Israel’s Golan open to working with ultra-Orthodox parties, sets conditions for coalition

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Yair Golan, leader of Israel’s opposition Democrats party, said on Saturday he was willing to work with ultra-Orthodox Jews to form a “government of rescue and change” that would replace outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Anadolu reports. His remarks came a day after Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the right-wing opposition party Yisrael Beytenu, dropped his objection to joining a government that includes ultra-Orthodox parties while maintaining his opposition to one that includes Arab parties. Golan said his party wanted a partnership with the ultra-Orthodox community, known as Haredim, based on “mutual responsibility.” He urged drafting Haredi men into the military, increasing workforce participation in the community and ensuring every child in Israel receives an education that enables them to earn

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  Hundreds rally in Israel for government with Arab parties to end Netanyahu’s rule

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated Saturday evening to demand a new government that includes Arab parties and ends outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rule, after parties opposed to him won a combined parliamentary majority, Anadolu reports. About 300 people rallied in the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel to call for Arab parties to be included in the next government, Haaretz reported. Several hundred others gathered in Habima Square in central Tel Aviv with the same demand, according to The Times of Israel. Protesters in Tel Aviv held signs in Arabic and Hebrew reading, “67 seats. Let’s take a new path,” a reference to the combined tally of parties opposed to Netanyahu, including the Arab Joint List and Ra’am, in the 120-seat

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  Sudanese army takes control of key area in West Kordofan

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  The Sudanese army and allied forces took control of Ayyal Bakhit in West Kordofan state on Saturday after clashes with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), military sources told Anadolu Agency. The sources said the army and allied armed movements fighting as part of the Joint Force had secured the area after driving out the RSF. Sudanese soldiers also released videos announcing that they had taken control of the area. Ayyal Bakhit lies in the northwestern part of Al-Khuwei locality, near the border with North Kordofan and north of Al-Nuhud in West Kordofan. READ: 15.4M people in Sudan urgently need shelter as funding shortages threaten aid: UN agencies Earlier Saturday, the army said its air defenses shot down an FH-95 drone

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  Berlin demonstrators protest Israeli occupation, German arms exports

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Hundreds of people gathered in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday,  for a demonstration in support of Palestine and against German arms supplies to Israel, Anadolu reports. Protesters assembled on Osloer Street before marching toward Wedding metro station, condemning Israel’s occupation and seizure of Palestinian land. Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and carried placards calling for an end to Israeli military operations and German weapons shipments to Israel. READ: Pro-Palestinian protesters march through Berlin Some banners marked the 109th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, criticizing the displacement of Palestinians and calling for recognition of their right of return. Participants also chanted slogans expressing solidarity with Palestinians and accusing Germany of supporting Israel’s military actions. The demonstration took place under heightened police security measures. The

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  Israel’s Arab Joint List warns of worsening Gaza crisis as floods swamp 70,000 tents

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Israel’s Arab Joint List warned Saturday that heavy rain and flooding were worsening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, Anadolu reports. The remarks came in a statement from the Joint List, which won 12 seats in Israel’s 120-member parliament, the Knesset, after a storm flooded tens of thousands of tents in the Gaza Strip. The Joint List said the thunderstorm had brought heavy rain and received widespread coverage in the media and on social media. Referring to Gaza, the alliance said one place had barely been mentioned in the coverage and that the flooding there had failed to make headlines. The Joint List said this was the fourth winter in which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza had been forced to survive

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  Iran warns US of ‘devastating response’ if Washington starts war

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Iran’s top security official warned Washington on Saturday that it would face a “devastating response” if it started a war, days after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in the US midterm elections, Anadolu reports. “You lost the war and the election. Vance has conceded, Rubio is heading for the exit, Hegseth is about to be fired, and the CENTCOM commander is now a podcaster!” Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, wrote on the US social media company X. READ: Iran says US must take concrete steps before new diplomatic talks “So, Who exactly in Washington do we need to get this message across to? Start a war, and you’ll face a devastating response,” he added.

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  Flooded out of their tents, Gaza families have nowhere left to go

  by EditorMehdi on November 8, 2026

  Displaced Palestinian families have been left without shelter after heavy rain and strong winds flooded 70,000 tents in the Gaza Strip, with officials warning that damaged infrastructure and equipment shortages were overwhelming emergency efforts, Anadolu reports. The storm, which began late Friday, also brought down dozens of walls, according to the Government Media Office. It estimated initial losses at about $3 million. Medical sources told Anadolu that five Palestinians were injured when two walls of buildings damaged by earlier Israeli strikes collapsed, and a sheet of corrugated metal fell during the storm. Gaza Municipality spokesman Hosni Muhanna told Anadolu that families whose tents had been damaged had nowhere to stay. About 1 million residents and displaced people are crowded into

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  Palestinian families in Belgium seek evacuation of relatives stranded in flood-hit Gaza

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  Palestinians living in Belgium have requested an urgent meeting with Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot to seek the evacuation of relatives holding Belgian visas who remain stranded in Gaza, where heavy rains and strong winds have flooded their shelters, Anadolu reports. According to Belgian news agency Belga, Ismail El Najjar, speaking on behalf of Palestinian families in Belgium, said hundreds of visa holders had suffered damage to their shelters and belongings due to severe weather since Friday night. He said families were still awaiting concrete information from the federal government on how their relatives would be brought to Belgium. “The cold is deadly, but fear and uncertainty are as devastating as bullets,” El Najjar said, adding that between 1,500 and 1,800

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  The writing on the wall: Why Apartheid Israel is on the threshold of defeat

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  They were both born in 1948 from the womb of European colonialism. Like conjoined twins, apartheid South Africa and Zionist Israel thrived on Western patronage and structures of racism. Three decades after the 1994 demise of South Africa’s apartheid regime, Zionist Israel is hurtling toward a similar inglorious end. While the immediate catalyst for this dramatic turn of events has been the genocide in Gaza, a key turning point in this process was set in motion in July 2005 when the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement was launched. In the beginning, critics and naysayers claimed that it was wishful thinking to repeat what was accomplished in South Africa. They spared no effort to emphasize the specific differences between the

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  Saudi Arabia briefly issues threat alerts for 2 southwestern cities

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  Brief alerts were issued in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern cities of Jizan and Najran to warn of a “potential danger,” the Saudi Civil Defense announced Saturday, Anadolu reports. “The danger has passed in Najran City,” the civil defense wrote on US social media platform X, several minutes after issuing the alert. It called on people to follow official instructions and to “avoid gathering and filming.” Earlier Saturday, the Saudi Civil Defense issued a similar warning for the city of Jizan before announcing that the danger was over. The alerts came as Houthi missile and drone attacks continue to target Saudi territory amid an ongoing military escalation in neighboring Yemen. Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government

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  US offers up to $20M reward for information on Iran’s nuclear program: CENTCOM

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday that the Rewards for Justice program is offering up to $20 million for information about Iran’s nuclear program, Anadolu reports. “Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to $20 million and possible relocation for information about Iran’s nuclear program,” CENTCOM said in a post on US social media platform X. It said the information could cover facilities, equipment and associated personnel, including those in the scientific community, as well as their movements. CENTCOM also shared a link on the Rewards for Justice website where people can submit tips. READ: Australian Prime Minister urges US to de-escalate Iran war after Republican midterm losses

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  US rapper Macklemore says 9 major arenas rejected Palestine benefit concerts

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  American rapper Macklemore said Friday that nine major US arenas had rejected plans to host concerts supporting Palestine, accusing venue operators of blocking the events after learning they were part of his Free Palestine benefit tour, Anadolu reports. In a lengthy Instagram statement, the Grammy-winning artist said he had planned to bring the tour to the US following successful concerts in Dublin, Paris, and London. “After weeks of reaching out, nine major American arenas have turned us down,” he wrote, naming Madison Square Garden, Prudential Center, Barclays Center, UBS Arena, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, Crypto.com Arena, Chase Center and Climate Pledge Arena. Macklemore said his team had received available dates at the venues through the end of the year by

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  2 Palestinians wounded as rain causes collapse of wall in Israeli-damaged building in Gaza

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  Two Palestinians were injured in northern Gaza on Saturday after rain caused a wall in a building damaged by earlier Israeli shelling to collapse, a medical source told Anadolu, Anadolu reports. Eyewitnesses said heavy rain flooded thousands of displacement tents near Gaza City’s port, west of Deir al-Balah, north of the Nuseirat refugee camp, and in Jabalia and Beit Lahia. The developments came as a low-pressure system accompanied by a cold air mass and heavy rainfall affected the Gaza Strip, compounding the hardship of thousands of displaced Palestinians sheltering in worn-out tents without heating or adequate protection from rain and cold, amid widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure caused by Israel’s genocidal war. Since October 2023, Israel’s genocidal war on

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  Israeli army arrests 6 Palestinians in renewed raids across occupied West Bank

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  The Israeli army arrested six Palestinians early Saturday during raids across various parts of the occupied West Bank, which also included searches of homes, according to local sources, Anadolu reports. In Jenin, northern West Bank, Israeli forces arrested five Palestinians during raids in the city and took them to an undisclosed location, sources said. In Nablus, also in the north, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the army raided Askar refugee camp east of the city, searched several homes and arrested a young man after storming his family’s house. The army also raided Balata refugee camp east of Nablus, searched several homes and ransacked their contents, according to the agency. The Israeli raids also targeted the towns of

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  Australian Prime Minister urges US to de-escalate Iran war after Republican midterm losses

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged the US to de-escalate the war with Iran following the Republican Party’s losses in the US midterm elections, Anadolu reports. Albanese described the election results as “very significant” and said they were a key topic of discussion among leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Saturday. Democrats captured control of the US House of Representatives and won a majority of the country’s governorships in Tuesday’s midterm elections. “Whether it be inflation in the global economy or the need to have free trade settings … every nation [at CHOGM] wants to see the war end and for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen,” he said.

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  Israeli army continues strikes in southern Lebanon despite framework deal

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  The Israeli army continued its attacks in southern Lebanon on Saturday despite a US-brokered framework agreement reached between Lebanon and Israel in June, Anadolu reports. The Israeli army “carried out a demolition operation in Bani Hayyan,” Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported, without providing further details. The army conducted search operations in Khiam, in Marjayoun district, and its artillery shelled the outskirts of Wadi al-Hujair in the Jabal Amel region, the report said. Overnight, the outskirts of Baraachit in Bint Jbeil district and Wadi Zibqin came under intermittent Israeli artillery fire, it added. Israeli artillery targeted the al-Arayesh area between the towns of Haris and Hadatha in Bint Jbeil district on Friday evening. Israeli forces fired heavy machine guns

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  Storm damages thousands of tents in Gaza, raising fears of humanitarian disaster

  by EditorMehdi on November 7, 2026

  WATCH: 250 couples celebrate mass wedding in Gaza

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  US warns Americans in Middle East of heightened threat from Iran-related attacks

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  The US State Department urged Americans in the Middle East on Friday to exercise heightened vigilance, citing an increased threat of armed attacks by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi group, Anadolu reports. “Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance due to the increased threat of armed attacks by Iranian-supported Houthis and Iranian efforts to target U.S. government officials in the region,” it said in an advisory on US social media platform X. The agency also told Americans to be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions in the region. It did not provide details on the alleged threats. Pulling the funding: Trump, Israel and US military assistance

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  Pulling the funding: Trump, Israel and US military assistance

  by Marwa A on November 7, 2026

  In a telephone interview on Fox News on the morning of 3rd November, President Donald Trump revealed that a deal had been struck with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cease the annual provision of US$3.8 billion in military assistance after 2026.  “We already agreed that by the end of this year, we won’t be paying Israel,” he said.  “Now we’ll help Israel if they need it.”  This was a deal that had been reached “months ago”. The current funding arrangements arose out of a pledge from the Obama administration to supply military assistance to Israel over the period from 2019 to 2028 for a decade, amounting to US$38 billion.  Each year, Washington would supply $US3.3 billion in Foreign Military

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  Israeli army preparing for possible resumption of war in Lebanon amid Iran tensions: Report

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  The Israeli army is preparing for a possible resumption of its military offensive against Lebanon if fighting with Iran resumes, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday. The newspaper said the military is preparing for another round of fighting on the Lebanese front in the event of renewed hostilities with Tehran. Israeli forces are continuing operations along the border with Lebanon, preparing military positions, and updating operational plans ahead of winter, it added. The report said Israel’s security establishment was awaiting a US decision on whether to resume military operations against Iran, noting that the situation could change rapidly depending on developments in Washington. According to the newspaper, the Israeli military has not detected unusual signs of increased US military preparations

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  Putin confirms Russia-US-Ukraine talks scheduled for next Tuesday in Abu Dhabi

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Friday that the next round of trilateral talks between Russia, the US, and Ukraine over the ongoing war is expected to begin next Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, according to Russian state news agency Tass. During a meeting with permanent members of Russia’s Security Council, Putin said he had invited representatives of the Russian delegation set to travel to Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, for the talks. The Security Council meeting was attended by Vladimir Medinsky, Igor Kostyukov, Yuri Ushakov, Mikhail Galuzin and Sergei Ryabkov, Tass reported. READ: Putin says trade turnover with Egypt ‘growing steadily’ despite regional tensions “Given that the negotiations are expected to take place on Tuesday, I invited colleagues who

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  UN chief reaffirms support for UN agency for Palestinian refugees as it faces $80 million funding shortfall

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remains fully committed to defending the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and its critical work, a UN spokesman said Friday, Anadolu reports. “I can tell you that the secretary-general is fully committed to defending UNRWA in the exercise of its fundamental role in support of Palestinian refugees,” Stephane Dujarric told supporters. “He once again calls for UNRWA’s vital work to be fully funded.” Dujarric’s remarks followed an UNRWA statement Thursday warning that unprecedented financial pressures, declining global contributions, and increasingly restrictive operating conditions are threatening its ability to maintain essential services. READ: Gaza records 260 congenital anomaly cases in 9 months, exceeding 2022 total: Health Ministry The agency said it currently faces an $80 million cash-flow

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  Iran continues distributing anti-radiation iodine tablets in Bushehr amid regional tensions

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  Iranian health authorities have continued distributing iodine tablets to residents of the southern city of Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational nuclear power plant, as part of an emergency preparedness plan launched before the June 2025 war, the Young Journalists Club (YJC) news agency reported Friday. The deputy head of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences for health affairs said the distribution initially prioritized areas surrounding the nuclear power plant before expanding to cover the entire city. A total of 180,000 iodine tablets have been distributed under a decision by crisis management authorities, the official said. The tablets remain available to residents at comprehensive health centers across Bushehr, according to the official. The distribution program is limited to residents of

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  Spain should quit 2030 World Cup if Morocco hosts final, opposition leader says

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  Spain should withdraw as a co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup if Morocco is selected to stage the final, opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said, Anadolu reports. Feijoo, leader of the conservative People’s Party, made the remarks during an interview with Spanish football programme El Chiringuito broadcast Thursday. “Spain must organize the World Cup final,” he said. “And if it does not organize it, in my opinion, Spain should not participate in organizing the World Cup.” Asked directly whether he would advocate Spain’s withdrawal if Morocco received the final, Feijoo replied: “Yes. The answer is yes.” The People’s Party leader said he would pursue that position if he became prime minister following Spain’s Nov. 29 general election. Feijoo argued

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  French presidential candidate pledges to enforce ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu if elected

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon has pledged to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if elected in 2027, according to a book published Friday, Anadolu reports. A new edition of “The Common Future,” a book outlining the France Unbowed (LFI) candidate’s official election program. The book sets out around 1,000 pledges covering defense, NATO and the Palestinian issue, among other topics. Under the program, Melenchon promises to enforce the ICC’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu and immediately withdraw France from NATO’s integrated command. He also calls for recognizing the killing of hundreds of Algerians by French police during a peaceful demonstration in Paris on Oct. 17, 1961, as a “state crime.” READ: Rights group

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  Occupier terrorism against Palestinians growing bolder under world’s indifference: Turkish president

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday criticized the international community’s failure to address Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, warning that the international system is failing to uphold peace and security, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the TRT World Forum 2026 at the Istanbul Congress Center, Erdogan said: “Occupier terrorism, which seeks to forcibly displace Palestinians from their ancestral homeland, is growing more and more brazen by the day under the indifferent gaze of the modern world.” International institutions tasked with ensuring peace, security and stability are once again “watching from the sidelines” as atrocities unfold in Gaza, as previously happened in Rwanda, Srebrenica, and many other places, he said. “They take no action

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  Rights group to urge ICC to seek arrest warrants for Trump, US officials

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  A group of human rights lawyers and activists plans to submit evidence to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor next week, urging it to seek arrest warrants for US President Donald Trump and other senior US officials over alleged crimes in Gaza, The National reported. Members of the Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide (TAAG) are expected to travel to The Hague on Nov. 11 to present material concerning what the group describes as US officials’ alleged role in aiding and abetting genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Palestinian enclave. The group said its submission, prepared after nearly a year of evidence gathering, includes sworn statements from doctors who worked in Gaza, eyewitness accounts, whistleblower testimony,

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  Study says Christians’ share of occupied Jerusalem population fell from 25% to 1.56% over century

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  The share of Christians in occupied Jerusalem fell from 25% of the population in 1922 to about 1.56% by the end of 2023, according to a study released by the Jerusalem International Foundation, Anadolu reports. The study said the city had around 15,300 Christians at the end of 2023, including approximately 13,100 Palestinians. It attributed the decline to Israeli policies, economic and social pressures, continued emigration, and low population growth. Israeli residency policies affecting Palestinians in Jerusalem, including revocation of residency permits under the “center of life” criterion, have also contributed to reducing the Palestinian presence in the city, the study said. It also documented attempts to take control of church endowments and property, which it said account for about

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  Israeli opposition leader Eisenkot reports progress in talks to form emergency government

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said Friday that significant progress had been made in negotiations to form a national emergency government, expressing hope that he would receive the mandate to form a government early next week, Anadolu reports. In a statement posted on US social media platform X, Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, said Israel was facing a “real, tangible and dangerous emergency” and called for a swift transfer of power to prevent outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from remaining in office. He said 74 members of the 120-seat Knesset had not expressed confidence in Netanyahu’s continued leadership, while only 46 supported the outgoing prime minister. Eisenkot said his team had held dozens of hours of negotiations with opposition

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  Italian foreign minister says detained Italians in West Bank ‘did nothing,’ calls for their return

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Friday that Italians detained by Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank had “done nothing,” calling for their return to Italy, ANSA reported. “We are following the case. They did nothing, they were just there carrying out agricultural activities, harvesting olives. We hope they can be sent back to Italy as soon as possible,” Tajani said. The detainees were among 14 international volunteers arrested near Kafr Ni’ma, about 23 kilometers (14 miles) from Ramallah, while helping Palestinians with the olive harvest. READ: Italy monitors situation in Israeli-besieged Palestinian village where 5 Italians reported present Among the Italians was Giorgia Lombardi, a city councilor in La Spezia and a member of the National Council of Europa

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  15.4M people in Sudan urgently need shelter as funding shortages threaten aid: UN agencies

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  An estimated 15.4 million people in Sudan urgently need emergency shelter and essential household supplies, but severe funding shortages threaten to halt assistance to millions, two UN agencies warned Friday, Anadolu reports. In a joint statement, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said humanitarian organizations have sufficient resources to prioritize assistance for only 10% of those in need. So far, just 936,000 people have received assistance, leaving millions without adequate shelter or basic necessities, the agencies said. They warned that emergency shelter stocks were running dangerously low and that without urgent funding, more displaced families would face harsh weather, insecurity and heightened risks of violence and exploitation. Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement crisis,

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  Iran says US must take concrete steps before new diplomatic talks

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  Iran will no longer rely solely on written commitments from the US and expects concrete actions before entering a new phase of diplomacy, a senior Iranian security official said Friday, Anadolu reports. Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Washington had repeatedly disrupted negotiations by violating its commitments over the past 18 months, according to the Iranian state news agency IRNA. “Iran must see practical actions by the US with its own eyes,” Bagheri said, adding that a new diplomatic opening would become possible only after such steps were taken. Bagheri also provided details of Thursday’s meeting between Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, saying the talks lasted approximately three

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  Gaza records 260 congenital anomaly cases in 9 months, exceeding 2022 total: Health Ministry

  by EditorMehdi on November 6, 2026

  Gaza’s Health Ministry said Friday that 260 cases of congenital anomalies were recorded among newborns during the first nine months of 2026, surpassing the 184 cases documented throughout 2022, Anadolu reports. Health Ministry Director-General Munir al-Bursh described the figures as a serious health warning and called for an independent international scientific investigation into the reasons behind the increase. The ministry said 322 cases were recorded in 2025, a 75% increase compared with 2022. Bursh expressed concern over the rise amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, starvation, displacement and the collapse of healthcare services. The anomalies requiring surveillance and specialized care include cleft lip and palate, atypical external genitalia that can make determining a newborn’s gender difficult, shortened upper limbs and