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

• Israel’s Netanyahu claims progress in prisoner swap negotiations with Hamas

  by MI on June 10, 2025

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed “significant progress” on Tuesday in negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange, Anadolu reports. “It is too soon to give people hope,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office. “We are currently working ceaselessly on it.” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also claimed progress in the ceasefire talks. “Some progress has been made recently, and in light of past experiences, I do not want to exaggerate it,” he told a press conference in Jerusalem. According to The Jerusalem Post newspaper, Netanyahu held a meeting last night to discuss the ceasefire negotiations. The daily said the Palestinian group Hamas has been drafting a new response to US envoy Steve Witkoff’s ceasefire proposal, and

• UN says Israel rejected 11 of its 18 humanitarian coordination requests in Gaza

  by MI on June 10, 2025

  The UN said on Tuesday that Israeli authorities rejected 11 of its 18 humanitarian coordination requests in the Gaza Strip, as the humanitarian situation in the enclave continues to deteriorate, Anadolu reports. “Israeli authorities continue to deny many humanitarian movements within the Strip to provide whatever limited services are available to the population,” UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said at a news conference, adding that the rejected requests included attempts to truck water, retrieve fuel, carry out a rescue mission in Khan Younis, and repair roads. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Haq warned that more than two million people in Gaza are being denied basic necessities amid ongoing Israeli military operations. “In northern Gaza, Israeli military operations

• ‘Free Thiago!’: Brazilian voices grow louder after Israel arrest Ávila aboard Madleen

  by MI on June 10, 2025

  In a surge of national and international concern, Brazil finds itself at the heart of growing global condemnation following the detention of Thiago Ávila, a prominent Brazilian activist, by Israeli forces. Ávila was aboard the humanitarian vessel Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, when it was intercepted by the Israeli navy in international waters en route to the besieged Gaza Strip. The ship’s mission was to deliver essential humanitarian aid—such as food, water, and medical supplies—and to show solidarity with Palestinians living under Israel’s genocide and 17-year blockade of Gaza. The vessel carried 12 international activists, including Ávila and Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg. Their detention has ignited widespread condemnation and raised serious questions about Israel’s continued restrictions on

• UK sanctions Israeli ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich

  by MI on June 10, 2025

  The UK has placed sanctions on two Israeli government ministers today, over their ‘monstrous’ comments about Gaza which included comments to do with plans to destroy the territory and use violence to attain control of new settlements in the West Bank. Israel’s security minister Ben Gvir and Israel’s Finance minister Smotrich, both of whom are in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet will face travel bans and have their assets frozen.  The Israeli government has been quick to give a strong rebuke of the actions with both the Israeli foreign office and Smotrich sending strong statements as a result.  Israel’s foreign affairs minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said it is: “outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these

• Over 300 UK Foreign Office staff told to consider resigning if they disagree with government’s Gaza policy

  by MI on June 10, 2025

  More than 300 UK Foreign Office staff, who voiced concerns about potential British “complicity” in Israel’s actions in Gaza, were told they could resign if they fundamentally disagreed with government policy, BBC reported on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. This came, according to the BBC, after an internal letter sent to Foreign Secretary David Lammy last month criticized the UK’s continued arms sales to Israel and accused the Israeli government of a “stark… disregard for international law.” The staff’s letter, dated May 16 and obtained by the BBC, highlighted Israel’s restrictions on aid to Gaza, the killing of 15 humanitarian workers in March, and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Signatories, representing a broad range of Foreign Office roles in London and

• Catching Israel Out: Gaza and the Madleen “Selfie” Protest

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  The latest incident with the Madleen vessel, pictured as a relief measure by celebrity activists and sundry accompaniments to supply civilians with a modest assortment of humanitarian aid, is merely one of multiple previous efforts to break the Gaza blockade.  It is easy to forget that, prior to Israel’s current program to kill, starve and empty the enclave of its Palestinian citizens after the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, Gaza had already become, arguably, the world’s largest open-air prison. It was a prison which converted all citizens into inmates trapped in a state of continual privation, placed under constant surveillance, at the mercy of the dispensations and graces of a power occupying in all but name.  At any moment,

• Israel media: Gaza militia members are criminals involved in drug trafficking, extortion under Shin Bet supervision

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  Most of the members of the militia armed by Israel in Gaza are criminals engaged in drug trafficking, property crimes, and extortion, according to the Israeli newspaper Maariv on Monday. The newspaper published a report titled Cooperation with Abu Shabab: gangs cannot be a long-term solution, revealing that the group behind the recruitment of the Abu Shabab criminal gang is Israel’s internal security service (Shin Bet). The report said that the head of Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, recommended to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to proceed with arming the gang. The weapons included Kalashnikov rifles and pistols that had been seized from Hamas and Hezbollah during the war and transferred to Israeli army warehouses. According to Maariv, Bar and the Shin Bet presented a pilot plan to

• Amnesty International slams UK Foreign Office ultimatum to civil servants on Gaza 

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  Amnesty International has today condemned an ultimatum given by the UK Foreign Office to civil servants who express concern over government policy on Gaza. A statement by the human rights organisation said that civil servants were told to consider resigning if they disagree with policy over Gaza Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s Chief Executive, said: “It’s deeply troubling that Foreign Office staff raising legitimate human rights concerns about the UK’s role in Gaza are being told to consider resignation as a response. She added, “This sends a chilling message to civil servants – and to the wider public – that principled dissent on matters of international law and human rights is unwelcome in Government. “The concerns raised by staff about arms

• Israel’s PR stunt backfires, guides focus to humanitarian deprivation in Gaza

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  “All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted on X. The images of Israeli commandos handing out packets of sandwiches and bottles of water to the 12 activists on board the Madleen was prominent on social media. But the activists were not starving, unlike the Palestinian people under siege and genocide in Gaza. If Israel intended this purportedly humanitarian gesture to strike a chord, it did, albeit not in the way the settler-colonial entity expected. Israel’s accomplishment was to consolidate global attention on depriving Palestinians of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The Madleen, Israel’s Foreign Ministry stated, had “less than a single truckload

• Iran threatens to target Israeli nuclear sites, military infrastructure if attacked

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  Iran announced on Monday that it has secret documents related to Israeli nuclear facilities and projects. The documents, according to Tehran, would enable it to strike Israeli nuclear sites and both economic and military infrastructure if its own nuclear facilities come under attack. In a statement, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said Iranian intelligence had acquired a large volume of confidential data, including thousands of documents concerning Israeli nuclear projects and facilities. The statement described the operation as “a major intelligence success”, adding that “the classified documents obtained will allow Tehran to immediately respond to any potential Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in a way that fully matches the nature of the aggression.” It further warned that “Tehran will

• Israel issues demolition notices for 100 homes in West Bank

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  Israeli occupation forces on Monday evening issued demolition notices for more than 100 homes in Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank. According to local sources, the Israeli army distributed a map showing the targeted homes across several neighbourhoods within the camp. The sources said the demolition process is expected to begin within 72 hours from the date the decision was issued. The Israeli army had previously carried out demolition operations in parts of the camp, most recently in March, when more than 66 homes were destroyed. Sources in Jenin said that the ongoing Israeli aggression, which has lasted for more than five months, has caused partial or complete damage to around 600 homes and facilities within the camp. In a

• US ambassador urges Haredi leaders not to back Knesset dissolution

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has held talks with leaders of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties in a bid to prevent the dissolution of the Knesset and the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, according to an Israeli TV channel on Monday evening. Earlier in the day, the ultra-Orthodox Shas party announced its intention to vote in favour of a preliminary bill to dissolve the Knesset, which is due for a first reading on Wednesday. Asher Medina, spokesperson for the Shas party, told the press: “At this stage, we will vote on Wednesday to dissolve the Knesset. We are disappointed with Netanyahu.” Shas, which is part of the ruling coalition, holds 11 seats in the 120-member parliament. The

• Dahlan’s Democratic Reform Current warns against dealing with gang robbing aid in Gaza

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  The Democratic Reform Current, the Fatah branch led by dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, has condemned a “gang” led by Yasser Abu Shabab in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip and accused it of operating as a field arm of the Israeli occupation army. In a statement issued on Monday, the party said the militia aims to spread chaos in the Gaza Strip and obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid, noting that it serves as an extension of “collaborative projects” previously rejected by the Palestinian people that ultimately failed. “The Israeli occupation continues to escalate its aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip, using new tools that target the unity of Palestinian society and exacerbate the suffering of civilians,

• UNIFIL denies talks on ending its mission in Lebanon

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  A spokesperson for the United Nations Security Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) denied on Monday claims regarding reducing the peacekeepers’ mission in southern Lebanon, adding that the Security Council, which has the sole authority over UNIFIL has not even begun talks regarding renewing UNIFIL’s mandate. Andrea Tenenti told Cairo News on Monday evening, that the final decision regarding UNIFIL’s mandate rests with the Security Council member states, stressing that UNIFIL continues to exercise its mandate and authority to date. He explained that the Security Council member states will take serious steps in the discussions, and the final decision will be made by the Council, not due to speculation. He also stressed that UNIFIL has not received any official or unofficial

• Italy and Israeli Paragon part ways after spyware affair

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  Italy and Israeli spyware maker Paragon said they have ended contracts following allegations that the Italian government used the company’s technology to hack the phones of critics, according to a parliamentary report on Monday. Both sides said they had severed ties, giving conflicting accounts that triggered widespread criticism from opposition parties in Italy, while the journalists’ federation FNSI called on prosecutors to investigate to ascertain the facts. An official with Meta’s WhatsApp chat service said in January that the spyware had targeted scores of users, including, in Italy, a journalist and members of the Mediterranea migrant sea rescue charity critical of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The government said in February that seven Italian mobile phone users had been targeted by

• Israeli opposition leader slams Netanyahu’s “absolute victory” claim as a “lie”

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  Leader of the Israeli opposition Democrats Party, Yair Golan criticised on Monday the slogan of “absolute victory” used by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and described it as a “lie”. Golan, a former deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army, told a press conference at the Knesset that Netanyahu’s “absolute victory” claim “carries no real military or political meaning. This is not a strategy, but propaganda”, Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported. “The occupation of the Gaza Strip is not a security goal, but quite the opposite: it is a political move that weakens Israel’s security and puts hostages and IDF soldiers at risk” he added. Golan has repeatedly called for a comprehensive agreement to return Israeli captives from Gaza in

• Hamas calls for halting operations at suspicious Israel- led aid distribution “death” traps in Gaza

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  The Palestinian Resistance Movement, Hamas has accused the Israeli occupation forces of committing ongoing massacres against civilians in the Gaza Strip, and described the “American-Israeli aid centers” as having turned into “death traps”, Quds Press reported. In a statement issued on Monday, the movement said dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed in the past hours as a result of intense shelling targeting residential neighbourhoods and inhabited homes across the Gaza Strip. At least ten civilians were killed and dozens more were injured on Monday morning after the Israeli army targeted hungry civilians near two aid distribution centers west of Rafah and south of Gaza City. Hamas described the Israeli crimes as organized killings under a “false humanitarian

• Israeli airstrikes kill 3 medics, journalist and cameraman in Gaza city, Khan Younis

  by Marwa A on June 10, 2025

  Three Palestinian medics and a journalist lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes targeting the Al-Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City on Monday evening. In a separate strike in Khan Younis, a cameraman was also killed, as reported by RT Arabic’s correspondent. The medics — Hussein Muheisen, Baraa Afaneh, and Wael Al-Attar — were killed when Israeli aircraft targeted them as they attempted to retrieve the wounded from Yafa Street in Al-Tuffah, Gaza City. In the same attack that struck the medical teams, journalist Moamen Abu Alouf also lost his life. Separately, cameraman Hamed Ismail Al-Astal was killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a tent sheltering displaced persons west of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza. Earlier on Monday, the Ministry of

• When conscience sails and law sinks: The illegality of intercepting Madleen

  by MI on June 9, 2025

  Once again, the so-called “most moral army in the world” flexes its muscle, not against a military threat or armed combatants, but against a small humanitarian vessel brimming with conscience and compassion. The Madleen carried no missiles, no drones, only sacks of rice, baby formula, and prosthetic limbs intended for Gaza’s war-wounded. Yet in the official Israeli narrative, this peaceful mission was cast as a “political provocation” and an “illegal operation.” On board were a sitting Member of the European Parliament, internationally recognised environmental activists, respected journalists, and representatives of humanitarian organisations. Still, the Israeli navy intercepted the vessel in international waters, detained all on board, and severed their communication with the outside world, an act more reminiscent of medieval

• Israel has crossed the Rubicon and the reckoning is coming

  by MI on June 9, 2025

  The brutal Israeli war on Gaza has done more than reshape the physical landscape of the besieged enclave; it has irrevocably altered the global political and moral landscape. In less than two years, the edifice of eighty years of Zionist propaganda and carefully constructed global brainwashing has not merely cracked, it has crumbled. The once potent weapon of being branded “anti-Semite” for criticising Israel, which once silenced dissent, has now lost its sting, increasingly met with derision rather than dread. This profound shift marks Israel’s crossing of a critical Rubicon, leaving it exposed to an unprecedented international reckoning that is now rapidly unfolding.  Across Europe, the tide has turned. Countries like Spain, Ireland, Norway, and Slovenia have recognised the State

• How long will Americans wonder why the world hates them?

  by MI on June 9, 2025

  Americans continue to ask the same silly question: Why does the world hate us? Since I was a student in the US we have been discussing America’s policies of intervention and bias. Figures indicate that the CIA and the agencies affiliated with it have engaged in covert and open interventions to destabilise and overthrow elected regimes. Their interference in elections and the engineering of coups has led to the overthrow of approximately 50 governments hostile to American interests since the end of World War II. These include the government of Mohammad Mosadegh in Iran in 1953, and the governments of Iraq, Libya, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela, Guatemala, Vietnam, Angola, Brazil, Indonesia, Argentina, Guatemala, and others. The truth is that there is

• Indonesia shouldn’t trade Palestine for OECD membership

  by MI on June 9, 2025

  Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto recently signaled that the country may consider recognizing Israel—if Israel, in turn, recognizes Palestinian statehood. The remarks, made during talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, surprised many. Yet they closely reflect Indonesia’s broader strategic ambition: to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). For years, Israel—a member of the OECD—has reportedly blocked Indonesia’s accession, citing the absence of diplomatic ties. Now, with Jakarta eager to elevate its global standing and strengthen economic relationships with the West, a question looms: Should Indonesia trade its decades-long commitment to Palestinian rights for the prestige and potential benefits of OECD membership? Indonesia has long been a consistent and principled advocate for Palestinian self-determination. That position is not mere

• Detention of aid activists part of Israel’s ‘strategy to starve Palestinians,’ say European lawmakers

  by MI on June 9, 2025

  The European Parliament’s Left group today strongly condemned Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid ship in international waters and the detention of the activists on board, calling it a “blatant violation of international law.” “Illegal detention of 12 humanitarian workers and peaceful activists, including The Left MEP Rima Hassan, [is] part of Israel’s wider strategy to starve Palestinians and hide it from the world,” The Left group said in a statement. Early today, British-flagged ship the Madleen, carrying aid, including food and baby formula, was intercepted and boarded by Israeli occupation forces in international waters before reaching Gaza. It was later towed to an Israeli port. Expressing its “strongest condemnation” following the interception, the group said the vessel was only carrying humanitarian aid

• French MPs denounce Israel’s ‘illegal’ interception of Gaza-bound aid ship

  by MI on June 9, 2025

  French lawmakers today demanded the release of detained activists following Israel’s interception of the aid ship Madleen in international waters as it was making its way to break the siege on Gaza. Leftist France Unbowed (LFI) said in a statement that detaining activists on the aid ship is a “clear violation of international law.” The British-flagged ship Madleen aimed to break a crippling blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza, where nearly 55,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of the occupation state’s brutal onslaught since October 2023. The ship carrying aid, including food and baby formula, was intercepted and boarded by Israeli forces in international waters in the early hours of today before reaching the Gaza shore. It was later towed to Ashdod

• Ethiopia refused to negotiate with Mubarak’s regime over water, believing no one could stop its projects on the Nile – British Documents

  by MI on June 9, 2025

  Ethiopia refused to negotiate with Hosni Mubarak’s regime over the Nile water issue, believing that no one could stop it from pursuing its projects on the river’s source, according to declassified British documents. The documents also reveal that the UK had predicted, 36 years ago, that Egypt would face water shortages throughout the remainder of the 21st century due to the “improbability of an agreement” among the nine Nile Basin states regarding water distribution. In February 1988, Egypt, Sudan, Uganda, and Zaire signed an agreement to establish an international committee on drought and Nile waters. British officials considered this an encouraging move, but a limited one. Their assessment described the agreement as a “very small step” since it excluded key

• US, Israel back ending UNIFIL mission in southern Lebanon

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  The US and Israel have reportedly agreed to ending the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, Israel Hayom reported yesterday. The decision comes in the wake of the recent war on Lebanon, which, according to the report, weakened Hezbollah. The report stated that the United States is seeking to reduce the costs associated with running the UN peacekeeping mission, while Israel believes that its coordination with the Lebanese army is sufficient and effective enough to make UNIFIL’s continued presence unnecessary. The newspaper claimed that the international force has “failed” to prevent what it called “terrorist elements” from strengthening their capabilities in southern Lebanon — a reference to Hezbollah —making its effectiveness constantly questioned by Israeli

• Delegates from 32 nations march to Gaza, call for end to blockade and genocide

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  An international solidarity march set off towards the Gaza Strip yesterday, aiming to break the ongoing blockade and demand an end to what participants describe as the genocide being committed by Israel since 7 October 2023. Thousands of supporters from 32 countries are taking part in the march, with plans to reach Gaza’s border through the Rafah crossing with Egypt. Their goals include delivering humanitarian aid and expressing support for the Palestinian people. Organisers said the participating convoys are expected to gather in Cairo on Thursday, before heading to the city of Arish in north-eastern Egypt. From there, participants will continue on foot towards the Rafah border crossing, where protest tents are planned to be set up. The main organisers,

• Shameful U-turn as UK and France abandon plans to recognise Palestinian state at peace conference

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Plans by the UK and France to recognise a Palestinian state at an upcoming international peace conference in New York this month have been shelved, marking yet another U-turn just weeks after both governments signalled support for Palestinian self-determination in response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza and ongoing ethnic cleansing in the occupied West Bank. The three-day conference, scheduled between 17-20 June and co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, was initially framed as a diplomatic breakthrough that could see major Western powers recognise Palestinian statehood as a matter of principle. However, diplomats have now confirmed to the Guardian that the event will instead focus on vague “steps towards recognition.” The reversal comes despite recent pledges by both London and Paris

• Gideon’s Chariots: Repeating a strategic and humanitarian disaster in Gaza

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  In March 2025, Israel launched a new large-scale military operation in Gaza, codenamed “Gideon’s Chariots”. This operation, one of the boldest and most controversial military actions by Israel in recent decades, was ostensibly designed to destroy Hamas and secure Israel’s southern border. Yet, far from achieving its objectives, it has plunged the region into an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Carried out amid internal political turmoil and mounting international pressure, the operation has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, Western governments, and even Israel’s traditional allies. The intensifying cycle of violence, coupled with the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and rising casualties, highlights the strategic failure of this approach. This policy appears driven more by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s short-term

• Israel’s interception of Gaza aid ship ‘violation of international law’: Amnesty

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Human rights group Amnesty International today denounced Israel’s interception of an aid ship attempting to break Tel Aviv’s siege on Gaza as a “violation of international law.” “Madleen, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was seeking to bring humanitarian aid in an attempt to breach Israel’s illegal blockade of the occupied Gaza Strip. It was carrying unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission,” Amnesty Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, said on X. “Israel’s interception of Madleen violates international law,” she said. < #Madleen, launched by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was seeking to bring humanitarian aid in an attempt to breach Israel’s illegal blockade of the occupied Gaza Strip. It was carrying unarmed civilians on a humanitarian mission. Israel interception of

• Trump’s travel ban targeting nationals from 12 countries goes into effect

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  US President Donald Trump’s new travel ban, restricting entry to the US for citizens from 12 countries, took effect today amid growing tensions over his intensified immigration enforcement efforts. The new proclamation, signed by Trump last week, targets citizens from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, CBS News reported. It also enforces stricter restrictions on individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. According to guidance released Friday to all US diplomatic missions, the new ban does not cancel visas already issued to individuals from the listed countries. However, starting today, applications will be denied unless the applicant qualifies for a narrow exemption. The inevitable souring: Elon Musk falls

• Libyan Truce Committee intervenes to restore peace after fresh clashes in Tripoli

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Peace was restored in the Libyan capital of Tripoli following fresh clashes between armed groups today, thanks to the intervention of the Truce Committee formed by the Presidential Council. Amjad Al-Malti, commander of the 222nd Reserve Brigade and a member of the Truce Committee, told local media that calm had been restored in the capital following the intervention of the committee’s “conflict resolution forces.” Al-Malti noted that the “resolution forces” have been deployed in all conflict areas across various parts of Tripoli. On 12 May, clashes broke out in the capital following the killing of the leader of the Stability Support Unit, a militia group in Tripoli. The government said in a statement shortly after that the 444th Brigade, affiliated

• Spain summons top Israeli envoy over Gaza flotilla raid

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Spain’s Foreign Ministry today summoned Israel’s top diplomat in Madrid to protest the interception of the Freedom Flotilla in international waters, according to local media reports. The ministry told Spanish daily El Pais and broadcaster Cadena Ser it had summoned Dan Poraz, charge d’affaires at the Israeli Embassy in Madrid, after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip. Among the passengers was Spanish activist Sergio Toribio. “The ministry is in contact with the Spanish national involved, his family and Israel’s Foreign Ministry, and is providing consular assistance,” it told El Pais. Poraz is the highest-ranking Israeli diplomat in Spain after Tel Aviv recalled its ambassador amid Madrid’s criticism of the occupation state’s military assault on Gaza and recognition of

• Israel plunges deeper into constitutional crisis as Netanyahu gov’t moves to oust attorney general

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Escalating its attack on democracy and deepening Israel’s constitutional crisis, the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu has voted to initiate the process of dismissing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. The move marks another major escalation in the government’s ongoing efforts to neutralise institutional checks on its power, coming on the heels of a widely criticised judicial overhaul that has already shaken Israeli society. The move, advanced by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, seeks to alter the existing legal safeguards for dismissing an attorney general. It bypasses the standard selection committee, which is intended as a buffer against political interference, and instead empowers a newly formed ministerial committee to schedule a dismissal hearing. Under the revised mechanism, dismissal of the attorney general could

• Iran threatens to reduce cooperation with IAEA ahead of possible censure

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Iran yesterday warned that it may scale back its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if the agency’s Board of Governors issues a resolution condemning it during their meeting today. The warning came after diplomatic sources confirmed that Germany, France and the UK, in coordination with the United States, intend to present a draft resolution against Iran at the meeting. In response, Tehran cautioned the three European countries against making what it called a “strategic mistake”. The developments come as Iran and the United States continue talks aimed at reaching a new agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, stated that the proposal put forward by Washington does not include the

• After UK calls for release of activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, Sisi refuses call from Starmer 

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Egyptian parliamentarian and media figure Mustafa Bakri revealed an escalating diplomatic crisis between Egypt and the United Kingdom which culminated in President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s refusal to answer a phone call from the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. According to Bakri, Egypt categorically refused “interference in internal affairs” including London’s use of “arm-twisting” policy to demand the release of Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah. Bakri claimed Al-Sisi took this position after learning of the potential content of his call with Starmer, which was linked to British “pressure” to release the British-Egyptian activist who rose to prominence in the Arab Spring uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak. Bakri described Abdel Fattah as a “terrorist” for inciting violence against Egyptian security forces and insulting the

• Gaza refutes Israel’s claim of tunnel under European Hospital

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  The Government Media Office in Gaza (GMO) yesterday denied Israeli claims that a tunnel was found beneath the European Hospital in southern Gaza. In an official statement, the GMO said the Israeli occupation continues its systematic campaign to mislead the public and justify its crimes against health facilities by promoting blatant lies, the latest of which is its claim that Palestinian resistance fighters used a tunnel under the European Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. It stressed that the Israeli claim is “fabricated, flawed, and full of holes and does not stand up to even the slightest scrutiny and logic.” According to the statement, the video published by the Israeli occupation army shows a narrow metal pipe that cannot fit

• Israeli paper: Mossad should assassinate Hamas leaders abroad

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  The correspondent for the Israeli occupation army at the Hebrew Maariv newspaper has launched an incitement campaign against the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, and called for the assassination of leaders of the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, in the diaspora. In an article, the correspondent said it is no longer acceptable for the Mossad to continue to sit idly by while Hamas leaders abroad continue to manage the battle in Gaza and lead negotiations for the release of Israeli captives. He added, time has come for Hamas leaders Khalil Al-Hayya, Khaled Mashaal, Jihad Taha and others to become fugitives everywhere. “They should have been eliminated long ago, just as the Hamas leaders in Gaza should have been eliminated,” he

• International Committee: Israel attack on the Madleen is piracy and state terrorism

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  The International Committee to Break the Siege on Gaza announced today that the civilian ship Madleen, carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza and carrying 11 international activists and an Al Jazeera correspondent, was attacked and assaulted by Israeli naval forces at 0300 Cairo time, approximately 120 nautical miles in international waters. A press release by the group said Israeli commandos illegally boarded the ship, detained its civilian crew and the peaceful activists on board. They also confiscated the aid they were carrying for Gaza, including baby formula, food, and medical supplies. Reacting to this development the International Committee of the Red Cross said: “Israel has no legal authority to detain the international volunteers on board the MV Madleen. We believe this

• As Israel seizes aid ship, campaign group vows relentless efforts to break Gaza siege

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  A campaign group to break Israel’s siege on the Gaza Strip vowed today to continue efforts to deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid to the enclave, shortly after Tel Aviv intercepted an aid ship bound for the territory while it was in international waters. “[Though] we feel helpless and our capabilities are limited, we continue to do everything we can, along with the free people of the world, to reject the war and demand the opening of the crossings and the entry of aid,” the International Committee for Breaking the Siege (ICBSG) said in a statement. “We affirm that targeting ships attempting to break the blockade will not deter us.” ICBSG was among the organisers of the British-flagged ship Madleen that attempted to

• Hamas defeated Israel army: retired general says 

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, has defeated the Israeli occupation army, which considers itself “the strongest army” in the Middle East, retired Israeli General and military expert, Yitzhak Brik, has said, considering the defeat a “severe blow to Israel’s deterrence”. In an article published yesterday in the Hebrew Maariv newspaper under the title “Leading Israel to Mass Suicide: The IDF Continues to Fight the Wars of the Past”, Brik said the “defeat” will encourage Israel’s “enemies” to prepare for war against it, and “all this because of a group that has lost its way, its rationality, and its wisdom” referring to the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whom Brik holds responsible for the losses incurred in Gaza. According to the former

• Iran says it obtained sensitive Israeli nuclear documents

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Iranian intelligence agencies have obtained a large trove of sensitive Israeli documents, some related to the nuclear plans and facilities, Iran’s state media reported on Saturday according to Reuters. There was no immediate official comment from Israel and it was not clear whether the report was linked to a reported hacking of an Israeli nuclear research centre last year that Tehran is choosing to divulge now amid heightened tensions over its nuclear programme. “Although the operation to obtain the documents was carried out some time ago, the sheer volume of materials and the need to transport them safely into Iran necessitated a news blackout to ensure they reached the designated protected locations,” state-run PressTV reported, quoting unnamed sources. “[Sources familiar with the

• Israeli navy seizes Gaza-bound aid flotilla, arrests those on board

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced on Monday that it had lost contact with the aid ship Madleen after Israeli forces seized the vessel and arrested those on board while sailing towards the Gaza coast. According to sources from the coalition, communication with the ship was completely cut off early Monday morning. They said that Israeli military forces boarded the vessel and detained those aboard, while it was on a mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israeli media reported that commandos from the navy’s Shayetet 13 unit took control of the Madleen in international waters and directed it towards Israel’s Ashdod Port. The reports confirmed that no injuries occurred on either side during the operation. Earlier, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition

• Maghreb land convoy heads to Gaza in effort to break the siege

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  A convoy of thousands of volunteers, who include diplomats, has set out from Algeria yesterday heading for Tunisia and onwards to Gaza in an effort to break the siege. Carrying vital supplies including food, water and medical aid, the convoy is due to drive through Tunisia, where more vessels are due to join, then onwards to Libya, then Egypt and through to the Rafah border between Egypt and Gaza. The Coordinating Committee for Joint Action for Palestine in Tunisia said: “Participants in the convoy will head to the Ras Jedir border crossing on the Tunisian-Libyan border, then travel along the Libyan coastal road to Cairo, and finally reach the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian-Palestinian border to deliver messages of solidarity

• Israel says it struck Hamas member in southern Syria

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  The Israeli occupation military said yesterday that it struck a member of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in southern Syria’s Mazraat Beit Jin, days after Israel carried out its first air strikes in the country in nearly a month, Reuters reports. Hamas did not immediately comment on the strike. Israel said on Tuesday it hit weapons belonging to the government in retaliation for the firing of two projectiles towards Israel for the first time under the country’s new leadership. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz held Syria’s President Ahmed Al-Sharaa accountable. In response, Damascus said reports of the shelling were unverified, reiterating that Syria does not pose a threat to any regional party. A little known group named “Martyr Muhammad Deif Brigades”, an

• Iran to present counter-proposal to US nuclear deal

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Iran will soon hand a counter-proposal for a nuclear deal to the United States via Oman, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said today, in response to a US offer that Tehran deems “unacceptable”, Reuters reports. An Iranian diplomat said the US offer failed to resolve differences over uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, the shipment abroad of Iran’s entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium and steps to lift US sanctions. “The US proposal is not acceptable to us. It was not the result of previous rounds of negotiations. We will present our own proposal to the other side via Oman after it is finalised. This proposal is reasonable, logical, and balanced,” Baghaei said. Baghaei added that there was not yet any detail

• Forgotten Experts: Astrologers, Science, and Authority in the Ottoman Empire 1450-1600

  by Marwa A on June 9, 2025

  Astrology is seen today as something fun that some people are interested in, it is often seen as the opposite of science and not taken very seriously by governing authorities. This has not always been the case. In the Ottoman Empire astrology was part of statecraft with the royal court of the sultan having an official position for an astrologer. A. Tunc Sen’s new book Forgotten Experts: Astrologers, Science, and Authority in the Ottoman Empire 1450-1600, explores the world and impact of the Ottoman court astrologers in the 15th and 16th centuries. Called munajjims, the astrologers were at the heart of political and scientific debates and endeavours of their day. The importance of munajjims grew after Mehmed II’s conquest of

• Death toll in Gaza nears 54,900 as Israel continues genocidal war during Eid al-Adha

  by MI on June 8, 2025

  At least 54,880 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Sunday, Anadolu reports. A ministry statement said that 108 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 393 people were injured, taking the total number of injuries in the Israeli onslaught to 126,227. “Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added. The Israeli army resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18 and has since killed 4,603 people and injured 14,186 others, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for

• Thailand urges all sides in Gaza to pursue ‘peaceful, lasting’ solution to conflict

  by MI on June 8, 2025

  Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Saturday called on all sides in Gaza to pursue a “peaceful and lasting” solution to the conflict, Anadolu reports. Her remarks came after Israeli authorities said that the body of a Thai citizen was recovered from the Gaza Strip, claiming that the hostage was killed in captivity. “The Royal Thai Government and I have learned with great sadness on the passing of Mr. Nattapong Pinta, a Thai hostage in Gaza Strip,” Prime Minister Shinawatra wrote on X. She said the Thai government is committed to securing the swift return of deceased Thai hostages from the Gaza Strip, noting that the Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv is undertaking necessary arrangements. “Thailand reiterates our call for all

• Palestinian Authority denies ties to armed militia looting Gaza aid

  by MI on June 8, 2025

  The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Sunday denied any connection to an armed militia that is accused of looting humanitarian aid in Gaza, Anadolu reports. “As an official institution, we have no relationship with the group of (so-called Popular Forces led by Yasser) Abu Shabab,” PA security spokesperson Anwar Rajab told Anadolu. He stressed the group’s claim of operating “under Palestinian legitimacy” was entirely false. The denial comes after the armed gang, which Israel claims to support, posted on Facebook Thursday, asserting it worked under “Palestinian legitimacy.” Rajab condemned the gang’s actions as “illegal and outside any legal framework.” On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel is supporting an armed group – Abu Shabab’s militia which operates in Rafah, southern