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

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  Trump’s five impossible demands, and the inevitable second strike against Iran

  by MI on February 7, 2026

  As American naval forces assemble in the Indian Ocean, diplomats started negotiations in  Muscat on Friday; the region is standing at the precipice. President Trump, buoyed by his recent spectacular success in Venezuela, is entering these talks with Iran with demands that can only be described as maximalist. The conditions are so extreme that even the most seasoned diplomats are calling them a dead-on-arrival. As reported by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, the United States has made five core demands of the Iranian government. The demands are the transfer of 400 kilograms of enriched uranium, the destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities, the destruction of its ballistic missile capability, the end of its missile program, and the end of its support of

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  Israeli army hits 3-story building in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Despite a ceasefire, the Israeli army targeted a residential area in eastern Gaza City, on Friday, Anadolu reports. The attack targeted a three-story building near the Asqula Junction in the Zaytoun neighborhood. Flames and thick smoke rose from the area after the attack. Israel has continued to violate the ceasefire deal despite a January announcement by the US administration that the second phase of the agreement had begun. That phase includes additional Israeli withdrawals from Gaza and the launch of reconstruction efforts, which the United Nations estimates will cost about 70 billion dollars. The ceasefire halted an Israeli offensive that began in October 2023 and lasted more than a year, killing nearly 72,000 Palestinians and wounding more than 171,000 others,

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  Israel’s Netanyahu attacks former premier Ehud Barak, says ‘Epstein did not work for Israel’

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used the renewed focus on the Epstein files to attack his predecessor Ehud Barak, saying that Jeffrey Epstein “did not work for Israel”, Anadolu reports. The Jerusalem Post daily reported that Barak’s ties to Epstein received extensive media attention after the two met several times in 2015 and 2016, years after Epstein’s first criminal conviction. Photos circulated at the time showed Barak entering Epstein’s Manhattan residence in New York. In his first public comment on the Epstein documents, Netanyahu wrote on US social media company X that Epstein’s “unusual close relationship with Ehud Barak doesn’t suggest Epstein worked for Israel. It proves the opposite.” “Stuck on his election loss from over two decades ago, Barak

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  US-Iran talks in Oman end without either side making significant concessions: Report

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Indirect talks between the US and Iran in Oman ended without either side making major concessions, according to a report on Friday. The two sides did not meet face to face, instead holding alternating discussions through Omani diplomats, with neither shifting from its initial position during the talks, people familiar with the discussions told The Wall Street Journal. It remained unclear how the discussions affected broader efforts to reach a diplomatic solution on Iran’s nuclear program, as expectations ahead of the meeting were already low among regional officials and analysts, the report added. READ: Concern about Iran is ‘very, very high,’ Merz says during Abu Dhabi visit Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Friday’s talks as a “good start,” saying they

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  Israeli forces detain journalists, foreign activists in southern West Bank following settler attacks

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Israeli forces on Friday detained two journalists, two foreign solidarity activists and a Palestinian anti-settlement activist in the southern West Bank city of Hebron while they were documenting attacks carried out by illegal settlers, according to local sources. Osama Makhamera, a Palestinian activist involved in resisting settlement expansion, told Anadolu that Israeli forces stormed the Rujum al-Aala area after illegal settlers attacked residents of the Masafer Yatta region, south of Hebron. He said the forces detained two journalists working with a foreign media outlet, along with two foreign activists and Rateb al-Jbour, coordinator of the popular and national committees opposing Israeli settlement activity in southern Hebron, as they were documenting the settler assault. Makhamera added that the detainees were taken

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  Geneva Academy warns Gaza death toll could top 200,000

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Stuart Casey Maslen, head of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, said that as of October 2023, Gaza’s population had declined by more than 10%, which would suggest roughly 200,000 deaths. Speaking to Anadolu about the academy’s report titled ‘War Watch’, which covers the situation in Gaza and 23 armed conflicts over the past 18 months, Maslen described the situation in Gaza as “dramatic”. “We’re obviously pleased that we do not have the heavy hostilities we saw last year before the ceasefire. But that does not mean the suffering for the people of Gaza has ended. We remain deeply concerned about the predicament of all the population in Gaza,” Maslen told Anadolu. Expressing particular concern for

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  Israel secretly backs armed militias in Gaza: Report

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Israel has been covertly supporting armed militias operating in the Gaza Strip with money, weapons and field protection in an attempt to counter Hamas, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday, while expressing skepticism over the strategy’s impact, Anadolu reports. The newspaper said foreign reports indicate that Israel has supplied the militias with rifles and ammunition, alongside logistical assistance such as fuel, food, vehicles and other supplies. According to the report, the backing has enabled the militias to operate within areas close to Israeli troop deployments, allowing them to entrench themselves near Israeli-controlled zones inside the enclave. The cost of the support is estimated at tens of millions of shekels, funded from the Israeli army’s budget. The militias reportedly operate in

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  Polish foreign minister questions logic and cost of Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ plan

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Poland’s foreign minister on Friday raised public doubts about Warsaw joining the controversial “Board of Peace” initiative launched by US President Donald Trump, Anadolu reports. Speaking in Washington, Radoslaw Sikorski addressed Poland’s possible role in the new multinational body, which was announced at last month’s World Economic Forum and is intended to oversee post-conflict reconstruction, especially in the Gaza Strip. Under the proposal, permanent member states would be expected to contribute $1 billion each to a reconstruction fund controlled by the board. Sikorski said such a levy should not be assumed without clear justification. “I want to hear why the Polish taxpayer should rebuild Gaza, which we didn’t destroy,” Sikorski told a press briefing, questioning both the cost and logic of Poland’s

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  Lebanon, Syria agree to transfer over 300 Syrian prisoners to Damascus

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Lebanon and Syria on Friday reached an agreement to transfer over 300 Syrian prisoners from Lebanese prisons to Damascus, in a move aimed at addressing the long-standing file of Syrian detainees in the country, Anadolu reports. Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri announced the agreement at a joint press conference in Beirut with Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar Al-Wais, saying implementation will begin on Saturday. Mitri said the deal covers the handover of sentenced prisoners and “reflects a shared political will between Beirut and Damascus to reset bilateral relations on the basis of mutual trust and respect.” He described the agreement as a practical step toward resolving the issue of Syrian inmates held in Lebanon, particularly those detained during the years of the

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  Concern about Iran is ‘very, very high,’ Merz says during Abu Dhabi visit

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday that concern about Iran is “very, very high” among regional leaders, calling on Tehran to return to negotiations with the US and halt its nuclear program, Anadolu reports. Speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi after meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Merz said all his conversation partners in the Gulf region expressed deep concern about Iran due to their close geographical proximity. “Intensive diplomatic contacts are underway to persuade Iran to cease violence against its own people, end its nuclear program, and return to the negotiating table, where peace and stability throughout the region will be negotiated,” he said. READ: Turkey’s Erdogan blasts Merz: Does Germany not see Israeli genocide in Gaza?

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  UK Home Secretary urged to rein in violent anti-Iran protests

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has today, Friday, called on the UK Home Secretary to take immediate action to protect the public from violent protestors claiming to be demonstrating against the government of Iran but are in fact targeting Muslim community institutions and Iranian restaurants and businesses across the UK. The Commission said the most notable aggression is centred on the Islamic Centre of England (although not limited to it nor confined to the capital – religious centres in Birmingham and Manchester have also seen similar attacks). The centre has experienced organised violence by highly charged mobs intent on doing damage to the premises and the people. A statement from the IHRC read: “The protestors seem to be following

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  Israel’s Netanyahu again dodges responsibility for Oct. 7 failures, blames army, past governments

  by MI on February 6, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again avoided taking responsibility for the failures surrounding the Oct. 7, 2023 events, instead shifting blame to the military and previous governments, according to Israeli media on Friday, Anadolu reports. Late Thursday, Netanyahu released the responses he submitted to State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman regarding the events, saying the document was handed over at the end of 2025. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that in a 55-page document, Netanyahu declined to accept any personal responsibility, placing most of the blame on the defense establishment and former administrations. The public broadcaster KAN said Netanyahu presented minutes from pre-Oct. 7 meetings during a parliamentary committee session, reading selected remarks by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, former army chief Gadi

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  Gaza’s Rafah gate opens under tight Israeli restrictions

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  As of early February 2026, the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt has partially reopened for the first time in nearly two years, allowing a very restricted number of people to pass through under stringent Israeli supervision. Initially only five to fifteen patients were allowed to leave for medical treatment, despite thousands being on waiting lists. Pedestrians went through. Humanitarian aid, construction materials, and commercial goods were gridlocked. The crossing is multi-stage security managed by Israel. A new checkpoint, named “Regavim” has been established by the Israeli military in an area under its control to vet returnees. Though heavily restricted, the opening is significant. Approximately 20,000 to 22,000 sick and injured Palestinians still wait to be evacuated for

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  Christian Zionist support for Israel driving ‘exodus’ of ancient Holy Land Christians

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  In their blind support for Israel, American Christians are aiding the erasure of their fellow Christian community in Palestine. That is the stark message delivered in a new on-the-ground podcast report by Tucker Carlson, filmed on the banks of the River Jordan near the site traditionally believed to be where Jesus was baptised. The episode features Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem Hosam Naoum and Saad Mouasher, a Christian Jordanian and chairman of the Jordan Ahli Bank. The podcast has been praised for challenging decades of Israeli-driven propaganda vilifying Palestinians and Muslims. Carlson’s report focuses on a question rarely aired in mainstream Western debate: how Christians are treated under Israeli rule. It also contrasts that experience with the long history of Muslim–Christian

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  ‘Dumped at a checkpoint’: US exposed for secret deportation of Palestinians via Israeli billionaire’s jet

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Fresh revelations have emerged about the controversial US deportation of Palestinians using private jets owned by an Israeli billionaire. Reports published last month revealed that the US has been quietly removing Palestinian men to the illegally occupied West Bank aboard a private aircraft owned by a close associate of Donald Trump. Now, new details uncovered by +972 Magazine and The Guardian — in a joint investigation titled “U.S. secretly deporting Palestinians to West Bank in coordination with Israel” — shed more light on how the deportations were carried out. According to the exposé, the US coordinated the removals directly with Israeli authorities. The men were shackled for the entire journey and eventually dropped at a military checkpoint in the West

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  The Kiswah in Epstein’s world: Paedophilia, orientalism and power

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  The disclosure that pieces of the Kiswah, the sacred cloth covering the holy Kaaba, were shipped to Jeffrey Epstein should not be an investigative curiosity lost among court proceedings. It is a blasphemous scandal that exposes how power operates through violation. According to unsealed correspondence cited in recent reporting, multiple pieces of the Kiswah were transferred to Epstein through intermediaries with access to Saudi religious networks. This was not an innocent exchange of art or a cultural misunderstanding. It was a breach that implicates both Epstein and the authorities responsible for safeguarding Islam’s most sacred symbol. The Kiswah is not a decorative textile or a historical relic. It covers the Kaaba, the spiritual axis of Islam and the focal point

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  Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital director reports alleged Israeli abuses against Gaza victims’ bodies

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza, has revealed what he described as shocking details about alleged violations by Israeli forces against the bodies of people killed during the war and later withheld. Speaking to Al Arabi TV, Abu Salmiya said medical teams examined bodies that were returned and found them “in a very poor condition”. He added that there was evidence of organs being stolen from victims who had previously been detained by Israel. He said Israel handed over 66 boxes to the Palestinian side, which were later found to contain only skulls, describing this as a sign of the brutal treatment of the bodies. Abu Salmiya explained that many of the bodies showed severe

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  Sudan: 22 killed, including medical staff, in shelling of hospital in South Kordofan

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  At least 22 people, including four medical workers, were killed when the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shelled Al-Kuweik Hospital in South Kordofan state, Sudan Doctors Network said on Thursday. The network said eight other people were injured in the attack. Those killed included the medical director of Al-Kuweik Military Hospital and three members of the hospital’s medical staff. It added that the shelling caused heavy loss of life and serious damage to the health facility. Al- Kuweik Hospital is the third health facility to be targeted in South Kordofan in less than 72 hours. Around 50 per cent of medical facilities in the state are now out of service because of shelling and siege, according to the network. Sudan Doctors Network condemned the

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  Brazil’s Lula: No Peace Council without Palestinians and Gaza must be the priority

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Brazil signalled conditional openness to joining a proposed international “Peace Council” on Gaza, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stressing that any such framework must include Palestinian representation to be credible. In a recorded interview with Brazilian news outlet Universo Online (UOL) on Thursday, Lula said Brazil would consider participation only if the council’s mandate is limited to Gaza and Palestinians are present at the table. “Any path that does not include Palestinians cannot be considered a peace committee,” he said. Lula revealed that he conveyed this position directly to US President Donald Trump, telling him that Brazil has “every interest” in participating if the initiative is genuinely focused on Gaza. He criticised ideas circulating about post-war reconstruction, arguing

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  Russia will not stand idle over Iran crisis, says foreign minister

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that escalating tensions surrounding Iran could trigger a broader explosion across the Middle East, signalling that Moscow will not remain passive in the face of mounting instability. Speaking on Thursday, Lavrov described Iran as a close partner of Russia and said Moscow would not “stand idly by” amid “growing regional complexities”. He added that Russia is prepared to contribute to efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions between Israel, the United States and Iran. At the same time, Lavrov clarified that Moscow is not currently positioning itself as a formal mediator between Tel Aviv, Tehran and Washington, but is instead maintaining discussions and monitoring developments. READ: Putin receives Iran’s top security official Larijani at Kremlin

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  Former Israel PM met ousted Fatah leader Dahlan behind closed doors in UAE, Report

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert recently met former Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan in Abu Dhabi, according to a report by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) on Thursday. The broadcaster said the meeting took place “away from the public eye”, without disclosing details of the agenda or issues discussed. Olmert declined to comment when contacted, the report added. Dahlan, a former senior figure in the Fatah movement, was expelled from the party in 2011 amid internal disputes. His name has periodically surfaced as a potential successor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. In March 2025, Abbas announced a general amnesty for individuals expelled from Fatah, although it was unclear how this would affect Dahlan’s status. Dahlan was sentenced in

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  What is Israel planning for Palestinians in the West Bank?

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Israeli policies and measures directed at Palestinians in the West Bank have steadily intensified since the current right-wing government led by Benjamin Netanyahu came to power at the end of 2022. These policies became more explicit in the aftermath of the 7th October attacks the following year, and increasingly actionable with Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, a shift openly welcomed and endorsed by Netanyahu, members of his government, and their political base. While these measures are not detached from the structural policies that Israeli authorities have gradually entrenched in the West Bank over past decades, their recent evolution has brought them together into a coherent system. Taken as a whole, they outline Israel’s emerging vision for the future of

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  Houthi leader calls for solidarity marches for Palestine, says group is ready for next round with Israel

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen’s Houthi movement, has called on Yemenis to take part in large public marches on Friday in support of the Palestinian people and in solidarity with what he described as their suffering caused by ongoing Israeli attacks. According to Yemen’s Saba news agency, al-Houthi said in a statement issued on Thursday that the call came in response to a request from Palestinians. He said Palestinians are facing killing, siege, abduction, forced displacement, destruction of homes and the abuse of detainees, which he described as ongoing violations of international agreements and guarantees. The statement said the marches reflect the firm public stance in Yemen in support of Palestinians, and readiness for what it described as

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  Egypt deploys thousands of medical staff to Rafah border as alert level raised

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Egypt has deployed thousands of medical professionals to its eastern border, including 12,000 doctors specialising in emergency and critical care, more than 18,000 nurses and 30 rapid response teams, the Ministry of Health and Population announced. The doctors, affiliated with the Central Administration for Emergency and Critical Care, have been placed on immediate standby to manage crises and provide rapid medical intervention in line with developments on the ground and the humanitarian situation at the border. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar inspected operations at the Rafah border crossing and toured hospitals in North Sinai Governorate to assess preparedness for receiving wounded and injured arrivals from the Gaza Strip. During the visit, accompanied by

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  Somalia ratifies maritime cooperation agreement with Turkey

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Somalia’s federal cabinet has ratified a maritime cooperation agreement with Turkey, expanding bilateral ties in the transport and port sectors. The decision was taken during a regular meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday, where several reports and agreements were reviewed, according to the Somali National News Agency (SONNA). The cabinet approved a cooperation agreement between the Somali Federal Government and the Turkish government aimed at exchanging expertise in maritime transport. The date of the agreement’s signing was not disclosed. The deal covers the development of maritime trade, improved vessel traffic management, modernisation of port services, and mutual recognition of seafarers’ competency certificates. It also provides for technical cooperation, the exchange of expertise, equal access to port services and

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  Report: Turkey’s regional rapprochement seen in Israel as shifting geopolitical balance

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Israeli media have warned of the emergence of a “new axis” in the Middle East following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visits to Egypt and Saudi Arabia and the signing of a series of cooperation agreements with both countries. The newspaper Yediot Aharonot reported that Erdogan arrived in Cairo on Wednesday for an official visit, a day after travelling to Riyadh, signalling a “marked improvement” in Ankara’s relations with the two Arab capitals. The paper said the development comes at a time when prospects for normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia appear to be declining and Israeli-Egyptian relations are facing noticeable strain. The report cited Dr Galia Lindstrauss, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), as

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  IRGC deploys long-range Khorramshahr-4 missile, Fars reports

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Iran has announced the deployment of one of its newest long-range ballistic missiles, the Khorramshahr-4, in what it described as underground “missile cities”, according to the semi-official Fars News Agency. Fars reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled the missile during a ceremony at a newly revealed underground facility belonging to the IRGC Aerospace Force. The missile, also known as “Khaibar”, was presented as a central element of Iran’s strategic missile capabilities. According to the agency, its deployment in fortified underground sites signals not only a technical development but also operational and strategic implications amid “growing threats” to the country’s national security. Fars said the Khorramshahr-4 has a reported range of around 2,000 kilometres and is capable of

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  Palestinians returning to Gaza via Rafah crossing report mistreatment, humiliation: UN

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Palestinians returning to the Gaza Strip through the recently reopened Rafah crossing have reported a repeated pattern of mistreatment, abuse and humiliation by Israeli military forces, the UN human rights office said, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said returnees stated that they were taken after crossing by armed Palestinians allegedly backed by the Israeli army to an Israeli military checkpoint. According to the accounts, some of those armed individuals bound returnees, blindfolded them, searched them, threatened and intimidated them, and stole personal belongings and money. Upon arrival at the Israeli checkpoint, returnees described a pattern of violence, degrading interrogations and invasive body searches that violated their privacy. In some cases,

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  Mandelson: Trapped in the Epstein web

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Jeffrey Epstein certainly got around.  He moved virally, galloping through the cells of the establishment.  What was more, he was permitted to.  Dead and buried, the financier, convicted paedophile, sex trafficker, eugenics follower, and the man all in power would want to know, continues to ruin reputations, casting doubt on many relationships, and stirring investigations into his correspondents. Much of this damage is emanating from that noxious font of revelation, despair and disgrace hosted by the US Department of Justice, entitled the Epstein Library.  As a result of these 3.5 million files or so, Noam Chomsky, saint of the progressive Left, may well find himself the poorer for his foolish correspondence sneering at “the hysteria that has developed about abuse

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  Hebrew media: Washington drops demand to negotiate with Iran on ballistic missiles, proxies

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported, citing a source described as knowledgeable about Middle East affairs, that the United States and Iran have agreed to limit the talks scheduled for Friday to Iran’s nuclear programme only. The source said Washington accepted Iran’s conditions after mediation by regional countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman. He warned that Iran is ready for a regional conflict if its conditions for the negotiation framework are rejected. The United States has not issued any official statement confirming whether it has stepped back from its earlier demand to include other issues, such as Iran’s ballistic missile programme and the activities of its regional allies. The source added that regional states “do not want a domineering neighbour,

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  Netanyahu warns over growing Egyptian army capabilities despite strong ties, major gas deal

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Thursday about the growing capabilities of the Egyptian army and called for preventing an “excessive build-up” of military power, according to Hebrew media reports. The comments were made during a closed discussion at the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, the newspaper Israel Hayom reported. Sources who attended the meeting were quoted as saying that Netanyahu stated: “The Egyptian army is building its strength, and this needs to be monitored.” He added: “We have a relationship with Egypt, but we must prevent an excessive accumulation of military power.” According to the sources, Netanyahu’s remarks came in the context of discussing the sensitivity of relations with Egypt. The newspaper noted that despite these concerns,

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  Iranian TV says 2 foreign oil tankers seized in Gulf

  by Marwa A on February 6, 2026

  Iran’s state television reported on Thursday that Iran has seized two foreign oil tankers in the Gulf, claiming the vessels were smuggling fuel. The report did not give details about the tankers’ nationality or the flags they were flying. General Heydar Honarian-Mojarrad, commander of the second naval zone of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said the two tankers were carrying around one million litres of fuel (about 6,300 barrels), including diesel. He said the vessels were seized near Farsi Island and taken to the port of Bushehr. Mojarrad added that 15 crew members from the two tankers are now “in the custody of judicial authorities”, without giving their nationalities. Iran has at times seized oil-carrying vessels in the region on

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  Iran does not want the US to hit them: Trump

  by Marwa A on February 5, 2026

  Iran does not want the US to attack the country, President Donald Trump said Thursday, Anadolu reports. “They don’t want us to hit them,” Trump said at the 74th annual national prayer breakfast. “They’re negotiating,” he added. On the US military buildup in the region, he said: “You know, we have a big fleet going over to Iran.” Trump’s remarks came ahead of indirect nuclear talks set to be held between Iran and the US in Oman’s capital Muscat on Friday. READ: Israel prepares for possible Houthi attacks if US strikes Iran, report says

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  Illegal settlers uproot hundreds of olive trees, assault Palestinians across occupied West Bank

  by Marwa A on February 5, 2026

  Illegal Israeli settlers carried out coordinated attacks across several areas of the occupied West Bank on Thursday, uprooting hundreds of olive trees, assaulting Palestinian civilians and shepherds, and storming villages under the protection of the Israeli army, Palestinian sources said, Anadolu reports. In the northern Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate, illegal settlers uprooted around 300 olive trees in the town of Turmus Ayya. Local sources told Anadolu that the attack targeted agricultural land and the home of a Palestinian family in the town’s plain area, which has been repeatedly subjected to settler assaults. In northeastern Ramallah, groups of illegal settlers stormed the village of al-Mughayyir, where they attacked the southern part of the village and assaulted residents while they were grazing

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  Israeli airstrikes hit several areas in Lebanon amid continued ceasefire violations

  by Marwa A on February 5, 2026

  Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on several areas in southern and eastern Lebanon on Thursday, in the latest violation of a ceasefire deal in effect since November 2024, Lebanese media reported, Anadolu reports. The state news agency NNA said an Israeli airstrike targeted the al-Wazaniyeh area near Khallat Khazem in the Jabal al-Reihan region in southern Lebanon. Lebanese media also reported an Israeli airstrike on mountainous areas surrounding the city of Hermel in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa region. Local outlets published footage showing plumes of smoke rising from the targeted areas, while reports said Israeli aircraft continued to fly at low altitude over parts of the country following the strikes. The Israeli army claimed that the attacks hits Hezbollah targets in

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  Israel bulldozed Gaza war cemetery containing graves of British, Australian and allied soldiers

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  The graves of British, Australian and other allied soldiers killed during the First and Second World Wars have been destroyed by Israel in Gaza, satellite images and local testimony confirm. The desecration occurred at the Gaza War Cemetery in Al-Tuffah, Gaza City, a site maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), where over 3,000 Commonwealth servicemen are buried or commemorated.  New satellite images show systematic destruction in the cemetery’s southwestern section, where the graves of Australian soldiers were located. Topsoil has been stripped, rows of gravestones removed, and a large earth berm now dominates the area, clearly shaped by heavy machinery. The destruction did not exist in March 2023 satellite records, but appears visibly in imagery from August and

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  Limited humanitarian aid enters Gaza under inhumane Israeli blockade

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  A limited number of humanitarian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Thursday through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing, escorted by United Nations vehicles. The delivery comes amid continued warnings from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which said Israel has blocked its humanitarian aid from entering Gaza since March 2025, leaving life-saving supplies stranded in neighboring countries. The UNRWA said its humanitarian shipments, including food, hygiene kits, medicines and shelter items, remain stored in warehouses in Egypt and Jordan and have not been allowed into Gaza for months. “UNRWA’s humanitarian supplies — food, hygiene kits, medicines and shelter items — remain stuck in warehouses in Egypt and Jordan, banned from entering Gaza since March

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  Global Sumud aid flotilla to set sail again for war-torn Gaza from Barcelona on March 29

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  The Global Sumud aid flotilla plans to set sail again for war-torn Gaza from Barcelona on March 29 with broader international participation, according to an announcement on Thursday, Anadolu reports. “The departure will be at the initial historic departure from Barcelona, followed by Tunisia, Italy, and other Mediterranean ports, and we will sail this time at the date of March, the 29th,” Global Sumud activist Sumeyra Akdeniz Ordu told a livestreamed news conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. “We will sail with, this time, thousands of participants, including more than a thousand doctors, nurses, health professionals … We will have medical professionals with us. We will have eco-builders with us. We will have war crimes investigators with us, which is the difference

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  FBI document: Epstein trained as spy under Ehud Barak and worked for Mossad

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  Jeffrey Epstein “was close to the former Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Barak, and trained as a spy under him,” according to a 2020 FBI document based on direct reporting from a confidential human source (CHS). The revelation adds further weight to long-circulating allegations that Epstein, a convicted child sex trafficker, was compiling Kompromat on behalf of Mossad. The document, dated 19 October 2020, details conversations in which the source, who had personal contact with figures in Epstein’s circle, outlines how Epstein was involved in intelligence activity coordinated with Mossad. The CHS recounts multiple phone calls between Alan Dershowitz — Epstein’s lawyer and Harvard law professor — and Epstein. Following these calls, the document states, Mossad would call Dershowitz to

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  One meeting, one shift: Indonesia’s Muslim organisations change course on the Board of Peace

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  Indonesia’s presidential palace hosted what looked less like a policy consultation this week and more like a ritual of elite submission. President Prabowo Subianto summoned leaders of the country’s most influential Muslim organisations to discuss Indonesia’s participation in the United States backed Board of Peace. For nearly four hours, senior clerics and organisational chiefs listened to the president outline his reasoning. When they walked out, the verdict was swift. They supported the plan. They trusted the assurances. They echoed the language of independence. If Muslim organisations want to support Prabowo’s commitment to Palestine, they should inspect the substance before offering legitimacy. Instead, they appeared ready to fall into line. This matters because the Board of Peace is not some harmless

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  No international reaction to Israel’s admission of killing over 70,000 in Gaza

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  The international community ought to be acknowledged for its role in blotting out the meaning of genocide since October 2023. Without global complicity, the Geneva Convention’s definition of genocide would have retained its relevance. Instead, as Israel killed Palestinians, world leaders dismissed Palestinian voices calling out the genocide. What veneer would have suited Israel better for its constant denial of its kill toll in Gaza? As diplomats celebrated the ceasefire announcement, violated hundreds of times since by Israel, genocide was no longer the international community’s concern. The ceasefire cancelled genocide in diplomatic circles. When the UN Security Council passed the resolution which granted the US exclusive dominance over Gaza, the ceasefire was no longer a burden to observe. As talk

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  The New Byzantines: The Rise of Greece and the Return of the Near East

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  Is Greece the new rising Middle Eastern power that nobody is talking about? Sean Mathews’ The New Byzantines: The Rise of Greece and Return of the Near East makes the bold case that the Hellenic state is reembracing its Middle Eastern roots and is an emerging power who is playing a crucial role in dealing with a ‘revisionist’ Turkyie, America’s wavering commitment to NATO, Israel’s search for new allies and throwing its weight behind Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Mathews makes interesting arguments about why Athens is a growing regional power; however, some of the reasons he cites that account for the rise also risk stalling it and it may be the case that we will look back on this

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  One Palestinian state on all of Palestine is not the best solution, it is the only one

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  All successful liberation movements in history had a clear vision of what constituted liberation. The Vietnamese National Liberation Front set the objective of driving the US army out of their land and establishing one socialist state. The French resistance was not content with driving the German army out but aimed to dismantle the Nazi state. The African National Congress centered its efforts on dismantling apartheid while allowing white South Africans to remain. The Algerian National Liberation Front set out conditions under which French settlers would be allowed to remain after liberation. One thing they all had in common: A single state over all of the land, through which society itself—not foreign forces—could determine its future. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

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  Gaza: On The Ground with Motasem A Dalloul | Week 2 Feb

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  MEMO spoke to Motasem A Dalloul, a survivor of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, in the first of a new series of regular updates from the ground. Dalloul describes the daily struggle to survive: hunger, cold, the collapse of healthcare, and ongoing Israeli violations despite the so-called ceasefire. WATCH: Gaza: On The Ground with Motasem A Dalloul | Week 26 Jan

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  Hamas says Israeli escalation is continuation of ‘war of extermination’ in Gaza

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  Hamas said Israeli escalation through intensified bombardment across the Gaza Strip, which it said killed more than 20 civilians including children and a paramedic, constitutes a direct continuation of the war of extermination and aggression. In a statement, Hamas said the escalation reflects the premeditated intentions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to obstruct implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, particularly by preventing the opening of the Rafah crossing. The movement rejected Israeli claims that a shooting incident targeting one of its soldiers triggered the escalation, describing them as a pretext to justify continued killing and aggression against Palestinians. Hamas said the actions amount to an attempt to impose a permanent reality of repression and terror in

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  UN says 8.1 million women in Sudan will need reproductive health services in 2026

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  The United Nations has warned that 8.1 million women and girls of reproductive age in Sudan will require urgent reproductive health services in 2026, amid the continued collapse of the country’s health system. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the World Health Organization said around 1.1 million births are expected this year, at a time when health facilities across Sudan are struggling to function due to conflict, displacement and shortages of supplies and staff. According to figures cited by the Sudan Tribune, some 33.7 million people in Sudan will need humanitarian assistance this year, including 7.4 million internally displaced persons. UN agencies have warned that a severe funding crisis has forced them to scale back aid to the most vulnerable

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  Egypt and Turkey sign framework military agreement in Cairo

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  Egypt and Turkey signed a military cooperation agreement in Cairo on Wednesday, in the presence of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The signing took place after talks between the two leaders in the Egyptian capital, during which several cooperation agreements were concluded. The most prominent was described as a “framework military agreement” between the two governments. The agreement was signed by Egypt’s Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Abdel Meguid Saqr, and Turkey’s Minister of Defence, Yaşar Güler. Earlier in the day, Sisi and Erdogan co-chaired the second meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between Egypt and Turkey, at the conclusion of which the two presidents signed a joint statement. Erdogan was received by

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  Israel charges 12 people, including soldiers, with smuggling goods into Gaza

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  Israel’s Ministry of Justice said on Wednesday that it has charged 12 people, including Israeli soldiers, with systematically smuggling goods worth hundreds of thousands of US dollars into Gaza, according to a statement from the Israeli Attorney General. The indictment said that some of the accused, including army reservists, smuggled cigarettes, iPhones and batteries into Gaza and were also charged with “aiding the enemy during wartime”. The statement said the suspects acted while knowing that the goods could reach Hamas and its members. It also linked the brother of the head of Israel’s internal security service (Shabak, also known as Shin Bet) to the smuggling network, although the agency chief’s name was not among those charged. In recent weeks, local

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  Israeli settlers attack school in Jordan Valley as terror

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  Israeli Settlers attacked Al-Tahaddi School in the Ibziq area, north of Tubas in the northern Jordan Valley, on Wednesday. They destroyed school property and dug up the road leading to it, in an attempt to prevent students and teachers from reaching the school. Azmi Blawneh, director of education in Tubas, said this is the second attack of its kind on the school by settlers. He added that the settlers stole teaching tools and materials, damaged water, electricity, and internet networks, and blocked the road with stones and excavation works. Blawneh noted that the northern Jordan Valley is facing a fierce settler campaign aimed at undermining the Palestinian presence and depriving residents of their natural right to live on their land.

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  The “Donkey Flights” Project: Saving Animals While Strangling Gaza

  by MI on February 5, 2026

  While Gaza’s human population remains trapped behind concrete walls and fire, a curious “evacuation” is taking place. Under the banner of the “Donkey Flights Project,” an Israeli organization named Starting Over Sanctuary has been working with the IDF to collect, “rehabilitate,” and export Gaza’s donkeys to sanctuaries in France and Belgium. To the Western donor, it is a heartwarming tale of saving the innocent from “slavery” and abuse. But to the Gazans whose hospitals, ambulances, and fuel supplies have been pulverized, the removal of these animals is the final act of a scorched-earth policy. The irony is as thick as the smoke over Khan Younis: the very soldiers who facilitate the “rescue” of these pack animals are the same ones