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

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  Israeli soldiers killed and wounded in clashes with Hezbollah

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Israeli sources have reported a number of soldiers killed and wounded during overnight fighting between Monday and Tuesday with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, as tensions rapidly escalate along the border. The developments come amid a fast-growing military escalation across the frontier, with uncertainty over the true scale of losses and what appears to be a deliberate Israeli blackout. Israel’s military censor has refused to release details and has barred domestic media from reporting on the clashes in southern Lebanon. According to reports circulating on Hebrew-language news platforms, the fighting involved two separate incidents — one using a drone and the other involving explosive devices. The incidents reportedly left soldiers with very critical injuries, while intensive air evacuations were carried out

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  Iranian strike damages US early warning aircraft in Saudi Arabia, raising concerns

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  American media reports say an Iranian strike on a military base in Saudi Arabia caused heavy damage to a US early warning aircraft and injured American personnel. According to NBC News, citing US officials, the specialised early warning aircraft — an E-3 Sentry — was damaged during Friday’s attack on a facility about 80 miles south-east of Riyadh. The incident is described as one of the most significant strikes on sensitive US military assets in the region. Experts said targeting this type of aircraft could affect the US military’s ability to detect threats and manage air operations. It also raises questions about Washington’s readiness for a prolonged conflict, as attacks increase and pressure grows on US military infrastructure in the Middle East. The

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  Al-Azhar urges halt to Israeli measures to legalise killing of Palestinians

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Al-Azhar, the top Islamic Sunni institute in Egypt, said on Tuesday it strongly regretted what it described as the failure of the international legal system to confront Israel’s move to approve a law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners. It called on the international community to act quickly to stop what it said were efforts by Tel Aviv to legalise the killing of Palestinians. The statement came a day after the Knesset passed the legislation by 62 votes to 48, with one abstention, amid celebrations among right-wing parties. Al-Azhar said it “deeply regrets and strongly condemns the collapse of the international legal system and its inability to confront the Zionist occupation’s approval of a bill to implement the death penalty against

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  The death of denial: Why the Middle East’s “Gray Zone” just vanished

  by Marwa A on March 31, 2026

  Three weeks ago, this region operated under a set of assumptions that had held, more or less, for forty years. Iran would threaten. Proxies would fight. Oil would flow. And everyone would continue doing what they do best. For 30 years, the Middle East operated in what strategists called the Gray Zone. Iran funded Hezbollah but denied it. The US pressed sanctions but avoided confrontation. The GCC hosted American bases but maintained economic ties with Tehran. Israel struck Iranian assets in Syria but kept the conflict deniable. Everyone had leverage. No one had to commit fully. A shroud of ambiguity engulfed the region. February 28 put an end to that ambiguity. Those assumptions are gone. The Gray Zone required ambiguity

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  Iran’s president says decision to end war ‘must guarantee people’s security, interests’

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that any decision to end the war with the US and Israel must “guarantee the security and interests of the Iranian people,” Anadolu reports. “The resistance shown by the army, along with the national unity shown by the Iranian people during the war, are among the most important factors that helped the country overcome the current critical circumstances,” Pezeshkian said during a cabinet meeting, as cited by the state news agency IRNA. He also underlined the importance of the “pro-government demonstrations” in various cities in bolstering Iranian positions. READ: US deploys special operations forces to Middle East amid Iran war: Report “The people’s gathering in the evening has great value… Iran inspires freedom fighters,” he said.

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  US raises concerns with Israel over restrictions at Jerusalem holy sites during Holy Week

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  The United States has raised concerns with Israel over restrictions on access to holy sites in Jerusalem during the Christian Holy Week, the White House said on Monday, Anadolu reports. “I did speak with Secretary Rubio this morning, and we did express our concerns with Israel with respect to these holy sites being shut down,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “We want worshipers to be able to access these holy sites,” she said, adding that security remains a priority. “We understand Israel is working on security measures to reopen the sites throughout Holy Week, and that’s something we appreciate,” she added. READ: Israeli police bar Latin Patriarch from Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday Leavitt claimed Israeli authorities

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  Israeli Knesset passes law mandating death penalty for Palestinian prisoners

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Israel’s Knesset (parliament) on Monday passed a controversial law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, Anadolu reports. The bill was approved in second and third readings by 62 votes against 48, and one abstention, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in support of the law. READ: US lawmaker calls Israel’s death penalty bill ‘next step in the genocide’

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  US says Iran talks ‘going well’ despite public rejection from Tehran

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  The White House said on Monday that talks with Iran are continuing and “going well,” despite public statements from Tehran indicating otherwise, Anadolu reports. “We are seeing the remaining elements of the regime become increasingly eager to end the destruction and come to the negotiating table while they still can,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. “What is said publicly is, of course, much different than what’s being communicated to us privately. “Anything they say to us privately will be tested, and we will ensure that they are held accountable to their word,” she said. Leavitt says President Donald Trump has laid out the military consequences that Iranian would face if they “don’t hold true to the words

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  Iranian, French foreign ministers discuss regional escalation after US-Israeli war

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot discussed the ongoing escalation in the Middle East region on Monday and their security and economic repercussions in a phone call, Anadolu reports. Araghchi said Iran would continue what he described as “defensive operations” against the US and Israel, including targeting their military bases and facilities in the region, the state news agency IRNA reported. He argued that Iranian retaliatory attacks are a “response” to the US use of regional territories and bases to wage an “illegal war” against Iran. The Iranian minister criticized some European countries, saying they have limited their response to expressing concern over the economic consequences of the war while remaining silent to “brutal attacks”

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  US lawmaker calls Israel’s death penalty bill ‘next step in the genocide’

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib condemned an Israeli bill that would mandate the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, calling it “the next step in the genocide of Palestinians” and an act of apartheid, Anadolu reports. “Mass execution by hanging, solely on racial lines” constitutes apartheid Tlaib said on the US social media platform X, adding that Palestinians are “already systematically tortured in Israeli prisons.” Israel has sharply escalated its violations against Palestinian detainees since the start of the war in October 2023, particularly those from Gaza, including starvation, torture, sexual violence, and systematic denial of medical care, according to rights groups. READ: Rights groups call for emergency meeting of parties to the Geneva Conventions regarding the proposed Israeli law to execute Palestinian

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  Israeli police arrest five during Knesset protest over state budget

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Israeli police announced on Monday the arrest of five protesters during a demonstration in front of the Knesset building in western Jerusalem against the approval of the state budget, Anadolu Agency reports. In a statement, police said the five were arrested while dispersing the protest, accusing them of “disturbing public order and disobeying instructions.” Earlier on Monday, the Times of Israel reported that Knesset members approved the budget by 62 votes to 55 out of 120 members. The newspaper described the budget as 850.6 billion shekels ($271 billion), the largest in Israel’s history. Protesters carried signs reading “Wartime Looting,” “The Looting Budget,” and “The Knesset’s Looting Budget.” Security personnel and police were filmed removing the signs during the demonstration, Israeli

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  Turkiye’s foreign minister discusses regional situation with UN chief

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed the situation in the Middle East and efforts to end the ongoing Iran war, Turkish diplomatic sources said Monday, Anadolu Agency reports. Fidan and Guterres talked over the phone, according to sources. The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched an air offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage while disrupting global markets and aviation. READ: No one but you can stop war in Middle East, al-Sisi tells Trump 

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  No one but you can stop war in Middle East, al-Sisi tells Trump

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday appealed to his American counterpart, Donald Trump, to “end the war in the region” as the Israeli-American offensive on Iran entered its second month, Anadolu reports. Al-Sisi made the remarks during his speech at the ninth edition of the Egypt International Energy Conference and Exhibition (EGYPS 2026) in Cairo, held from March 30 until April 1 amid a global energy crisis caused by the ongoing conflict. “I say to President Trump, no one but you can stop the war in our region,” al-Sisi said. “I speak to you in the name of humanity and in the name of peace-loving people… Please help us stop the war. You are capable of doing so.” He

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  US deploys special operations forces to Middle East amid Iran war: Report

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Hundreds of US special operations personnel, including Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, reached the Middle East as Washington increased its military capabilities, the New York Times reported, citing two US military officials, Anadolu reports. The commandos have not yet been assigned specific missions but could be deployed across several potential fronts, the report said, identifying the Strait of Hormuz and the Isfahan nuclear site as possible targets. These elite units may also focus on seizing Kharg Island, which serves as the primary oil hub for Iran. The total US troop presence in the region now exceeds 50,000, which is approximately 10,000 more than typical levels. This surge includes 5,000 Marines and sailors recently stationed in the area to provide broader

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  New poll reveals majority of American Jews oppose US war on Iran

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  A majority of American Jews disapprove of the US war against Iran, according to a new Mellman Group survey released Monday, Anadolu reports. The poll, conducted online between March 13 and March 23 among 800 registered American Jewish voters nationwide, found that 55% disapprove of the US strikes on Iran, compared to 32% who approve. It also revealed that nearly 49% of the participants strongly disapprove of the military action. Meanwhile, it showed that 74% of Jewish Democrats disapprove of the war, while 83% of Jewish Republicans support it. READ: Trump threatens to destroy Iran energy sites, desalination plants if talks fail Women expressed stronger opposition than men, with 59% of Jewish women disapproving compared to 49% of Jewish men. While

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  Trump threatens to destroy Iran energy sites, desalination plants if talks fail

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Monday said negotiations with Iran to end joint US-Israeli strikes were progressing, but warned that the country’s crucial energy infrastructure would be destroyed if talks do not soon bear fruit, Anadolu reports. “If for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business,’ we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!),” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. Despite the warning, he said “serious discussions” were ongoing with a “new and more reasonable” Iranian regime. Trump

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  Israeli forces demolish two Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished two Palestinian homes in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, Anadolu Agency reports. Troops, accompanied by bulldozers, raided the Al-Bustan area and Ain Street in Silwan, demolishing the houses and surrounding walls. Israel closed Al-Aqsa after the start of its war with Iran on Feb. 28, citing security concerns, while Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and what it describes as US interests in the region. Authorities also prevented Eid al-Fitr prayers at the site this year for the first time since Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967. Despite condemnations from Arab and Muslim countries, Israeli authorities have refused to reopen the mosque. Worshippers in East Jerusalem said the closure is unjustified

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  Iran war cause challenges for air cargo sector, int’l aviation body warns

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  The ongoing war in Iran and related tensions in the Middle East region continue to cause challenges for the air cargo sector, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned on Monday, Anadolu reports. “Sharply rising fuel costs, fuel scarcity in parts of the world, and the severe disruption to key cargo hubs in the Gulf are major shifts,” Willie Walsh, the director general of the association, said in a press release. He added: “While air cargo has repeatedly proven its resilience in the face of disruption, an early resolution of the war along with a normalization of fuel supply and costs would be in everybody’s interest.” The IATA said air cargo demand grew by 11.2% in February on a yearly

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  Israel’s chief of staff warns of army ‘collapse’, sparks political storm over troop shortages

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  A warning by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir about a potential army “collapse” due to troop shortages has triggered a wave of political reactions in Israel, with opposition figures backing the assessment and allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu questioning its motives, Anadolu reports. Israel’s military is currently engaged in conflicts in Iran and Lebanon while continuing strikes in Gaza. The army has also deployed additional forces to the occupied West Bank amid rising violence by Israeli occupiers, which necessitates sending more soldiers there, while ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredi) refuse military service. While the army has been using its aircraft to attack Iran since Feb. 28, it announced the deployment of four military divisions to southern Lebanon and is deploying

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  Syria eyes reconstruction push, economic reset after war

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Monday that his country is moving toward a new economic program and a reconstruction phase, stressing the importance of benefiting from the expertise of the Syrian diaspora in Germany, Anadolu reports. His remarks came in an interview with the state-run Syrian news channel on the sidelines of his visit to Germany, where he arrived on Sunday evening as part of a tour that will also take him to the United Kingdom on Monday and Tuesday. “We met with major companies, and there is interest in strengthening economic relations,” al-Sharaa said. He added that “politics requires connections, the most important of which are economic ties, and this is what has been achieved today in Syrian-German

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  US could meet Iran war objectives in weeks, says Rubio

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Washington is close to achieving its objectives in Iran “in a matter of weeks,” adding that President Donald Trump has “a number of options available” to prevent Iran from controlling the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. During an interview with ABC News, Rubio said that the US is focused on the “destruction” of Iran’s air force, navy, and factories where they make all their weapons, as well as the substantial reduction in the number of missiles they possess. “All of those objectives are being met, on or ahead of schedule and should be able to achieve in a matter of weeks,” he said. On the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,

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  Palestinian man killed by Israeli army fire in Tulkarm, injuries reported in West Bank

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  A young Palestinian man was killed by Israeli army fire at the Anab checkpoint east of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarm, the Palestinian Civil Affairs Authority said Monday, Anadolu reports. The authority said it informed the Palestinian Health Ministry of the death of Abdulrahman Hamza Abdulrahman Abu Al-Rub, 31, from the town of Jalbun in Jenin, after he was killed by Israeli forces on Monday morning. Earlier, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that three Palestinians, including a child, had been killed by Israeli army fire since Friday morning in separate incidents in Kafr Aqab, Qalandia refugee camp north of Jerusalem, and Dheisheh refugee camp south of Bethlehem. READ: Israeli occupiers attack Bedouin community in West Ban’s south of

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  Protest held in Gaza to mark 50th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  A protest was held in front of the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) building in the Gaza Strip to mark the 50th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day on Monday, Anadolu reports. Organized by the National and Islamic Forces Monitoring Committee and the Prisoners Committee in Palestine, the demonstration protested Israel’s proposed “death penalty law” for Palestinian prisoners and the attempts to close Al-Aqsa Mosque. A spokesperson read a statement during the protest emphasizing Israel’s recent acts are part of a new situation being imposed on the Palestinian people and called for widespread public support. READ: Palestinians commemorate the 50th anniversary of Land Day The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from Israel’s deadly war since October 2023 has reached 72,280 people, with

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  Young artists of Gaza tell their story

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  Photos: Palestinians commemorate the 50th anniversary of Land Day

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  Trump says US negotiating with Iranian parliamentary speaker

  by MI on March 30, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Washington is negotiating with Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and that the US would know within a week whether the two sides could work together, Anadolu reports. “We’re gonna find out,” Trump told the New York Post. “I’ll let you know that in about a week.” The remarks follow Trump’s earlier comment that the US was speaking to “a top person” in Iran, but that he could not reveal who, adding: “I don’t want them to be killed.” The Trump administration has also been quietly weighing Qalibaf as a potential partner and even a future leader of Iran, Politico reported last week. Iran said it has not held any direct negotiations with the US,

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  The Bab al‑Mandeb Strait where uncommon conflict became a common burden

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  A dangerous new chapter is unfolding in the Middle East, and the world is responding with an uneasy silence. What is emerging around the narrow waters of the Bab al-Mandeb is not simply another regional confrontation. It is a moment that could reshape the global economic order, the credibility of international law, and the future political direction of Iran and its neighbourhood. The tragedy is not only that a reckless spiral of force has been unleashed, but that it risks locking the region into a darker future just when a more hopeful path seemed possible. The Bab al-Mandeb – literally the ‘Gate of Tears’ – has always been a fragile passage between continents. Today it sits at the centre of

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  Israel faces global backlash after blocking Palm Sunday Mass at Holy Sepulchre

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  Israel is facing widespread condemnation after police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Ielpo, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass. In a joint statement, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Custody of the Holy Land said the two men were stopped while proceeding privately to the church and were “compelled to turn back”, adding that this was the first time in centuries that the heads of the Church had been prevented from celebrating Palm Sunday Mass at the Holy Sepulchre. The same statement described the Israeli decision as a “manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate measure” and rejected efforts to justify

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  Why is Iran being singled out while others escape scrutiny: Erase nuclear apartheid

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  “The world cannot preach non-proliferation while practising selective permission. That is not law – it is hierarchy.” The global discourse on nuclear weapons has drifted far from its stated goal of disarmament. What remains today is not a principled framework for peace, but a deeply unequal system of control – one that determines who may possess the most destructive weapons ever created, and who must remain permanently under suspicion. At the centre of this unequal order stands Iran: scrutinized, sanctioned, and threatened, not for what it has done, but for what it might one day choose to do. This is not non-proliferation. This is nuclear apartheid. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which entered into force in 1970, was premised on a

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  Dimona’s shadow: How Israel’s nuclear monopoly warps Middle East security

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  The skies over Tehran and Natanz may still carry the lingering haze of joint U.S.-Israeli operations. Yet the world, filtered through the dominant voice of Western media, continues to be fed a singular narrative: the latent danger of Iran’s uranium enrichment, perpetually described as being “one step away” from a nuclear warhead. Amid the noise of economic sanctions, United Nations Security Council resolutions, and preemptive military strikes that have devastated Iran’s civilian-military infrastructure, there exists a deafening silence surrounding the Middle East’s most tangible arsenal of weapons of mass destruction: Israel’s nuclear stockpile. In reality, the region’s security architecture is not threatened by a nuclear capability that might exist in the future, but by one that has existed for more

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  What if Khamenei died in his bed and Trump did not kill him?

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  If Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had died in his bed, from illness or old age, his death could have been more dangerous for the Iranian system than many people think. A natural death would have opened a sensitive moment inside the regime: Who replaces him? Can the elites agree? Will the succession process split the leadership? And will the opposition seize the moment and push the street toward larger protests? This scenario “an internal crisis after a natural death” was closer to what Iran’s opponents wanted. But here is the irony: what Trump and Netanyahu did by killing the Supreme Leader did not weaken the system the way they expected. It saved it from its hardest internal test.  A

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  The Iran War: A Great Carbon Emitter

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  Truth may well be the first casualty of war, but death, injury and environmental degradation are bound to be keeping up in the hit lists.  Attacks on gas fields, oil refineries and petrochemical plants will always leave an impression once the conflict concludes.  In the case of carbon emissions, the most challenging obstacle in collective efforts to stay the rise of the earth’s temperatures, the Iran War is doing much to throw everything out of kilter. The gloomy modelling from the Climate and Community Institute shows that the first fortnight of the Iran War, which began on February 28 as a crime against peace pursued by Israel and the United States, produced some 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.  To

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  Israeli strikes in Gaza kill two, destroy buildings in Yellow Line area

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  Two Palestinians were killed and a third injured early on Monday in an Israeli air strike on the Zeitoun neighbourhood, south of Gaza City. According to the Anadolu Agency, the strike targeted civilians near the Asqoula junction in the neighbourhood. Witnesses told the agency that the Israeli army carried out controlled demolitions of buildings and facilities in areas under its control east of the so-called “Yellow Line”, east of the Tuffah neighbourhood in Gaza City. Israeli artillery also shelled areas east of Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis in central and southern Gaza. This brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli army fire across different parts of the Gaza Strip since early Sunday to 11. Medical sources said that two

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  France, Germany, Italy and UK condemn Israel’s proposed death penalty law targeting Palestinians

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  In a joint statement on Sunday, Berlin, Paris, Rome and London expressed “deep concern” over a proposed law that would allow the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of carrying out attacks that result in the deaths of Israelis. The statement said: “We, the Foreign Ministers of Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, express our deep concern about a bill that would significantly expand the possibilities to impose the death penalty in Israel.” The four countries added that “The adoption of this bill would risk undermining Israel’s commitments with regards to democratic principles.” They also urged “the Israeli decision makers in Knesset and Government to abandon these plans.” The proposed law states that any person who intentionally or unintentionally causes

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  Poll: 66% of Israelis fear army collapse, 43% hit economically

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  A public opinion poll in Israel on Sunday found that 66 percent of Israelis are worried about a possible “collapse of the army”, following warnings by the Chief of Staff about multiple fronts and ongoing challenges. According to the survey, published by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, Kan 11, remarks by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir have raised concerns among most respondents, as fighting continues on several fronts alongside domestic issues such as the conscription of Haredi Jews. The poll showed that 40 percent of voters supporting the governing coalition expressed concern, compared with 85 percent of opposition voters. On the economic front, 43 percent of respondents said the war with Iran had affected their living conditions to varying degrees.

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  Gaza Christians celebrate Palm Sunday for first time since war

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  Christians in the Gaza Strip marked Palm Sunday yesterday for the first time since the Israeli war began on 7th October 2023, now in its second year. In a spiritual and celebratory atmosphere, dozens gathered at the Holy Family Church, part of the Latin Patriarchate, in Gaza City’s Old Town. They took part in Palm Sunday prayers led by Father Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest in Gaza, an Anadolu correspondent reported. Palm Sunday is the seventh Sunday of Lent and the last before Good Friday, which is followed by Easter Sunday. The occasion commemorates Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, when people welcomed him with palm branches as a sign of joy, according to Christian belief. During the two years of

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  Russian oil tanker nears Cuba despite US sanctions as Trump says he sees “no problem”

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  A Russian oil tanker is expected to arrive in Cuba on Tuesday despite US sanctions, in a move seen as a challenge to the long-standing American embargo on the island, which is facing a severe energy shortage, according to shipping data. The US President, Donald Trump, said on Sunday he saw “no problem” with the tanker’s passage. The vessel, Anatoly Kolodkin, carrying around 730,000 barrels of crude oil, was located north of Haiti on Sunday and heading towards the port of Matanzas in western Cuba, according to maritime data analytics firm Kpler. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from Florida, US President Trump said he had no objection to the shipment. “If a country wants to send

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  Red Ribbon Campaign issue call to action against Israel’s planned executions

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  The Red Ribbon Campaign has today issued an urgent statement calling on the free people of the world to join their planned activities on 16, 17, and 18 April 2026 against Isreal’s plans to execute scores of Palestinian detainees. The statement said, “We will turn every square, every street, and every digital platform into a space demanding their right to live.” It continued: “In the darkness of prison cells, among the worst on earth, Palestinian detainees are no longer facing imprisonment and abuse alone; they are confronting a clear and systematic plan of execution. Through the “Red Ribbons” campaign, we declare to the world that the occupation has completed the pillars of its crime. Execution is no longer a passing

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  Hamas says blocking Palm Sunday Mass in Jerusalem is a “dangerous precedent”

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  Hamas has said that Israeli authorities’ prevention of Palestinian Christians from holding a Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied Jerusalem is a “dangerous precedent” and the first such incident in centuries. In a statement issued on Sunday, and reported by Quds Press the group said the move reflects what it described as the practical implementation of policies aimed at “Judaising” the holy city. Hamas added that the measure constitutes a direct violation of freedom of worship and poses what it called an existential threat to Jerusalem’s identity and landmarks, including both Islamic and Christian holy sites. The group condemned what it described as an “unjustified ban”, along with wider measures targeting land and religious

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  Jerusalem Governorate warns of settler plans for animal sacrifices at Al-Aqsa Mosque

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  The Jerusalem Governorate has warned of attempts by settlers to bring animal sacrifices into Al-Aqsa Mosque, describing the move as a dangerous escalation aimed at imposing new religious rituals within the mosque compound. In a statement issued Sunday evening, the Governorate said these attempts coincide with the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli occupation authorities for the 30th consecutive day, preventing worshippers from accessing the site. The Governorate stated that such actions represent an effort to use religious rituals as a tool to Judaize Al-Aqsa Mosque, with plans to bring and slaughter animals — such as lambs or goats — inside the compound during the Jewish Passover holiday. According to the statement, so-called “Temple Mount organizations” are exploiting the

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  Former Israeli PM warns of army strain and leadership failures

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has delivered sharp criticism of the government’s handling of the ongoing war, describing it as based on a “grand illusion” and warning that Hezbollah cannot be eliminated militarily. In remarks reported by Israeli Channel 13, Barak said the management of the war from the outset was fundamentally flawed, adding that expectations of a decisive military outcome were unrealistic. He pointed to warnings presented by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who reportedly outlined “ten red lines” to the cabinet indicating risks that could lead to the army’s collapse from within. Barak criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to respond adequately to these concerns. Barak also accused the government of misplaced priorities, saying cabinet

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  Israeli media: Mount Herzl military cemetery nearing capacity

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  Israeli media have reported that the military cemetery on Mount Herzl is nearing full capacity for the burial of Israeli occupation soldiers, amid a sharp rise in casualties since 7th October 2023. According to data presented by the “Matva” unit of the Israeli Ministry of Defence to a local planning and building appeals committee in Jerusalem, the cemetery has exhausted all available graves designated for soldiers in recent months. The Israeli daily Calcalist reported that the committee reviewed an appeal related to an exceptional decision issued in September 2025, allowing the temporary use of 7.7 dunams (approximately 1.7 acres) within the cemetery to create additional burial space. The expansion is expected to accommodate between 500 and 600 new graves over

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  Israeli nuclear city emerges as focal point in escalating Iran–Israel confrontation

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  The city of Dimona has moved to the center of the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel, following reports of an Iranian strike targeting its vicinity on 21st March. Located deep in the Negev desert, Dimona is widely regarded as one of the most sensitive nodes in Israeli strategic infrastructure, largely due to its association with the country’s nuclear programme. Established in 1955, the city has since evolved into a key military and strategic site. Researchers note that the area surrounding Dimona was historically inhabited by tens of thousands of Palestinian Bedouin Arabs prior to the 1948 Nakba. According to political analyst Muhammad Mustafa Shahin, the Negev region was home to between 90,000 and 95,000 Palestinians from tribes including the

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  At least 19 dead, 20 missing in migrant boat tragedy off Tunisia

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  At least 19 migrants have died and around 20 remain missing after a boat sank off the coast of Sfax in Tunisia, according to the monitoring group Alarm Phone. The organisation, which tracks distress calls from migrants at sea, said that approximately 60 people had set off from Sfax, but only 16 survivors were confirmed, with 19 bodies recovered so far. In a post on X, Alarm Phone questioned the fate of the remaining passengers, stating: “Where are the rest? This carnage at sea must be stopped.” The group had earlier reported that 56 migrants were in distress in the central Mediterranean, after departing from Tunisia in an attempt to reach the Italian coast. Adverse weather conditions are believed to

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  American University of Beirut shifts to online learning after Iranian threats

  by Marwa A on March 30, 2026

  The American University of Beirut (AUB) announced that it will shift all educational activities to online learning for two days as a precaution following Iranian threats against American institutions in the region. In a message to students and staff, the university said it had received reports of potential threats targeting American educational institutions, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation and working to verify the information amid widespread media reports. The administration stressed that there is no confirmed direct threat to the campus or its affiliated medical centres, urging the university community to rely only on official communications for updates. AUB reaffirmed its rejection of all forms of violence, emphasizing the need to protect educational and healthcare institutions from

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  Egypt begins energy-saving measures amid surging oil prices

  by MI on March 29, 2026

  Egypt has enforced a package of energy-saving measures for a one-month period amid a global rise in oil prices in the wake of the US-Israeli offensive on Iran, Anadolu reports. The measures include the closure of shops, restaurants, shopping centers, cinemas, theaters, and wedding halls at 9.00 pm local time (1900 GMT), except for Thursdays and Fridays when closing time will be 10.00 pm (2000 GMT), Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly’s office said in a statement. The measures also include reducing street lighting and cutting street advertisement lighting by 50%, as well as reducing fuel allocations for government vehicles by 30%. Authorities also decided to close the government district in the New Administrative Capital at 6.00 pm (1600 GMT) and slowing

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  Pakistan would be ‘honored’ to host US, Iran talks in ‘coming days’: Top diplomat Dar

  by MI on March 29, 2026

  Pakistan’s foreign minister on Sunday said that Islamabad would be “honoured” to host talks between the US and Iran to end the ongoing Mideast conflict, Anadolu reports. “Pakistan will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days for comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict,” Ishaq Dar said in a video statement hours after a quadrilateral foreign ministers’ meeting in the capital Islamabad. Dar said that both Washington and Tehran expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks. He said he briefed the top diplomats of Turkiye, Pakistan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia who attended the quadrilateral meeting on the prospects of potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad. The visiting foreign ministers expressed

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  From Hormuz to households: How geopolitics is repricing Indonesia’s cooking oil

  by MI on March 29, 2026

  The escalating military confrontation in the Middle East, pitting the United States and Israel against Iran, has become a transmission belt, channeling external shocks directly into Indonesia’s domestic economy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the price of cooking oil, one of the country’s most politically sensitive commodities. The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supply flows, has created the most severe energy disruption since the 1970s. For Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of crude palm oil (CPO), this crisis exposes a striking paradox. Rising global crude prices, projected to hover between $100 and $120 per barrel, are lifting CPO prices through substitution effects in biodiesel markets. As fossil fuel costs

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  Netanyahu orders expansion of Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon

  by MI on March 29, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he has ordered the military to expand the occupation in southern Lebanon, vowing to continue attacks until Israel achieves its objectives, Anadolu reports. Israel is “determined to fundamentally change the situation in the north,” Netanyahu said in a video statement released on the US social media platform X. He said military operations in Lebanon would continue, adding that Israeli forces would act with force until their goals are met. The Israeli army has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack by Hezbollah on March 2. The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched an air offensive on Iran on Feb.

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  Japanese atomic bomb survivors send letters to US, Israel urging peace amid Iran war

  by MI on March 29, 2026

  Japanese atomic bomb survivors have sent letters to the embassies of the US and Israel, condemning their attacks on Iran, Anadolu reports. However, the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo refused to accept the letter co-signed by four atomic bomb survivor groups, according to Japanese daily The Mainichi. Shigemitsu Tanaka, the 85-year-old head of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council, said: “The document was sent back without even being read. I think they are becoming closed-minded.” The letter, which called for an immediate ceasefire and condemned the attacks as outrageous, was sent earlier this month. The entire region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, so far killing over 1,400 people,

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  Mladenov’s Gaza disarmament plan blackmails the victim, relieves the aggressor

  by MI on March 29, 2026

  When the United Nations Security Council convened on March 24 to discuss Gaza’s future, the world witnessed something grotesque: a plan dressed in diplomatic language that effectively punishes the victims of genocide while covering its perpetrators. Presented by Nickolay Mladenov, the Trump-appointed envoy of the so-called “Board of Peace,” the proposal demands the complete disarmament of Hamas and all Palestinian armed factions as a precondition for the flow of humanitarian needs and reconstruction. This is not a peace plan. It is a one-sided ultimatum and blackmail disguised in diplomacy and under the umbrella of the United Nations. A One-Sided Blackmail, Not a Negotiation The leaked framework, reportedly presented to Palestinian factions in Cairo in mid-March, advances a simple equation: surrender