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

• Egypt hosts Palestinian factions to discuss 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire agreement

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  Egypt hosted talks on Thursday between Palestinian factions to discuss the implementation of the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, Anadolu reports. Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News channel said the...

  Egypt hosts Palestinian factions to discuss 2nd phase of Gaza ceasefire agreement

  

  Egypt hosted talks on Thursday between Palestinian factions to discuss the implementation of the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, Anadolu reports. Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News channel said the discussions aim at reaching a consensus between the Palestinian factions regarding the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan. Separately, Egypt’s Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad met Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh and his Palestinian counterpart Majed Faraj “as part of Egypt’s efforts to end the crisis in Gaza,” the outlet said. “A consensus was reached during the meeting to support and continue implementing the ceasefire agreement in Gaza,” the channel said. READ: UN warns aid being hampered in Gaza as closed crossings block deliveries
• At least 2 killed in Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  At least two people were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed several sites in Baalbek in eastern Lebanon on Thursday, Lebanese authorities said, Anadolu reports. Fighter jets struck the outskirts of...

  At least 2 killed in Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon

  

  At least two people were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed several sites in Baalbek in eastern Lebanon on Thursday, Lebanese authorities said, Anadolu reports. Fighter jets struck the outskirts of Janta on the eastern mountain range and extended to multiple sites on the outskirts of the town of Shmastar, west of Baalbek, the state news agency NNA reported. The Health Ministry said the Israeli strikes killed one person in Janta, and another in Shmastar. The attacks caused panic among high school students when the windows of a school building in the area were shattered due to the strikes, the agency said. Israeli warplanes also flew at low altitude over the Beqaa Valley in the east, the NNA said. The Israeli
• Hizballah’s last stand: Disarmament, defiance, and Tehran’s shadow over Lebanon

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  As Lebanon approaches parliamentary elections in May 2026, the country stands at a crossroads. Hizballah, the mighty image of Lebanese politics and Middle Eastern resistance, has been left battered and...

  Hizballah’s last stand: Disarmament, defiance, and Tehran’s shadow over Lebanon

  

  As Lebanon approaches parliamentary elections in May 2026, the country stands at a crossroads. Hizballah, the mighty image of Lebanese politics and Middle Eastern resistance, has been left battered and isolated politically after its latest confrontation with Israel. But even in its weakened position, the organization remains defiant—retaining its weapons and its strategic patronage from Iran. The Party, also locally referred to as Hizballah, has lost nearly all its former Lebanese allies. Its decision to strike against Israel last year repelled political elites and parts of civil society. Still, Hizballah’s win in the just-concluded municipal elections demonstrates a resilience: its economic machine continues to exert power, particularly through local media and patronage networks. The elections later this year are very
• Reviving UNRWA’s remit: The ICJ, Israel and humanitarian aid in Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  Few times in its history has the International Court of Justice been this busy, if ever.  For anyone ignorant of the world court’s existence till now, it has blanketed news...

  Reviving UNRWA’s remit: The ICJ, Israel and humanitarian aid in Gaza

  

  Few times in its history has the International Court of Justice been this busy, if ever.  For anyone ignorant of the world court’s existence till now, it has blanketed news coverage with provisional orders and advisory opinions on the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.  Each order is accompanied by another layering of exasperation and, it must be said, hope that the situation on the ground will somehow alter.  The topics have been sanguinary and cruel in their consistency: starvation, the restriction of humanitarian aid, policies of racial segregation and apartheid, population displacements masquerading as evacuation orders and the possibility (to be officially ruled upon) that Israel has committed genocide in the enclave. The 22 October advisory opinion is the first to
• In the struggle for superiority, peace was killed

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  The Middle East stands at a critical juncture. On one front lies the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine; on another, a covert but escalating shadow war between Iran and...

  In the struggle for superiority, peace was killed

  

  The Middle East stands at a critical juncture. On one front lies the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine; on another, a covert but escalating shadow war between Iran and Israel. Together, these dynamics form a web of hostility where the promise of peace seems ever farther away—even though, in theory, both sides could shift toward cooperation that might reshape the region into a more peaceful Middle East. Over the past three decades, Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons. Since 1992, when he first addressed the Knesset as a Member of Parliament, he warned that “within three to five years, we can assume that Iran will become autonomous in its ability to develop   and produce a nuclear bomb.”
• Norway to submit UN draft resolution urging Israel to meet its legal obligations towards Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  Norway announced on Wednesday that it will submit a new draft resolution to the United Nations calling on Israel to lift restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza...

  Norway to submit UN draft resolution urging Israel to meet its legal obligations towards Gaza

  

  Norway announced on Wednesday that it will submit a new draft resolution to the United Nations calling on Israel to lift restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, which remains under blockade and widespread destruction. The move follows a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) calling for the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said that his country “intends to follow up on this (ICJ) decision with a new resolution at the UN General Assembly.” He added that the aim is “to ensure the effective implementation of Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law.” Norway has been a key sponsor of the UN resolution that requested the ICJ
• UN chief urges Israel to comply with International Court ruling on Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday called on Israel to implement the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that reaffirms its obligation to facilitate the delivery of essential aid...

  UN chief urges Israel to comply with International Court ruling on Gaza

  

  United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday called on Israel to implement the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that reaffirms its obligation to facilitate the delivery of essential aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Israel has tightened its blockade on Gaza, restricting or even halting the entry of food and other humanitarian aid since the start of its war with Hamas two years ago. Responding to a question about the court’s decision, Guterres said: “This is a very important decision. And I hope that Israel will abide by it.” Earlier in the day, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion declaring Israel’s measures against the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)—including its ban
• The unvanquished will: Gaza’s triumph of spirit against the architecture of genocide

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  For the last two years, my social media algorithm has been relentlessly dominated by Gaza, particularly by the voices of ordinary Gazans, displaying a blend of emotions that centers on...

  The unvanquished will: Gaza’s triumph of spirit against the architecture of genocide

  

  For the last two years, my social media algorithm has been relentlessly dominated by Gaza, particularly by the voices of ordinary Gazans, displaying a blend of emotions that centers on two core principles: grief and defiance. Grief has characterised life in Gaza for many years, a consequence of successive Israeli wars, the unrelenting siege, and habitual bombardment. The last two years, marked by genocide and famine, however, have redefined that grief in a way almost incomprehensible to the Palestinians themselves. Yes, Palestine has endured numerous massacres before, during, and since the Nakba – the tragic destruction of the Palestinian homeland. But those massacres were typically episodic, each distinctively marked by specific historical circumstances. Each is incorporated into the Palestinian collective
• Is Libya’s UN-facilitated political process stalling again?

  by Marwa A on October 23, 2025

  When Hanna Tetteh, the new UN envoy to Libya, unveiled her “roadmap for renewed political consensus” on 21 August, it was meant to signal a fresh start after years of...

  Is Libya’s UN-facilitated political process stalling again?

  

  When Hanna Tetteh, the new UN envoy to Libya, unveiled her “roadmap for renewed political consensus” on 21 August, it was meant to signal a fresh start after years of stagnation. She assumed that two months, a kind of self-imposed deadline,  would be enough to implement the first stage of the plan. In her briefing to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that day, Tetteh outlined two immediate priorities: strengthening the capacity of the High National Elections Commission by recomposing and filling its vacant board seats, and finalising the legal framework for elections within two months. Two months later, however, even this first benchmark — establishing a constitutional framework to guide elections — remains unmet. The United Nations Support Mission
• Arab states condemn Israeli bills for West Bank annexation as ‘flagrant violation of international law’

  by Marwa A on October 22, 2025

  Arab countries decried the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary passage of two bills on Wednesday to annex the occupied West Bank and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc in East Jerusalem as a...

  Arab states condemn Israeli bills for West Bank annexation as ‘flagrant violation of international law’

  

  Arab countries decried the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary passage of two bills on Wednesday to annex the occupied West Bank and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc in East Jerusalem as a “flagrant violation of international law,” Anadolu reports. The Knesset approved the two bills in a preliminary reading on Wednesday. Both drafts still must pass three additional readings to become law. In a statement, Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Fouad al-Majali called the move “a flagrant violation of international law and a blow to the two-state solution, as well as to the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and to establish their independent, sovereign state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital.” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry denounced the
• Sudan’s Khartoum airport receives 1st flight in over 2 years

  by Marwa A on October 22, 2025

  Khartoum International Airport received its first civilian passenger flight on Wednesday, ending a shutdown that lasted two and a half years, Sudanese authorities said, Anadolu reports. “The Badr Airlines flight...

  Sudan’s Khartoum airport receives 1st flight in over 2 years

  

  Khartoum International Airport received its first civilian passenger flight on Wednesday, ending a shutdown that lasted two and a half years, Sudanese authorities said, Anadolu reports. “The Badr Airlines flight landed moments ago at Khartoum International Airport, marking the airport’s reopening and the gradual return of air operations from the capital after a long suspension,” the airport authority said in a statement on US social media company Facebook. It described the airport’s reopening as “an important step toward the recovery of Sudan’s aviation sector and the gradual resumption of air traffic.” The reopening came hours after Sudanese air defenses intercepted a drone attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeting the capital early Wednesday, the second such attack in
• UN warns aid being hampered in Gaza as closed crossings block deliveries

  by Marwa A on October 22, 2025

  The UN warned on Wednesday that humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip is being hindered by closed border crossings by Israel, even as families move to areas that have become...

  UN warns aid being hampered in Gaza as closed crossings block deliveries

  

  The UN warned on Wednesday that humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip is being hindered by closed border crossings by Israel, even as families move to areas that have become accessible since an Oct. 10 ceasefire, Anadolu reports. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Farhan Haq reported at a news conference that “since the ceasefire took effect more than 10 days ago, the UN and its partners have made progress in scaling up response efforts in Gaza, especially in central and southern areas of the Strip.” “The continued closure of the Zikim and Erez crossings, which provide direct access to the north, make it extremely challenging for humanitarians to reach people there with vital
• Jewish figures urge UN, world leaders to sanction Israel for Gaza actions

  by Marwa A on October 22, 2025

  Hundreds of Jewish public figures worldwide have appealed to the UN and global leaders to impose sanctions on Israel for “unconscionable” acts in the Gaza Strip that amount to genocide,...

  Jewish figures urge UN, world leaders to sanction Israel for Gaza actions

  

  Hundreds of Jewish public figures worldwide have appealed to the UN and global leaders to impose sanctions on Israel for “unconscionable” acts in the Gaza Strip that amount to genocide, The Guardian reported Wednesday, Anadolu reports. An open letter signed by more than 450 individuals, including former Israeli officials, writers and award-winning artists, demands accountability for Israel’s actions in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. “We have not forgotten that so many of the laws, charters, and conventions established to safeguard and protect all human life were created in response to the Holocaust,” it said. “Those safeguards have been relentlessly violated by Israel.” Among the signatories are former Israeli Knesset speaker Avraham Burg, peace negotiator Daniel Levy, authors Michael
• Israeli bills for West Bank annexation undermines 2-state solution: Jordan

  by Marwa A on October 22, 2025

  Jordan decried the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary passage of two bills on Wednesday to annex the occupied West Bank and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc in East Jerusalem as “a flagrant...

  Israeli bills for West Bank annexation undermines 2-state solution: Jordan

  

  Jordan decried the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary passage of two bills on Wednesday to annex the occupied West Bank and the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc in East Jerusalem as “a flagrant breach of international law” and a dangerous escalation undermining the two-state solution, Anadolu reports. The Knesset approved the two bills in a preliminary reading on Wednesday. Both drafts still must pass three additional readings to become law. In a statement, Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Fouad al-Majali called the move “a flagrant violation of international law and a blow to the two-state solution, as well as to the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and to establish their independent, sovereign state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with occupied Jerusalem as
• World court rules Israel must allow, facilitate impartial human rights groups like Red Cross, 3rd-state relief efforts in Gaza

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday that Israel is obliged under the Geneva Convention to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by third states and impartial...

  World court rules Israel must allow, facilitate impartial human rights groups like Red Cross, 3rd-state relief efforts in Gaza

  

  The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Wednesday that Israel is obliged under the Geneva Convention to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by third states and impartial humanitarian groups, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), to ensure that sufficient aid reaches the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. In its detailed opinion, the world court underscored that Israel, as the occupying power, carries an unconditional duty to ensure the local population’s basic needs are met. It found that the population of Gaza has been “inadequately” supplied within the meaning of Article 59 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and that Israel must therefore permit and assist humanitarian relief operations.
• Israel transfers 30 more Palestinian bodies to Gaza, some showing signs of abuse: Health Ministry

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Gaza’s Health Ministry on Wednesday received the remains of 30 more Palestinians transferred by Israel under a ceasefire deal, with some bodies showing signs of abuse, Anadolu reports. A ministry...

  Israel transfers 30 more Palestinian bodies to Gaza, some showing signs of abuse: Health Ministry

  

  Gaza’s Health Ministry on Wednesday received the remains of 30 more Palestinians transferred by Israel under a ceasefire deal, with some bodies showing signs of abuse, Anadolu reports. A ministry statement said that the bodies were handed over through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “Several bodies showed clear signs of abuse, including beatings, bound hands, and blindfolded eyes,” it added. The ministry said the new handovers brought the number of bodies returned by Israel since Oct. 14 to 195, of whom only 57 bodies have been identified. Families have been trying to identify their relatives based on remaining physical marks or clothing, as Israel’s years-long blockade and the destruction of Gaza’s laboratories have made forensic testing impossible.
• Israeli Knesset passes preliminary reading of bill to annex occupied West Bank

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  The Israeli Knesset (parliament) passed a bill in its preliminary reading on Wednesday to annex the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. A Knesset statement said the bill was approved in...

  Israeli Knesset passes preliminary reading of bill to annex occupied West Bank

  

  The Israeli Knesset (parliament) passed a bill in its preliminary reading on Wednesday to annex the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. A Knesset statement said the bill was approved in a preliminary reading “to apply the sovereignty of the State of Israel to the territories of Judea and Samaria (West Bank).” The statement said 25 lawmakers supported the bill, introduced by Avi Maoz, leader of the far-right Noam Party, while 24 opposed it. The Knesset has 120 members in total. The bill still must pass three additional readings to become law. It will now go to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for further deliberations. READ: Israel shuts down orphan care association in West Bank, seizes equipment The daily Yedioth
• The Ceasefire Illusion: Deaths, Denials and Diplomatic Spin | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  In this episode of Palestine This Week, we look at Israel’s ongoing violations of the Gaza ceasefire, with more than 80 breaches and dozens of Palestinians killed. We break down...

  The Ceasefire Illusion: Deaths, Denials and Diplomatic Spin | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani

  

  In this episode of Palestine This Week, we look at Israel’s ongoing violations of the Gaza ceasefire, with more than 80 breaches and dozens of Palestinians killed. We break down the events in Rafah and the shifting US position, as Washington moves to provide legal and political cover for continued Israeli attacks. We also examine growing fears of internal conflict in Gaza, the proposed Egypt-led stabilisation force, and the expected ICJ ruling on Israel’s blockade of UN agencies. A new UN report documents rising killings in the West Bank, while across Europe, Palestine solidarity is being criminalised—from arrests in the UK to protest bans in Germany and the row over Maccabi Tel Aviv’s football match.   WATCH: Confession of a US
• Armenian premier says he hopes border with Turkiye will open soon

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Armenia’s prime minister on Wednesday voiced optimism that the ongoing positive dialogue between Armenia and Turkiye could soon lead to the opening of their shared border. Yerevan is “ready, not...

  Armenian premier says he hopes border with Turkiye will open soon

  

  Armenia’s prime minister on Wednesday voiced optimism that the ongoing positive dialogue between Armenia and Turkiye could soon lead to the opening of their shared border. Yerevan is “ready, not only politically but also technically” to enable the transit of freight trucks between Turkiye and Azerbaijan through Armenian territory, Nikol Pashinyan told the 2025 Tbilisi Silk Road Forum in Georgia. “The positive dialogue between Armenia and Turkiye gives hope that the parties may open the borders in the near future,” he added. “We are ready, starting today, to ensure the transit of freight trucks through Armenian territory from Turkiye to Azerbaijan and from Azerbaijan to Turkiye.” He added that Armenia is also politically prepared to allow transit between Azerbaijan’s exclave
• Pakistan ‘strongly’ condemns Israel’s violations of Gaza peace agreement

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Pakistan on Wednesday “strongly” condemned the renewed attacks by Israeli occupying forces in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of numerous civilians, Anadolu reports. Such actions, Islamabad said, run contrary...

  Pakistan ‘strongly’ condemns Israel’s violations of Gaza peace agreement

  

  Pakistan on Wednesday “strongly” condemned the renewed attacks by Israeli occupying forces in Gaza, which resulted in the deaths of numerous civilians, Anadolu reports. Such actions, Islamabad said, run contrary to the spirit of the Sharm el-Sheikh peace agreement. The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, brokered through regional and international mediation and implemented on Oct. 10, stipulates a partial Israeli withdrawal from several areas in Gaza to new positions within the enclave known as the “yellow line.” Israeli forces, however, have repeatedly violated the ceasefire. READ: Funeral held in Gaza for 54 prisoners returned by Israel under ceasefire deal “Pakistan urges the international community to take urgent and effective measures to end these violations and to ensure full implementation of
• Lebanon, Syria close to restoring diplomatic relations: Lebanese official

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Lebanon is close to restoring diplomatic relations with neighboring Syria, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. “Relations between the two countries over the past five...

  Lebanon, Syria close to restoring diplomatic relations: Lebanese official

  

  Lebanon is close to restoring diplomatic relations with neighboring Syria, Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri said on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. “Relations between the two countries over the past five decades were unequal and a source of grievance for most Lebanese,” Mitri said in an interview with the Lebanese state television. “Today, however, we have an opportunity to rebuild those ties on new foundations based on equality, mutual respect, and reciprocity, without one imposing its guardianship over the other,” he added. Mitri described the current relationship between Beirut and Damascus as being “built on a clean slate,” adding that the diplomatic exchange between the two countries “will take place soon.” Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024,
• Israeli forces raid village in southern Syria, carry out excavation works

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Israeli army forces raided a village in the Quneitra countryside in southern Syria on Wednesday and carried out excavation works in the area, according to local media, Anadolu reports. The...

  Israeli forces raid village in southern Syria, carry out excavation works

  

  Israeli army forces raided a village in the Quneitra countryside in southern Syria on Wednesday and carried out excavation works in the area, according to local media, Anadolu reports. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that Israeli forces advanced into the Al-Hamidiyah village backed by heavy engineering equipment, including two drilling machines, a bulldozer, and a truck. Israeli soldiers conducted excavation operations inside a site where Israeli troops have been stationed for about six months, in violation of Syrian sovereignty, the outlet said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army or the Syrian authorities on the media report. In recent months, the Israeli army has staged several cross-border raids into Syria’s southern provinces, including Quneitra, despite international
• Funeral held in Gaza for 54 prisoners returned by Israel under ceasefire deal

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  A funeral procession was held in central Gaza on Wednesday for 54 Palestinian prisoners returned by Israel under a ceasefire agreement, Anadolu reports. Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Deir al-Balah...

  Funeral held in Gaza for 54 prisoners returned by Israel under ceasefire deal

  

  A funeral procession was held in central Gaza on Wednesday for 54 Palestinian prisoners returned by Israel under a ceasefire agreement, Anadolu reports. Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Deir al-Balah city to bid farewell to the deceased prisoners, who could not be identified as their features were blurred as a result of torture. Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza Government Media Office, told a press conference that signs of torture, including hanging marks, ropes around necks, and close-range gunshot wounds, were visible on the bodies. Medical teams also documented hand- and foot-binding with plastic restraints, blindfolds, burns, fractures, and evidence of being run over by tank treads, he added. “These acts constitute conclusive evidence of field executions,” Thawabteh said, calling
• Israel deports 32 foreign activists for supporting Palestinian farmers against settler violence in West Bank

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Israel ordered the deportation of 32 foreign activists on Wednesday for their support to olive-harvesting Palestinians against settler violence in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. A statement by Interior...

  Israel deports 32 foreign activists for supporting Palestinian farmers against settler violence in West Bank

  

  Israel ordered the deportation of 32 foreign activists on Wednesday for their support to olive-harvesting Palestinians against settler violence in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. A statement by Interior Minister Yariv Levin and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the activists will be deported over suspicion of affiliation with “Union of Agricultural Work Committees,” a non-governmental organization that supports Palestinian farmers, during a protest last week. A 99-year entry ban has also been imposed on the activists, the statement said, without specifying the nationalities of the activists. The deportation order came upon a request from Yossi Dagan, the head of the Settlements Council in the northern West Bank. Founded in 1986, the “Union of Agricultural Work Committees” is the
• Iraqi premier, US secretary of state discuss commercial deals, regional issues

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke over the phone on Tuesday, and discussed American commercial deals in Iraq and regional security concerns,...

  Iraqi premier, US secretary of state discuss commercial deals, regional issues

  

  Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke over the phone on Tuesday, and discussed American commercial deals in Iraq and regional security concerns, the State Department said, Anadolu reports. Rubio and Sudani discussed efforts to finalize US trade agreements in Iraq, and the US top diplomat congratulated Iraqi prime minster for resuming oil exports via the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline, noting the move will benefit Iraqi, Turkish and American businesses. Rubio highlighted the “urgency in disarming Iran-backed militias that undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, threaten the lives and businesses of Americans and Iraqis, and pilfer Iraqi resources for Iran.” He reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to working closely with Iraqi partners on shared goals of protecting Iraqi sovereignty, strengthening
• Palestinian activist vows to keep fighting Trump administration’s bid to re-detain him

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil accused the Trump administration of seeking to silence pro-Palestine voices by trying to re-detain him, after his attorneys appeared Tuesday before the Third Circuit Court of...

  Palestinian activist vows to keep fighting Trump administration’s bid to re-detain him

  

  Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil accused the Trump administration of seeking to silence pro-Palestine voices by trying to re-detain him, after his attorneys appeared Tuesday before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia to challenge the legality of his detention, Anadolu reports. “We just finished a long hearing,” Khalil told reporters outside the court. “I feel confident, of course. The Trump administration is still trying to re-detain me. They’re trying to stop the federal court from looking at my case because they know they don’t have a case against me.” Khalil, 30, a Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate, is a lawful permanent resident married to a US citizen. He was detained in March without a warrant by immigration officers
• Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction to cost at least $216B: World Bank

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  War-torn Syria’s reconstruction costs are expected to range between $140 billion and $345 billion, with a conservative estimate of $216 billion, the World Bank said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The...

  Syria’s post-conflict reconstruction to cost at least $216B: World Bank

  

  War-torn Syria’s reconstruction costs are expected to range between $140 billion and $345 billion, with a conservative estimate of $216 billion, the World Bank said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The 13-year long civil war physically damaged $108 billion worth of structures and infrastructure, amounting to one-third of the nation’s gross capital stock (GCS), according to the development organization’s The Syrian Conflict: Physical Damage and Reconstruction Assessment (2011-2024) report. Infrastructure was the most severely damaged category, accounting for 48% of the total damage ($52 billion), followed by residential structures ($33 billion) and non-residential buildings ($23 billion). In terms of total destruction, the governorates of Aleppo, Rif Dimashq, and Homs suffered the most. “The damage and reconstruction cost estimates are presented in
• US vice president meets with Israeli premier to discuss Gaza ceasefire

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  US Vice President JD Vance met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Anadolu reports. According to a statement from...

  US vice president meets with Israeli premier to discuss Gaza ceasefire

  

  US Vice President JD Vance met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Anadolu reports. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, welcomed the US Vice President and his wife, Usha, to the premier’s office in Jerusalem. No further details were revealed regarding the content of the discussion. Vance is expected to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog following the talks with Netanyahu, according to Israeli media. The vice president arrived in Israel on Tuesday for a three-day visit to oversee the implementation of the truce that came into force on Oct. 10 in Gaza and discuss the second phase of US President
• UN agency reports continued destruction, forced displacement by Israel in occupied West Bank

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported Wednesday Israel’s continued destruction and forced displacement campaigns in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. “The future of Gaza and West Bank...

  UN agency reports continued destruction, forced displacement by Israel in occupied West Bank

  

  The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported Wednesday Israel’s continued destruction and forced displacement campaigns in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. “The future of Gaza and West Bank are one. A drawdown in Gaza should not become an opportunity to tighten the grip of occupation elsewhere,” the agency quoted Roland Friedrich, the director of UNRWA Affairs for the occupied West Bank, as saying on US social media company X. A ceasefire agreement took effect in Gaza on Oct. 10, based on a phased plan presented by US President Donald Trump. Friedrich pointed out a significant escalation of settler violence and settlement expansion across the West Bank, “pushing vulnerable Palestinian communities from their lands amid increasingly coercive conditions—paving the
• UN calls for more shelter aid for Gaza before winter

  by MI on October 22, 2025

  Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, has stressed the need to allow a much larger quantity of shelter materials into Gaza before the onset of winter. In a...

  UN calls for more shelter aid for Gaza before winter

  

  Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, has stressed the need to allow a much larger quantity of shelter materials into Gaza before the onset of winter. In a press statement on Tuesday, Haq said that relief organisations in Gaza continue to expand their activities in areas that were previously hard to reach. He added that 300 tents and 14,700 blankets have been distributed to displaced and needy families in Khan Younis. Haq reiterated the importance of increasing the amount of shelter aid entering Gaza before the start of the winter season and called on Israel to issue more permits allowing humanitarian organisations to deliver relief supplies.  He also noted that UN teams have managed to deliver 10,638 tonnes