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

• UN documents Israeli violations in Syria, calls for accountability

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The United Nations is closely monitoring the situation in Syria, particularly the escalation of violence, and continues to document serious violations, including those related to Israeli actions, a UN official...

  UN documents Israeli violations in Syria, calls for accountability

  

  The United Nations is closely monitoring the situation in Syria, particularly the escalation of violence, and continues to document serious violations, including those related to Israeli actions, a UN official said, Anadolu reports. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed these concerns during the UN Geneva Office’s weekly press briefing on Friday. “We are following very closely the situation in Syria, including an escalation of violence. We have been continuing to document serious violations, including with regard to Israeli conduct in Syria, as well as ethnic tensions in different parts of Syria,” Shamdasani said. Shamdasani emphasized: “We are also continuing to push for accountability for the violations that have been committed.” The
• Microsoft fires 4 employees after protest over Israel ties, break-in at Washington office

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Microsoft has fired four employees in response to a protest over the company’s alleged ties to Israel, with two more dismissed after a break-in at President and Vice-Chair Brad Smith’s...

  Microsoft fires 4 employees after protest over Israel ties, break-in at Washington office

  

  Microsoft has fired four employees in response to a protest over the company’s alleged ties to Israel, with two more dismissed after a break-in at President and Vice-Chair Brad Smith’s office at the company’s Redmond headquarters in Washington state, Anadolu reports. “Two additional employees were terminated due to serious violations of established company policies and our code of conduct,” a Microsoft spokesperson told CBS News on Thursday. The company had announced the initial two firings in relation to the event on Wednesday. Now totaling four, the firings followed a demonstration on Tuesday by seven current and former employees at the company’s Redmond headquarters in Washington state. The activists, affiliated with the group No Azure for Apartheid, entered Smith’s office to
• US blocks Palestinian officials from attending UNGA as countries prepare to recognize Palestine

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The US has revoked visas for Palestinian officials, barring them from attending next month’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, a move that comes as several Western countries...

  US blocks Palestinian officials from attending UNGA as countries prepare to recognize Palestine

  

  The US has revoked visas for Palestinian officials, barring them from attending next month’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, a move that comes as several Western countries prepare to recognize a Palestinian state, Anadolu reports. “In accordance with US law, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is denying and revoking visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the  Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly,” the State Department said in a statement on Friday. It said that the PA Mission to the UN will receive waivers per the UN Headquarters Agreement. The agency accused PLO and PA of failing to repudiate terrorism, inciting violence, and pursuing “international lawfare campaigns” through the
• Russia urges Israel to abandon E1 settlement plan, warning it threatens two-state solution

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Friday expressed hope Israel will abandon its E1 settlement plan, which suggests the expansion of East Jerusalem by creating a physical link between...

  Russia urges Israel to abandon E1 settlement plan, warning it threatens two-state solution

  

  Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Friday expressed hope Israel will abandon its E1 settlement plan, which suggests the expansion of East Jerusalem by creating a physical link between the city of Ma’ale Adumim, occupied West Bank and Jerusalem. Responding to a question from Anadolu at a press briefing in Moscow, Zakharova described the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories as “developing in an extremely negative direction.” “This cannot help but cause grave concern, serious concern, which we comment on virtually every briefing,” she said. The spokeswoman stressed that building in the E1 area would prevent the territorial continuity of a Palestinian state, which is an essential condition for its viability according to the international legal framework for Middle
• Direct road transport between Turkiye, Syria resumes after 13 years

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The direct road transport between Turkiye and Syria restarted after a 13-year pause, Turkiye’s transport minister announced on Friday, Anadolu reports. “After a 13-year hiatus, direct international road transport between...

  Direct road transport between Turkiye, Syria resumes after 13 years

  

  The direct road transport between Turkiye and Syria restarted after a 13-year pause, Turkiye’s transport minister announced on Friday, Anadolu reports. “After a 13-year hiatus, direct international road transport between Turkiye and Syria has resumed. Yesterday, four trucks passed through the Cilvegozu Border Gate, traveling from Mersin to Aleppo, and three trucks from Idlib to Mersin,” Abdulkadir Uraloglu said in a statement. He noted that the road transport between the two countries has been carried out in transit for “some time.” Uraloglu stated that transportation operations in Syria came to a complete halt due to the civil unrest that began in 2011. For years, cargo at the border crossing had been transported through transshipment. The minister explained that they initiated
• Gaza death toll tops 63,000 as 5 more Palestinians die of starvation

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  At least 63,025 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, as five more people died of starvation in the enclave, the Health...

  Gaza death toll tops 63,000 as 5 more Palestinians die of starvation

  

  At least 63,025 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, as five more people died of starvation in the enclave, the Health Ministry said on Friday, Anadolu reports. A ministry statement said that 59 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 224 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 159,490 in the Israeli onslaught. “Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added. The ministry also noted that 23 Palestinians were killed and over 182 others injured by Israeli army fire while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the
• Gaza hospitals receiving large number of Palestinians with symptoms of unidentified illness: Health Ministry

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The Palestinian Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip announced on Friday that a large number of Palestinians have been arriving at hospitals and medical points in recent days with symptoms...

  Gaza hospitals receiving large number of Palestinians with symptoms of unidentified illness: Health Ministry

  

  The Palestinian Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip announced on Friday that a large number of Palestinians have been arriving at hospitals and medical points in recent days with symptoms of an unidentified illness, Anadolu reports. The symptoms, according to Health Ministry Director-General Munir al-Bursh, are high fever, joint pain, a runny nose, coughing, and diarrhea. Al-Bursh emphasized that, despite living in the 21st century, Gaza lacks basic medical facilities for diagnosing the condition, such as laboratories and the ability to perform simple blood tests. Medical staff are forced to provide treatment under extremely primitive conditions due to the ongoing Israeli blockade and resource shortages. Al-Bursh described instances in which bricks are used to immobilize broken limbs instead of medical
• European ministers condemn Israel’s new offensive in Gaza, warn of famine, civilian suffering

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The foreign ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain on Friday strongly condemned Israel’s latest offensive in the Gaza Strip and its announcement to establish a permanent presence...

  European ministers condemn Israel’s new offensive in Gaza, warn of famine, civilian suffering

  

  The foreign ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain on Friday strongly condemned Israel’s latest offensive in the Gaza Strip and its announcement to establish a permanent presence in Gaza City, Anadolu Agency reports. In a joint statement, the ministers warned that intensifying military operations would put the lives of hostages held by Hamas at risk and cause “intolerable” civilian deaths, including among women, children, and the elderly. They also denounced the forced displacement of Palestinians, calling it “a flagrant violation of international law.” “The systematic destruction of essential civilian infrastructure, including locations serving as refuge for extremely vulnerable displaced civilians, is unacceptable,” the statement said, urging Israel to cease operations immediately. READ: Famine claims 5 more lives in
• Thousands in Dhaka march in solidarity with Gaza

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Thousands of people in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka marched on August 29, after Friday prayers at the Baitul Mukarram Mosque, calling for an end to the war in Gaza and urging...

  Thousands in Dhaka march in solidarity with Gaza

  

  Thousands of people in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka marched on August 29, after Friday prayers at the Baitul Mukarram Mosque, calling for an end to the war in Gaza and urging Muslim leaders to unite against Israel, Anadolu reports. Following the prayers, religious leaders read out a 10-point declaration addressed to the international community and the United Nations, demanding an immediate halt to what they described as massacres in Gaza and calling on Muslim nations to stand together in defense of Palestinians.. Israel has killed at least 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
• Allowing Israeli attacks in Gaza to set entire region ablaze: Turkish foreign minister

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Friday that Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza and across Palestine threaten to engulf the entire region in conflict, if not stopped, Anadolu reports. Speaking...

  Allowing Israeli attacks in Gaza to set entire region ablaze: Turkish foreign minister

  

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Friday that Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza and across Palestine threaten to engulf the entire region in conflict, if not stopped, Anadolu reports. Speaking at an extraordinary session of the Turkish parliament on Gaza, Fidan said Israel has been “committing genocide in Gaza for the past two years, ignoring basic humanitarian values right before the world’s eyes.” He said Türkiye has cut off all trade with Israel, closed its airspace to Israeli aircraft, and does not allow Turkish ships to go to Israeli ports. Fidan added that Ankara opposes any proposal that envisions the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, calling such plans “invalid.” He said the atrocities committed in Gaza “have been recorded as
• Famine claims 5 more lives in Israel-blockaded Gaza

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Five more Palestinians died from malnutrition caused by a choking Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, a health official said Friday, Anadolu reports. Munir al-Bursh,...

  Famine claims 5 more lives in Israel-blockaded Gaza

  

  Five more Palestinians died from malnutrition caused by a choking Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, a health official said Friday, Anadolu reports. Munir al-Bursh, the director general of Gaza’s Health Ministry, said through the US social media company X that the new fatalities brought the death toll since October 2023 to 322, including 121 children. Famine has been confirmed in the Gaza Governorate of the strip, and is projected to expand to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis governorates by the end of September, according to the global hunger monitor Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Since IPC declared famine in Gaza, 44 people, including six children, have starved to death, noted Bursh. READ: FAO: 1,000
• UN urges Iran to halt executions

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Iranian authorities have executed at least 841 people since the beginning of the year, the UN said on Friday, urging the government of Iran not to implement the death penalty,...

  UN urges Iran to halt executions

  

  Iranian authorities have executed at least 841 people since the beginning of the year, the UN said on Friday, urging the government of Iran not to implement the death penalty, Anadolu reports. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Office of Human Rights, at a weekly press briefing in Geneva, said Iran has ignored multiple calls to join the worldwide movement towards abolition of the death penalty. “Iranian authorities executed 110 people in July alone. This is more than twice the number executed in July of last year and follows a major increase in executions during the first half of 2025,” Shamdasani said. READ: Australia expels Iranian envoy, claims Tehran of directing antisemitic attacks “The high number of executions indicates a systematic
• Israel conducts intensive air, ground operations in southern Syria

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Israeli military activity intensified on Friday in southern Syria with warplanes flying over the Quneitra and Daraa provinces and ground forces entering Syrian territory, local sources reported, Anadolu reports. Syrian...

  Israel conducts intensive air, ground operations in southern Syria

  

  Israeli military activity intensified on Friday in southern Syria with warplanes flying over the Quneitra and Daraa provinces and ground forces entering Syrian territory, local sources reported, Anadolu reports. Syrian state media Alikhbariah reported that Israeli military vehicles advanced into Eastern Samadaniyah village in the Quneitra countryside, raiding a residential home. No immediate information was available on casualties. The incursions mark a continuation of Israel’s repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty, which have included airstrikes and ground operations in the south of the country. Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last December, Israel has launched hundreds of strikes targeting military sites and assets across Syria, including fighter jets, missile systems and air defense installations, according to reports. Israel also
• Hollywood stars back film on the tragedy of Gaza’s Hind Rajab

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Several Hollywood actors have joined the production of the film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which tells the story of the five-year-old girl killed along with her family by the...

  Hollywood stars back film on the tragedy of Gaza’s Hind Rajab

  

  Several Hollywood actors have joined the production of the film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which tells the story of the five-year-old girl killed along with her family by the Israeli army in Gaza in January 2024. The film will premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The US news site Deadline reported that Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, “Roma” filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, and “The Zone of Interest” director Jonathan Glazer are among those taking part in the production of the film, directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, who has previously been nominated for an Oscar. The film recounts the final hours of Hind’s life, when she and six relatives were killed on 29 January 2024 after Israeli forces struck the car, they had sought refuge in,
• Yemen’s Houthis deny Israeli strike targeted leaders in Sana’a

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The Yemeni Houthi group firmly denied on Thursday media reports claiming that an Israeli airstrike struck a meeting of its leaders in the capital, Sana’a. Nasr al-Din Amer, head of the...

  Yemen’s Houthis deny Israeli strike targeted leaders in Sana’a

  

  The Yemeni Houthi group firmly denied on Thursday media reports claiming that an Israeli airstrike struck a meeting of its leaders in the capital, Sana’a. Nasr al-Din Amer, head of the Houthi-led media authority, stated, “What we are witnessing is an assault on civilian targets and an attack on the Yemeni people as a whole, stemming from their support for Gaza, which is currently enduring genocide and starvation in full view of the international community.”He reaffirmed that Yemeni solidarity with Gaza and the Palestinian resistance would persist until Israeli aggression ceases and the blockade on Gaza is lifted. Earlier on Thursday, Israel’s Channel 14 reported that Israeli aircraft conducted a significant strike on Sana’a, allegedly targeting high-ranking Houthi leaders. The Israeli army
• Cholera outbreak worsens in Sudan’s Darfur as war-shattered health system collapses

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  A fast-spreading cholera outbreak is worsening in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region, where the collapse of the health sector and deteriorating humanitarian conditions are leaving civilians without treatment or prevention, local...

  Cholera outbreak worsens in Sudan’s Darfur as war-shattered health system collapses

  

  A fast-spreading cholera outbreak is worsening in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region, where the collapse of the health sector and deteriorating humanitarian conditions are leaving civilians without treatment or prevention, local monitors and aid groups warned Friday, Anadolu reports. At least 8,569 infections and 361 deaths have been recorded in Darfur as of Wednesday, according to the General Coordination of Refugees and Displaced People. Most of the victims are women and children. The outbreak has hit hardest in overcrowded displacement camps and besieged towns. Tawila in North Darfur reported the highest caseload, with 4,850 cases, while Jebel Marra’s Golo area recorded 1,290 infections. In Kalma camp, 435 cases and 64 deaths were confirmed, alongside dozens more in Otash and other camps.
• UK bars Israeli officials from major defense expo in London

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The British government has barred Israeli officials from attending a leading defense conference in London next month amid ongoing criticism of Israel’s genocidal conduct in Gaza, Anadolu reports. Israel’s Ministry...

  UK bars Israeli officials from major defense expo in London

  

  The British government has barred Israeli officials from attending a leading defense conference in London next month amid ongoing criticism of Israel’s genocidal conduct in Gaza, Anadolu reports. Israel’s Ministry of Defense has previously sent senior representatives to DSEI, a vast exhibition of weapons and military equipment held in the UK every year. But a UK government spokesman told Politico on Thursday that no Israeli delegation would be invited this year. “The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong. As a result, we can confirm that no Israeli government delegation will be invited to attend DSEI UK 2025,” the spokesman said. Israel’s Defense Ministry later said it would not participate in the event following
• UN votes to dismantle Lebanon peacekeeping force amid Israeli hostility and US pressure

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The United Nations Security Council has voted to end the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), bowing to pressure from the US and its ally Israel, which has long sought...

  UN votes to dismantle Lebanon peacekeeping force amid Israeli hostility and US pressure

  

  The United Nations Security Council has voted to end the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), bowing to pressure from the US and its ally Israel, which has long sought to terminate the peacekeeping mission. Thursday’s unanimous resolution renews the mandate one final time, until 31 December, 2026, after which the nearly 11,000-strong mission will be withdrawn in an “orderly and safe drawdown.” The resolution marks the beginning of the end for a force originally deployed in 1978 to monitor Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon. For decades, UNIFIL has operated as a buffer between Israeli occupation forces and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, documenting violations by both sides along the UN-drawn Blue Line. Its expanded post-2006 mandate tasked the mission with
• Rights group: 55 Palestinian journalists detained in Israeli occupation prisons

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) reported Thursday that Israeli occupation forces are intensifying their targeting of Palestinian journalists, with the number of detainees now rising to 55. This figure includes...

  Rights group: 55 Palestinian journalists detained in Israeli occupation prisons

  

  The Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) reported Thursday that Israeli occupation forces are intensifying their targeting of Palestinian journalists, with the number of detainees now rising to 55. This figure includes 50 journalists apprehended since the onset of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, among whom is one female journalist. The PPS highlighted that since October 2023, Israel has implemented an unprecedented strategy of targeting media professionals with arrests and harassment. In total, 197 journalists have been detained or briefly held since the beginning of the genocide, with the most recent detainment being journalist Usaid Ammarneh, arrested on Wednesday night. The prisoners’ rights group emphasised that Israel’s systematic targeting of journalists aims to silence those reporting on its crimes, control media coverage,
• Israeli occupation forces raid six schools in Hebron, detain teachers

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Israeli occupation forces raided six schools in the city of Hebron, south of the occupied West Bank, on Thursday and detained a number of teachers, ahead of the school academic...

  Israeli occupation forces raid six schools in Hebron, detain teachers

  

  Israeli occupation forces raided six schools in the city of Hebron, south of the occupied West Bank, on Thursday and detained a number of teachers, ahead of the school academic year slated for 1 September. Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that the Israeli occupation forces raided and searched the six schools in the Sheikh neighbourhood and the southern area of ​​Hebron, seizing photos and educational textbooks, detaining teachers during the raid. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education condemned the Israeli occupation forces’ storming of the schools, detaining and assaulting a number of teachers. The ministry affirmed that these practices constitute a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian laws, particularly the conventions protecting education, and are a continuation of the
• Israeli army declares Gaza City ‘dangerous combat zone’

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  The Israeli army on Friday declared Gaza City, home to nearly one million Palestinians, a “dangerous combat zone,” effectively removing any temporary pauses in military activity in the area, according...

  Israeli army declares Gaza City ‘dangerous combat zone’

  

  The Israeli army on Friday declared Gaza City, home to nearly one million Palestinians, a “dangerous combat zone,” effectively removing any temporary pauses in military activity in the area, according to an army statement, Anadolu reports. The declaration, issued by the Israeli army, comes despite the densely populated nature of the city and ongoing humanitarian crises. The army said it would continue offensive operations against “terrorist organizations” while claiming to support humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip. In response, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned that “an intensified military operation in Gaza City would put around 1 million people at risk of being forcibly displaced again.” READ: Moroccan politician calls on Arab, Muslim leaders to save Gaza, open crossings
• Ceasefire intransigence: Palestinian prisoners and Israeli reluctance

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Even as ceasefire proposals aimed at ensuring a long-term cessation of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza go through the motions of indirect exchange, a major sticking point remains the issue...

  Ceasefire intransigence: Palestinian prisoners and Israeli reluctance

  

  Even as ceasefire proposals aimed at ensuring a long-term cessation of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza go through the motions of indirect exchange, a major sticking point remains the issue of high-profile Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Indeed, the fraught history of prisoner exchanges with Palestinians have always been perceived by the nuclear-capable entity as one of its cruellest dilemmas.  The moral weight of needing to release its citizens from captivity has long collided with the hard calculus of its national security and deterrence. In 2011, Israel freed 1027 prisoners–including Yahya Sinwar–for the return of one captured soldier, Gilad Shalit.  Yet even if many Israelis cheered that exchange deal at the time, just as many also feared it would
• Netanyahu condemns attack on army chief’s home, calls for prosecuting protesters

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned acts of vandalism targeting the home of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. In a statement released by his office on X, Netanyahu said:...

  Netanyahu condemns attack on army chief’s home, calls for prosecuting protesters

  

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned acts of vandalism targeting the home of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. In a statement released by his office on X, Netanyahu said: “I condemn the vandalism of Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir’s home by extremist protestors.”  He added: “The IDF, led by the Chief of Staff, is acting with morality and determination to defeat Hamas and return all our hostages. Netanyahu stressed that any attempt to harm the army and its commanders must be denounced, calling on security authorities to bring those behind what he described as a “criminal act” to justice. Dozens of protesters gathered outside Zamir’s home to demand an end to the war in Gaza and to stop targeting civilians
• Iran drafts urgent bill to withdraw from nuclear treaty

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Iran’s parliament on Thursday began drafting an urgent bill to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in response to a move by the UK, France and Germany to reimpose...

  Iran drafts urgent bill to withdraw from nuclear treaty

  

  Iran’s parliament on Thursday began drafting an urgent bill to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in response to a move by the UK, France and Germany to reimpose UN sanctions on the country over its nuclear programme. Speaking to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, Iranian lawmakerHossein Ali Haji Deligani, said the draft would be submitted to parliament’s internal system tomorrow, before being placed on the agenda for open sessions next week, where it will undergo discussion and voting.  The three European powers, known as the E3, announced on Wednesday that they had triggered the “snapback mechanism”, a process under the 2015 nuclear deal that allows UN sanctions on Iran to be automatically reimposed if Tehran is judged to have
• Egypt dismisses Israeli leaks on moving Gaza negotiations

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has responded to Israeli claims about moving the venue of negotiations on a Gaza truce and the exchange of prisoners and detainees, saying only official...

  Egypt dismisses Israeli leaks on moving Gaza negotiations

  

  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has responded to Israeli claims about moving the venue of negotiations on a Gaza truce and the exchange of prisoners and detainees, saying only official positions are taken into account. He explained that some leaks serve as a “test balloon,” adding: “We do not consider what is leaked in the media, as many of these are incorrect and often test balloons.” He stressed that, so far, Egypt has not received any clear or decisive response to the current proposal, which Hamas has already accepted. Abdelatty said he discussed with his Qatari counterpart, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, “the joint efforts of both countries to save innocent Palestinian lives, end the suffering, and reach an immediate ceasefire.” He
• Moroccan politician calls on Arab, Muslim leaders to save Gaza, open crossings

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Abdelilah Benkirane, Secretary-General of Morocco’s Justice and Development Party, on Thursday urged Arab and Muslim leaders to take urgent action to open the crossings and rescue the Gaza Strip from...

  Moroccan politician calls on Arab, Muslim leaders to save Gaza, open crossings

  

  Abdelilah Benkirane, Secretary-General of Morocco’s Justice and Development Party, on Thursday urged Arab and Muslim leaders to take urgent action to open the crossings and rescue the Gaza Strip from the ongoing Israeli blockade. In a video message posted on his Facebook account, Benkirane said: “All forms of solidarity with Gaza have become an individual duty for every person,” stressing that both religious and humanitarian responsibility require practical steps to support the Palestinian people in the face of aggression and blockade. READ: Egypt, Qatar vow to block forced displacement of Palestinians, push for Gaza ceasefire
• Former Muslim Brotherhood leader Ali Bayanouni returns to Syria

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Ali Sadr al-Din al-Bayanouni, the former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, has returned to his country after more than four decades in exile, most of which he spent...

  Former Muslim Brotherhood leader Ali Bayanouni returns to Syria

  

  Ali Sadr al-Din al-Bayanouni, the former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria, has returned to his country after more than four decades in exile, most of which he spent in London since the 1980s following a major dispute between the group and the ousted Syrian regime. Bayanouni, one of the most prominent figures in the movement, served as the group’s leader from 1996 to 2010 before handing over the position to Mohammed Riad al-Shakfa. His return took place quietly through Aleppo International Airport, where he was received by relatives, close friends and supporters. According to people close to him, his homecoming was in line with conditions set by the Syrian authorities, which allow only “individual” returns, separate from any
• “Greater Israel”: A huge challenge to Arab national security

  by MI on August 29, 2025

  Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister recently declared unwavering commitment to the vision of a “Greater Israel”. He explicitly links Israel’s future to a project that extends beyond its current...

  “Greater Israel”: A huge challenge to Arab national security

  

  Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister recently declared unwavering commitment to the vision of a “Greater Israel”. He explicitly links Israel’s future to a project that extends beyond its current borders into neighbouring Arab lands. As the Israeli street has decisively turned towards to the right, the remarks of Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving leader, carried unusual weight. The significance of these remarks was underscored by the US President Donald Trump’s earlier comment that Israel is “too small”; a suggestion that its borders must expand. This is a view that is often reflected in the thinking within decision making circles in Washington.  Regional responses to Netanyahu’s remarks have been swift. Governments condemned his framing of the “Greater Israel” project as both
• Slovenia denounces bombing of Gaza, accuses Israel of pursuing ‘policy of starvation’

  by MI on August 28, 2025

  Slovenia reiterated its strong opposition to Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza, calling them “genocide” and accusing Tel Aviv of using famine as a policy, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the 29th annual...

  Slovenia denounces bombing of Gaza, accuses Israel of pursuing ‘policy of starvation’

  

  Slovenia reiterated its strong opposition to Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza, calling them “genocide” and accusing Tel Aviv of using famine as a policy, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the 29th annual Consultation of Slovenian Diplomacy in the capital Ljubljana, Prime Minister Robert Golob said that his country’s voice on Gaza “can make a difference.” “We have prepared measures that send a clear message, and if other European countries followed suit, the situation could change today,” he noted. Earlier, Golob described Slovenia’s decision to recognize the state of Palestine as one of the most significant and noble foreign policy actions in its history. The Slovenian parliament officially recognized Palestine as a sovereign and independent state on June 4, 2024, in line with
• Aid cuts could leave 4 African countries without child malnutrition food, warns NGO

  by MI on August 28, 2025

  At least four African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan, are under the risk of running out of ready-to-use emergency food for children facing acute malnutrition in the...

  Aid cuts could leave 4 African countries without child malnutrition food, warns NGO

  

  At least four African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan, are under the risk of running out of ready-to-use emergency food for children facing acute malnutrition in the next three months due to aid cuts, Save the Children warned on Thursday, Anadolu reports. These countries face severe Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) shortages due to funding cuts and facility closures, the UK-based non-governmental organization (NGO) said in a statement. RUTF is a vitamin- and mineral-fortified peanut paste mixed with dry milk products. Recognized by aid organizations, it is considered a critical tool in treating children suffering from severe malnutrition. A global decline in nutrition funding is expected to leave 15.6 million people across 18 countries, including more than 2.3 million