Escalation in the Middle East: Hezbollah and Iran Face Crisis After Strikes in Beirut and Tehran

Thousands attended the procession in the streets of the Iranian capital, where top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s coffin was carried through the city in an ornate vehicle. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led funeral prayers in a well-attended service at Tehran University.

Two recent strikes in Beirut and Tehran, attributed to Israel, have shaken the Middle Eastern geopolitical landscape, targeting senior figures in Hamas and Hezbollah. These incidents mark significant breaches in security for Iran and Hezbollah, creating a delicate situation for both as they weigh their responses. The strikes, which resulted in the deaths of key … Read more

Hamas Agrees to Ceasefire Deal, Seeks Written Guarantees for Negotiations on Permanent Truce with Israel

Hamas, whose top Gazan official is Yahya Sinwar, would only release male hostages during the ceasefire deal’s second phase.

In a significant development, Hamas has agreed to a US-backed ceasefire agreement with Israel, signaling a potential pause in the nine-month-long conflict in Gaza. However, the deal comes with a critical stipulation: Hamas is demanding written guarantees that mediators will continue negotiations for a permanent truce once the initial phase of the plan is implemented. … Read more

Israel and Egypt Trade Blame Over Closure of Vital Gaza Crossing

Trucks waiting on an Egyptian road along the border with Israel, near the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, earlier this month.

The Rafah border crossing’s closure sparks tensions between Israel and Egypt, with each blaming the other. The closure exacerbates Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, hindering aid delivery and preventing people from leaving amid escalating conflict. Introduction Israel and Egypt Lock Horns Over Rafah Border Crossing Closure Tensions Over Closure Israel and Egypt find themselves embroiled in a … Read more

Netanyahu, Trapped by Hamas’ ‘Yes,’ Is Driving a Wedge Between Israel and the U.S.

Netanyahu speech proposal met with Democrats' skepticism.

Given the recent crisis in the talks, Israel was taken aback by Hamas’ revelation that it welcomes the proposed cease-fire accord. The political establishment in Israel is refuting the blatantly untrue allegations that US President Joe Biden has turned his back on Israel. Additionally, the IDF is stepping up its military pressure and conducting operations … Read more

Israel to close Al Jazeera news network in the country

Inspectors and police raid the Al Jazeera offices in Jerusalem, Israel, on May 5, 2024.

(CNN) — Al Jazeera’s national closure was ordered by Israel; the Qatar-based news organization referred to this as a “criminal act.” The government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, decided to close the incitement channel Al Jazeera in Israel, he stated in a post on X.   The decision would be “implemented immediately,” according to … Read more

Israel and Hamas dig in as international pressure builds for a cease-fire in Gaza

Israel and Hamas dig in as international pressure builds for a cease-fire in Gaza.

  JERUSALEM (AP) — The major ally of Israel, the United States, decided not to reject a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for a cease-fire in Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the decision on Tuesday. He pledged to continue the conflict and claimed that the resolution had given Hamas more confidence. … Read more

Israel-Gaza war: More than 100 reported killed in crowd near Gaza aid convoy

Israel-Gaza war: More than 100 reported killed in crowd near Gaza aid convoy At least 112 Palestinians are said to have been killed and 760 injured trying to get desperately needed aid in Gaza. In a tragic incident near Gaza City, a convoy of lorries carrying Egyptian aid faced a chaotic situation. Israeli tanks were … Read more

Israel strikes Rafah refugee camp, 37 killed, local health officials say

Displaced members of Palestinian Abu Mustafa family, who fled their house due to Israeli strikes, prepare food as they shelter at the border with Egypt, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, February 10, 2024.

  Feb. 12, DOHA/JERUSALEM  – Following US President Joe Biden’s directive to Israel not to assault Rafah without a solid strategy to protect civilians, Israeli strikes on the southern city of Gaza, Rafah, resulted in the deaths of 37 people and the injuries of numerous others, according to local health officials on Monday. Many Rafah … Read more