Israel Hamas War

Kerem Shalom Border Crossing Closed After Protests
Kerem Shalom Border Crossing Closed After Protests

Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing, used daily by trucks carrying humanitarian aid, was closed by demonstrators on Sunday, January 28. The Israeli army subsequently declared it a "closed military zone." Israeli protesters blocked humanitarian aid trucks from entering the war-torn Gaza Strip on Sunday, forcing the lorries to turn around at a border ...

Israeli Delegation in Paris for Talks on Hostage Release
Israeli Delegation in Paris for Talks on Hostage Release

A high-profile Israeli delegation arrived in Paris on Sunday for key negotiations on the release of abductees by Hamas on October 7, joining other international figures including Qatar, Egypt, and the US. The Israeli delegation, led by Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet head Ronan Bar,  will held talks in Paris on Sunday evening with the ...

Southern Lebanon: Anticipation and Extreme Caution
Southern Lebanon: Anticipation and Extreme Caution

A rather tense calm prevailed on Sunday morning in southern Lebanon, marked by anticipation and extreme caution. An Israeli drone targeted a commercial establishment, Bilal Ghayth Cooperative, at the intersection of Tayr Harfa – Jebbine in southern Lebanon early this morning, causing significant damage to it along with neighboring ...

Rai: We Don't Want to Be Scapegoats for a Culture of Death
Rai: We Don't Want to Be Scapegoats for a Culture of Death

More and more voices are being raised in Lebanon to denounce Hezbollah's actions, whose policy is based on "Iran and the resistance first" and "whatever is good for the resistance is good for Lebanon." During his Sunday sermon in Bkerke, Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai condemned the murderous and destructive venture into which the pro-Iranian ...

UN Chief Appeals Donors to Sustain Aid to Gaza
UN Chief Appeals Donors to Sustain Aid to Gaza

The UN chief urged donor states to ensure aid reaches Gaza after some halted funding to the UNRWA over accusations of staff involvement in the October 7 attacks, while the UN agency fired suspected members. While the row over accusations of some UNRWA's staff involvement in Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel deepened, UN chief António Guterres ...

Persistent Fighting in Khan Younis, New Mediation Efforts
Persistent Fighting in Khan Younis, New Mediation Efforts

The war between Israel and Hamas entered its 113th day on Saturday, January 27. While in Gaza, Khan Younes remains the epicenter of the fighting, the Israeli government is now lashing out at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). Deadly fighting between the Israeli army and Hamas raged on Saturday in the southern Gaza Strip, where ...

US-China Meeting in Bangkok on Iran and Taiwan
US-China Meeting in Bangkok on Iran and Taiwan

US and Chinese officials met in Bangkok, the Thai capital, on Saturday, January 27, to discuss areas of friction between the two powers. At the forefront were the issues of Iran and its Houthi ally in the Red Sea, as well as Taiwan. China's top diplomat Wang Yi and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held "candid, substantive" talks in ...

“Jewish-Muslim Peace Initiative” Launched in Srebrenica
“Jewish-Muslim Peace Initiative” Launched in Srebrenica

Jewish and Muslim representatives signed a peace initiative in Srebrenica, Bosnia, on Saturday, January 27. The town is infamous for the genocidal campaign waged by Bosnian Serb forces in 1995, which claimed some 8,000 victims. Jewish and Muslim dignitaries launched a passionate appeal for peace on Saturday from the Bosnian town of Srebrenica on ...

War Diary: Day 113
War Diary: Day 113

This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the situation in southern Lebanon and Gaza. Here are the main highlights for January 27, 2024.

Washington and Baghdad Discuss the Future of Coalition in Iraq
Washington and Baghdad Discuss the Future of Coalition in Iraq

Iraq and the United States began talks on the future of international coalition forces in Iraq on Saturday, January 27. This initiative occurs in an increasingly explosive regional climate, as coalition bases are regularly targeted by pro-Iranian armed groups. Iraq and the United States on Saturday held a first round of talks on the future of ...

New US Strikes Against Houthis After Tanker Targeted
New US Strikes Against Houthis After Tanker Targeted

US forces struck a Houthi site in West Yemen early on Saturday, January 27. Attacks by the Iranian-backed group keep disrupting shipping lines in the Red Sea. US forces struck an anti-ship missile in Houthi-held Yemen that they said was ready to fire Saturday, hours after the Iran-backed rebels caused a fire on a British tanker in the Gulf of ...

International Reactions to ICJ Ruling
International Reactions to ICJ Ruling

Reactions across the globe continued to pour in on Saturday, January 27, a day after the International Court of Justice handed down its verdict on Israel's accusations of genocide in Gaza. While Western reactions offer a mixed picture, the decision is generally well-received in the Arab world. International reactions poured in on Friday and ...