Palestine

Security Forces Given Free Rein to Pursue Hamas Military Wing

The Lebanese authorities—through the Higher Defense Council—have initiated a confrontation with the Palestinian movement Hamas, following the latter’s involvement in supporting Gaza from Lebanese territory under the full sponsorship of Hezbollah. While Lebanon has yet to address Hezbollah’s own weapons arsenal, it appears to be using the ...

Activists Say Israeli Drones Hit Aid Boat Heading for Gaza

A group of activists organizing an aid boat for Gaza said it was attacked on Friday by Israeli drones in international waters off Malta as they headed towards the Palestinian territory. "At 00:23 Maltese time, the Conscience, a Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship, came under direct attack in international waters," the group said in a ...

Gaza Humanitarian Work on 'Verge of Total Collapse': Red Cross

The Red Cross warned Friday that the humanitarian response in Gaza was on the "verge of total collapse" after two months of Israel blocking aid to the war-torn Palestinian territory. "Without an immediate resumption of aid deliveries, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will not have access to the food, medicines, and life-saving ...

Swiss Ban on Hamas Comes Into Force May 15

A Swiss ban on the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas will come into force on May 15, the federal government said Wednesday following a parliamentary vote at the end of 2024. The government's political and security committees submitted a motion to ban Hamas in October 2023, after the group's deadly attack on Israel that month, said a government ...

Top UN Court to Open Hearings on Israel’s Aid Obligation to Palestinians

The UN's top court will on Monday open a week of hearings on Israel's humanitarian obligations towards Palestinians, more than 50 days into its total blockade on aid entering war-ravaged Gaza. United Nations representatives will start the five days of sittings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague at 10:00 am (0800 GMT), followed by ...

Conflicts spur 'unprecedented' rise in military spending

Worldwide military expenditure saw its steepest rise in 2024 since the end of the Cold War, reaching $2.7 trillion as wars and rising tensions drove up spending, researchers said Monday. Military spending rose worldwide with particularly large increases in Europe and the Middle East, according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace ...

Palestinian President Abbas Appoints Aide as Potential Successor

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appointed a close aide as the first ever vice president of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Saturday, positioning him as a potential successor to the veteran leader. Hussein al-Sheikh was appointed by Abbas, 89, after the vice presidency position was created during a convention held in Ramallah ...

Hamas Official says Group Open to Freeing Hostages, Five-Year Truce in Gaza

Hamas is open to an agreement to end the Gaza war that would include the one-time release of all remaining hostages and a five-year cessation of hostilities, an official from the Palestinian group said Saturday. "Hamas is ready for an exchange of prisoners in a single batch and a truce for five years," the official told AFP on condition ...

Israel Says Intercepted Missile From Yemen, Drone 'From The East'

Israel's military said Saturday it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, whose Huthi rebels have launched attacks throughout the Gaza war, as well as a drone approaching "from the east". "Following the sirens that sounded recently in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted" before "crossing into ...

Abbas Urges Hamas to Free Gaza Hostages as Israeli Strikes Kill 18

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday urged Hamas to free all hostages in Gaza, saying their captivity provided Israel with "excuses" to attack the territory, as rescuers recovered charred bodies from an Israeli strike. At least 18 people were killed across the Gaza Strip by Israeli strikes, while Germany, France and Britain urged ...

Germany, France, UK Say Israel’s Gaza Aid Blockade ‘Must End’

Germany, France and Britain on Wednesday called on Israel to stop blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning of "an acute risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death". "This must end," their foreign ministers said in a joint statement. "We urge Israel to immediately re-start a rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to ...