gaza

Palestinians in Gaza 'Deserve More than Survival,' says UN envoy

Palestinians living in Gaza "deserve more than survival," the United Nations envoy for the Middle East told the Security Council on Wednesday, as Israel's war there enters its 600th day. Israel stepped up its military offensive in Gaza, ignited by an attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023, earlier this month, while ...

Thousands Rush into New Aid Distribution Center in South Gaza

Thousands of Palestinians rushed into a new aid distribution center run by a US-backed group in southern Gaza on Tuesday, AFP journalists reported, leading to chaotic scenes as Israel implemented a new distribution system. The incident in Rafah came days after the partial easing of a total aid blockade on the territory that Israel imposed since ...

UN in the Dark over Gaza Aid Group Deliveries

The United Nations said on Tuesday it had no information on whether the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed aid group, had actually delivered any supplies inside the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. The little-known group, which has stirred controversy since surfacing in early May, announced on Monday it had begun distributing ...

Palestinian Official Says Hamas Agrees to Gaza Proposal, Israel Dismisses It

Conflicting statements emerged Monday after a Palestinian official claimed that Hamas had accepted a Gaza ceasefire proposal attributed to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff—an assertion later denied by both Israel and Witkoff himself. A Palestinian official close to Hamas told Reuters that the group had agreed to a proposal received through ...

Hamas Source Says Group Accepts Mediators' Latest Gaza Ceasefire Proposal

A Hamas source said the group had accepted a Gaza ceasefire proposal presented by mediators that reportedly involves the releasing of 10 hostages in two batches and a 70-day truce. The outline of the new potential deal was revealed as Israel ramped up its offensive in the Palestinian territory and follows previous rounds of talks that have failed ...

Israel Reconfigures Northern Border Defenses

Six months after the November 2024 ceasefire with Lebanon, Israel is adjusting its military deployment along the northern frontier, signaling a shift toward a more routine defensive posture. According to Israeli military radio, the Israeli Army Northern Command has reassigned control of the Lebanese border to the 91st Division, also known as the ...

Israel Military Says Intercepted Missile Fired From Yemen

Air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem, where AFP journalists reported loud booms overhead, as the Israeli military announced it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen Thursday for the second time in less than 12 hours. "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was ...

Maronite Bishops Urge Peace, Reform, Local Development in Lebanon

During their monthly meeting held on Wednesday in Bkerke, presided over by Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, the Maronite bishops declared that Lebanon is facing a rare opportunity for recovery, one that must not be missed. In their closing statement, the bishops urged Lebanese officials to take tangible steps to restore state authority and ...

Pope Calls for 'Sufficient Humanitarian Aid' into Gaza

Pope Leo XIV called Wednesday for sufficient humanitarian aid to be allowed into war-ravaged Gaza, where humanitarian agencies say a total blockade has sparked critical food and medicine shortages. "The situation in the Gaza Strip is worrying and painful," the pope said during his first weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square. "I renew my ...

EU to Review Cooperation Deal with Israel over Gaza

The European Union on Tuesday agreed to review its cooperation deal with Israel over alleged human rights abuses in Gaza, the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said. Kallas said Brussels was acting after "a strong majority" of its 27 member states backed the move in a meeting of EU foreign ministers in a bid to pressure ...