War in the Middle East

Once-Eradicated Polio Haunts a War-Torn Gaza
Once-Eradicated Polio Haunts a War-Torn Gaza

Gaza's first polio case in 25 years has sparked a challenging vaccination campaign amid ongoing conflict, with UN agencies preparing to vaccinate 640,000 children despite severe logistical obstacles. The Gaza Strip's first recorded polio case in 25 years has health workers and aid agencies grappling with the steep obstacles to conducting mass ...

Spotlight on UNIFIL: Everything You Need to Know
Spotlight on UNIFIL: Everything You Need to Know

With the renewal of the UNIFIL mandate set for August 29, This is Beirut provides a comprehensive overview of this international force governed by UN resolutions. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate is due for renewal on August 29, 2024. This annual process involves the Security Council voting to extend UNIFIL's mission ...

Biden Urges Netanyahu to Reach a Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Biden Urges Netanyahu to Reach a Gaza Ceasefire Deal

President Joe Biden on Wednesday pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas as talks on a truce faltered. The US and Israeli leaders spoke hours after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended a tour of the Middle East aimed at reaching an accord as tensions rise in the region. In a statement on ...

Netanyahu Asserts 'Readiness' for War with Hezbollah
Netanyahu Asserts 'Readiness' for War with Hezbollah

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated on Wednesday his "readiness for any scenario" amid the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah and its backer, Iran, against the backdrop of the Gaza war. United States President Joe Biden is expected to urge Netanyahu to ease his demands in the ceasefire deal in a phone call later tonight, an unnamed ...

War Diary: Day 320
War Diary: Day 320

From Gaza to Lebanon, This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the war between Hamas and Israel and its repercussions on the region. Here are the main highlights for August 21, 2024.

Israeli Strike on School Shelter Kills Two
Israeli Strike on School Shelter Kills Two

Gaza's civil defense agency said on Wednesday two people were killed and 10 children injured in the latest Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter, while the Israeli military reported it hit a Hamas command center. "Two martyrs were recovered and 15 injured, including 10 children" after Israeli planes struck the Salah al-Din school in Gaza ...

Crisis at the Philadelphi Corridor
Crisis at the Philadelphi Corridor

Negotiations for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel appear to have broken down. One of the reasons being the tight control over the Philadelphi Corridor. This buffer zone lies between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, and its control was taken over (from Egypt) by the Israelis last May. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that ...

Blinken Heads Home After Failing to Secure Ceasefire
Blinken Heads Home After Failing to Secure Ceasefire

Blinken leaves the Middle East after failing to secure a breakthrough in the latest high-stakes round of ceasefire negotiations. Top US diplomat Antony Blinken headed home on Wednesday after failing to secure a Gaza ceasefire, warning both Israel and Hamas his plan may be the last chance to avert a broader war. The US Secretary of State appealed ...

Israeli Strike Kills Fatah Official in Saida
Israeli Strike Kills Fatah Official in Saida

An Israeli drone targeted a vehicle in Saida late on Wednesday morning, killing Khalil al-Maqdah, a general in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Fatah's armed wing. According to preliminary information, the victim was on his way to the locality of Mieh-Mieh. Israeli Strike Kills Fatah Official in Saida pic.twitter.com/vJHoRR678F — This is Beirut ...

It Is Time for a Truce in Gaza, Says Blinken in Qatar
It Is Time for a Truce in Gaza, Says Blinken in Qatar

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken appealed Tuesday to Hamas urgently to accept a ceasefire plan to ease suffering in Gaza but also entered a public spat with Israel as he capped a new round of shuttle diplomacy. The US Secretary of State closed his ninth wartime trip to the region, in which he warned that the US-backed truce proposal may be the ...

War Diary: Day 319
War Diary: Day 319

From Gaza to Lebanon, This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the war between Hamas and Israel and its repercussions on the region. Here are the main highlights for August 20, 2024.