Friday, December 19, 2025

Middle East

Gaza death toll surges past 66,000

At least 66,005 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry in the besieged and bombardment enclave announced on Sunday.

No proposal received from mediators for Gaza ceasefire: Hamas

The Palestinian group Hamas announced Sunday that it has not received any new Gaza ceasefire proposal from mediators, stressing its readiness to discuss any proposals.

UN lists over 150 firms tied to illegal Israeli settlements

The United Nations has released a report, revealing that more than 150 companies are profiting from Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise in the occupied West Bank.

‘Intense’ negotiations underway on Gaza: Trump

US President Donald Trump has stated that "we are having very inspired and productive discussions with the Middle Eastern Community concerning Gaza".

Israel-Syria negotiations collapse: Reuters

Talks between Israel and Syria have “hit a last-minute snag” over the former’s demand that it be allowed a secure conduit on Syrian territory, several Reuters sources have stated.

Over 2,500 Palestinians killed while seeking food aid in Gaza: Report

Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has affirmed that Israeli soldiers have killed more than 2,500 Palestinians in recent months while they tried to access food aid in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands remain trapped amid acute famine.

Several countries, including US, developing copies of Iran’s Shahed drone: WSJ

Several Western states have begun manufacturing copies of Iran’s Shahed drone, which are not expensive but efficient and accurate, a leading American daily reports.

US pushes 21-point Gaza plan with ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, new administration: Report

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, presented Arab and Muslim leaders with a 21-point plan in New York this week to end the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip and establish a post-Hamas governing framework, Axios news website reported.

Syria’s president urges end to all sanctions in his first UN speech

Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has called for the lifting of international sanctions against Damascus in his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, becoming the country’s first head of state to speak at the gathering in nearly 60 years.

One million Syrian refugees returned home since al-Assad’s overthrow: UN

The United Nations has announced that one million Syrian refugees have returned to their country since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad last December, while warning that funding for humanitarian operations is falling.

Yemen’s Houthis conduct drone attack on Israel’s Eilat, wounding 22

Israel’s military announced that a drone launched from Yemen has struck the southern city of Eilat, and rescuers report that at least 22 people are wounded, including two in serious condition.

Syria, Israel close to ‘de-escalation’ agreement: US envoy

US Special Envoy Tom Barrack has stated that Syria and Israel are close to signing a “de-escalation” deal, according to local media.

Activists say Gaza aid flotilla hit by drone attacks and explosions

Organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a Gaza-bound flotilla with pro-Palestinian activists on board carrying aid, reported hearing blasts and seeing multiple drone attacks from their boats situated off Greece from late Tuesday to the early hours of Wednesday.

Meeting with Muslim nations on Gaza was ‘very successful’: US

US President Donald Trump has praised a "very successful" multilateral meeting on the Gaza Strip he held with select leaders of Muslim-majority nations.

Netanyahu dreams of turning Arab region into Israeli sphere of influence: Qatar’s emir

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to turn the Arab region into “an Israeli sphere of influence.”

Lebanon urges end to Israeli attacks, withdrawal from its territory

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for an immediate halt to Israeli attacks, the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Lebanese territory and the release of Lebanese prisoners.

Israel shuts crossing that connects West Bank to Jordan

Israel has ordered the indefinite closure of the King Hussein Bridge, also known as the Allenby Bridge, stopping the passage of goods and people through the only gateway between the occupied West Bank and Jordan, Palestinian authorities announced.

Israel seeks permanent Gaza control, Jewish majority in West Bank: UN Report

Israeli soldiers have “systematically destroyed” civil life across the Gaza Strip since October 2023, while demonstrating a “clear intent” to forcibly remove Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, effectively preventing any possibility of a future Palestinian state, according to a new UN report released on the opening day of the annual General Assembly meeting.

Trump urges Gaza war to end ‘immediately’

United States President Donald Trump has told the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that the war in the Gaza Strip must stop immediately, while calling the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood by several Western countries a “reward” for Hamas.

France among six more states to formally recognise Palestinian statehood

The leaders of six countries have moved to recognise Palestinian statehood at a high-level summit ahead of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York.

Syria sets October date for first election since al-Assad’s overthrow

Syria will elect a new People’s Assembly on October 5, the first parliament to be chosen since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad late last year.

Israeli PM says that a Palestinian state ‘will not happen’

A Palestinian state will never be established west of the Jordan River, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated in response to nations that have recently recognized Palestine.

Children among 5 killed in Israeli drone attack in Lebanon

An Israeli drone attack has killed five people, including three children, in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon’s Health Ministry has announced, as Israel continues to target its neighbour on a near-daily basis despite a US-brokered truce that took effect in November.

Portugal officially recognizes Palestinian statehood

Portugal has officially recognized the state of Palestine, the country's foreign minister announced in New York on Sunday.

Britain, Canada, Australia recognise Palestinian statehood

The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have formally recognised Palestinian statehood, even as Israel plans to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank and intensify its war on the Gaza Strip.

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