Sunday, December 21, 2025

Middle East

Palestinian President appoints close aide as PLO deputy

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed a close aide as vice president, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has announced.

WFP says its food stocks in Gaza completely ‘depleted’ amid Israeli blockade

The United Nations’s World Food Programme (WFP) announced its food stocks in the Gaza Strip are completely depleted, as Israel’s aid blockade continues for an eighth week.

Gaza government warns of imminent mass deaths from famine due to Israel’s siege

Gaza's government has issued a dire warning Friday that Palestinians in the besieged enclave are "on the brink of mass death" from widespread famine due to Israel’s nearly two-month aid blockade and the total collapse of essential services.

Weeks into Israel’s aid blockade, Gaza faces deepening hunger: UNRWA

The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has announced that nearly 55 days of Israel blocking humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip has deepened the hunger among people in the war-devastated Palestinian enclave.

Yemen’s Houthi fighters shot down $200mN worth of US drones in recent weeks

The Houthi group has shot down seven US Reaper drones worth more than $200m in recent weeks, marking the most significant material loss yet in Washington’s campaign against the Yemeni fighters.

US plans to offer Saudi Arabia $100bn weapons deal: Reuters

Washington is poised to offer Riyadh an arms package worth more than $100bn, the Reuters news agency has reported, citing six sources familiar with the matter.

UN says over 90% of homes in Gaza destroyed or damaged during war

More than 90% of homes in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported, citing data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Beirut secures $250 million loan from World Bank to rehabilitate Lebanon’s electricity sector

Lebanon has received approval from the World Bank for a $250 million loan to address the country’s electricity problems, Lebanon's Finance Minister Yassine Jaber confirmed on Thursday.

UK lifts sanctions against Syrian defense, interior ministries, intelligence agencies

The United Kingdom has announced the lifting of sanctions against Syrian ministries and intelligence agencies, according to Britain's finance ministry on Thursday.

Tel Aviv cracks down on official posts mourning Pope Francis

Israel’s orders to remove official posts expressing condolences on the death of Pope Francis have sparked outrage among international observers and stirred controversy among Israeli envoys.

Israeli minister: US Republicans support bombing Gaza ‘food and aid depots’

Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says that top American Republican lawmakers support bombing “food and aid depots” in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Authority president calls Hamas ‘sons of dogs’ over Gaza war

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has called Hamas “sons of dogs”, demanding the release of the remaining Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of the group.

Powerful earthquake strikes near Istanbul, scores injured in panic

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Istanbul on Wednesday leading to scenes of panic in the Turkish metropolis, officials have announced.

Israeli military needs additional $2.6 billion to expand Gaza war: Report

The Israeli military estimates that it will need an additional 10 billion shekels ($2.6 billion) to expand its war on the Gaza Strip, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

Yemen’s Houthis conduct rare aerial attack on northern Israel

Yemen’s Houthi fighters have launched a ballistic missile towards northern Israel, according to the Israeli military, which claimed to have shot down the projectile without causing any injuries.

Putin discusses US-Iran negotiations with leader of Oman

Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed Iran’s nuclear programme with the visiting leader of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, the Kremlin announced, as the diplomatic shuttling around the edges of Iran-US talks continues apace.

Israeli spy head accuses Netanyahu of demanding illegal operations

Israel’s spy chief Ronen Bar has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to fire him for his refusal to commit illegal acts aimed at protecting the leader’s personal and political interests.

At least 65 Palestinians killed inside Israeli jails since onset of Gaza war: Report

The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) announced in a statement that the number of Palestinian detainees killed in Israeli prisons since the start of the Gaza war has surged to 65, including a child.

Palestinian activist denied release for son’s birth: Wife

Mahmoud Khalil, the pro-Palestinian activist who has been arrested in the United States pending his deportation, has missed the birth of his son after being refused temporary release to attend the birth, his wife has stated.

Israel ‘completely’ blocked all humanitarian aid into Gaza for 50 days: UN

The United Nations has marked 50 days since Israel imposed a complete blockade on humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, warning of a rapidly deteriorating situation that is endangering the lives of Palestinian civilians.

Nearly 600 children killed, 1,600 injured in renewed Israeli onslaught on Gaza: UN

Nearly 600 children have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since last month, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has reported.

Israeli military deploys undertrained forces to Gaza amid troop shortage: KAN

The Israeli army has deployed insufficiently trained soldiers from its elite Golani and Givati brigades to the Gaza Strip amid a critical shortage of troops, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN has reported.

Israel cancels visas for several French lawmakers ahead of visit

Tel Aviv cancelled visas for 27  left-wing French lawmakers and local officials two days before they were to start a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Sunday, the group has announced

Israeli military finds ‘professional failures’ in killing of Gaza aid workers

The Israeli army has released details of an investigation into its own killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics and aid workers in the Gaza Strip last month, claiming its code of ethics was not violated and only one soldier is dismissed, in an attack that sparked outrage in the international community.

Pope Francis calls for Gaza ceasefire

During a fleeting appearance before thousands of Catholic pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square for the Vatican’s open-air Easter Sunday mass, Pope Francis urged a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

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