Monday, December 22, 2025

Middle East

Syria’s de facto leader asks Russia to hand over Assad and close aides: Reuters

Syria’s new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa requested that Russia hand over former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his close aides during discussions with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, according to sources close to the talks.

US transfers dozens of Patriot missiles from Israel to Ukraine: Axios

The United States has transferred around 90 Patriot air defense interceptors from storage in Israel to Poland for delivery to Ukraine, sources familiar with the matter have told Axios.

US Senate blocks bill sanctioning ICC over arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant

Democrats in the US Senate have blocked the passage of a bill that would sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) over its issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for Israel's war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA head warns Israel’s banning of aid operations will undermine Gaza ceasefire

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), has cautioned that the implementation of a ban on the agency's aid operations inside the occupied territories would cripple its ability to work in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, where a fragile ceasefire currently remains in place.

Israeli military kills more Palestinians during West Bank raids

Israeli soldiers attacked several areas in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, resulting in at least two deaths and numerous arrests.

Five-year-old among two killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza amid truce

Two Palestinians, including a five-year-old child, were killed, and many others wounded in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip despite an agreed ceasefire, as thousands continued returning to the northern part of the besieged enclave.

Russian diplomats make first visit to Syria since al-Assad’s overthrow

A delegation of Russian officials has arrived in Damascus for the first time since Syria's longtime ruler, Bashar al-Assad, was overthrown by armed fighters.

UN opposes Trump’s proposal to relocate Gazans outside coastal enclave

The United Nations has announced that it opposes a proposal by US President Donald Trump to relocate Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip.

Hezbollah chief refutes extension of Israel’s withdrawal deadline from south Lebanon

Hezbollah's Secretary-General Naim Qassem has pointed out that there is no justification for extending Israel's deadline to withdraw from southern Lebanon.

Israel kills two in south Lebanon as displaced people try to return

Israeli troops shot and killed at least two people and wounded 17 on Monday in the second day of deadly protests in southern Lebanon, health officials have announced, as residents displaced by the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah attempted to return to villages where Israeli forces remain.

UN experts warn Israel’s attacks in West Bank mark ‘dangerous escalation’

A group of UN experts have expressed concern over Israel’s ongoing attacks in the occupied West Bank, warning that the intensified campaign marks a "dangerous escalation" against Palestinians.

Officials say over 300k displaced Palestinians return north of Gaza

More than 300,000 displaced Palestinians are returning to the Gaza Strip's north after Israel agreed to allow their travel, Palestinian government in the besieged enclave announced.

2 Israeli reservists captured on suspicion of ‘espionage for Iran’

Israel’s internal security service, Shin Bet, and police say they have captured two reservist troops on suspicion of spying for Iran.

Israel says 8 of 33 hostages on Hamas’s list to be freed are already dead

Israel announced a Hamas list shows that 8 of the 33 captives to be released in the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire accord are dead.

IRIB Chief: Iranian State TV Reporter Captured by Zionists in Gaza

The head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) announced that one of the organization's reporters in Gaza has been captured by the Zionist regime and is now in an Israeli prison.

Lebanon says 24 killed, over 130 injured by Israeli fire as withdrawal deadline extended

The Lebanese Health Ministry announced that 24 people were killed by Israeli army forces on Sunday as residents attempted to return to their homes in southern Lebanon.

UK, Germany reject Trump’s proposal of relocating Gazans in neighboring countries

The United Kingdom and Germany have refuted US President Donald Trump’s idea to “clean out” Gaza and relocate its population to other Arab nations.

Saudi Arabia opens property investments in two holy cities to foreigners

Riyadh has begun allowing non-Saudis to invest in publicly-traded companies that own real estate in Mecca and Medina.

France says to suspend some Syria’s sanctions

France has announced that it will lift or suspend certain sanctions on Syria’s energy, transportation, and financial sectors to support the country’s economic stabilization and reconstruction efforts.

Israeli PM appears in court for corruption trial after month-long pause

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before the Tel Aviv District Court on Monday in his corruption trial after a month-long pause.

Displaced Gazans return home to north, first time since war began

Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza began returning to the northern Gaza Strip on Monday for the first time since the war started more than 15 months ago after mediators brokered an agreement tied to the release of an Israeli captive.

Arab League dismisses attempts to relocate Palestinian people in Gaza

The Arab League has announced that efforts to uproot the Palestinian people from their land, whether through resettlement, annexation or settlement expansion, “have proven to fail in the past".

Israel-Lebanon truce extended until February 18: White House

The White House has announced that the ceasefire accord between Lebanon and Israel has been extended until February 18, as Israel missed a previous deadline to pull troops out.

Palestinian Authority rejects US plan to displace Gaza residents

The Palestinian presidency has rejected all plans to displace Palestinians from Gaza, after US President Donald Trump made shocking remarks suggesting Egypt and Jordan could take in the Gaza Strip’s population.

Israeli army continues deadly operation in West Bank city

Another Palestinian died from Israeli army fire in the West Bank city of Jenin on Sunday, taking the death toll from a military operation in the area to 16, the health ministry has announced.

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