Category: 2. Middle East

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has called for an end to the international silence over crimes committed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, stressing that “what is happening amounts to genocide against Palestinian civilians”.

Speaking at the opening of the BRICS summit on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro — attended by leaders of 11 emerging economies — da Silva said: “We cannot remain indifferent to the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza,…

Palestinian tribes disavowed on Sunday a proposal to establish a tribal emirate in the West Bank city of Hebron in exchange for recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, Anadolu reports.

The Wall Street Journal claimed earlier that Hebron’s tribal leaders had sent a letter to Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat, proposing the establishment of an emirate in the city.

According to the US newspaper, the letter proposed recognizing Israel as a Jewish state in return…

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Sunday that if Israel is not held accountable for its attacks against Iran, “the whole region and beyond will suffer,” Anadolu reports.

Addressing the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Araghchi stressed the importance of holding Israel and the US accountable for their violations of international law, including human rights and humanitarian law.

The consequences of the US-Israeli war of aggression would…

The BRICS summit on Sunday condemned military strikes against Iran, calling them a violation of international law and the UN Charter, Anadolu reports.

“We condemn the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 13, 2025, which constitute a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and express grave concern over the subsequent escalation of the security situation in the Middle East,” the joint declaration…

The Government Media Office in Gaza has officially rejected claims by the US State Department alleging that the Palestinian resistance carried out a “bomb attack” targeting American personnel at aid distribution centres operated by the so-called “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation – GHF”.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the office said the accusations were entirely baseless and part of a clear attempt to justify the continued killing and starvation of…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Monday US President Donald Trump, who expressed hope for a “deal this week” between Israel and Hamas that sees hostages released from the Gaza Strip.

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas began on Sunday evening in Doha, aiming to broker a ceasefire and reach an agreement on the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Trump said Sunday there was a “good chance” of reaching an agreement.

“We’ve gotten a lot of the…

Israel and Hamas were due to resume indirect talks in Qatar on Monday, according to a Palestinian official, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting in Washington with President Donald Trump, who is pushing for a deal.

The latest round of negotiations on the war in Gaza began on Sunday in Doha, aiming to broker a ceasefire and reach an agreement on the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

A Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations told AFP indirect…

Hamas and Israel were resuming talks in Qatar on Monday, a Palestinian official said, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to Washington to meet President Donald Trump, who has pushed for a “deal this week” between the foes.

The latest round of negotiations on the war in Gaza began on Sunday in Doha, aiming to broker a ceasefire and reach an agreement on the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

“Indirect negotiations are scheduled to take place before noon today…

As a teenager, Eid Mertah would pore over books about King Tutankhamun, tracing hieroglyphs and dreaming of holding the boy pharaoh’s golden mask in his hands.

Years later, the Egyptian conservator found himself gently brushing centuries-old dust off one of Tut’s gilded ceremonial shrines — a piece he had only seen in textbooks.

“I studied archaeology because of Tut,” Mertah, 36, told AFP. “It was my dream to work on his treasures — and that dream came true.”

Mertah is one of more than 150…