Category: 2. Middle East

Israel intercepted a Gaza-bound aid boat on Monday morning, preventing the activists onboard, including Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, from reaching the blockaded Palestinian territory.

The Madleen departed from Italy on June 1 aiming to bring awareness to food shortages in Gaza, which the United Nations has called the “hungriest place on Earth”. After 21 months of war, the UN has warned the territory’s entire population is at risk of famine.

AFP lost contact with the Madleen early Monday…

Israel on Saturday claimed that European Council President Antonio Costa’s remarks on reviewing the EU-Israel Association Agreement constitute an attempt to manipulate EU member states, Anadolu reports.

The Foreign Ministry alleged on X that Costa’s comments revealed the true motivations behind the EU’s recent actions. “The EU’s intention to base its review on Hamas propaganda—being spread in the media—is a farce. It is a blatant attempt to…

Lebanon warned all citizens on Saturday, particularly influential figures, artists and journalists, to avoid any form of “direct or indirect” communication with Israeli army spokespersons or affiliated media outlets, regardless of the reason, Anadolu reports.

The Information Ministry issued a statement following the release of a video message by Lebanese actress Nadine al Rassi that was addressed to Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee, Lebanon’s…

Authorities in the Gaza Strip affirmed its readiness to secure humanitarian aid convoys, ensuring delivery to starving families, officials announced Saturday, emphasizing a commitment to protecting aid from theft or chaos, adhering to UN protocols, Anadolu reports.

The Gaza Media Office stressed that the government, in coordination with local communities, including families and clans, “can efficiently facilitate relief efforts despite repeated attacks that…

Tens of thousands of people marched through the streets of Rome on Saturday as Italy’s opposition parties joined forces to demand an end to Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, Anadolu reports.

Under the banner “Stop the massacre in Gaza, end complicity,” the demonstration was organized by the center-left Democratic Party, the populist Five Star Movement, and the Greens and Left Alliance.

Protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners condemning Israel as…

Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza on Saturday called on US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to introduce a new proposal for securing their release, Anadolu reports.

At a press conference in Tel Aviv, the father of hostage Eitan Horn urged Witkoff to present a plan to return all hostages and end the war in Gaza.

“Present Netanyahu and Hamas with an offer with an ultimatum to end the war. This is likely the only way to return the hostages,” Itzik Horn…

Israeli forces arrested at least 11 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank early Saturday in raids that included a second closure notice for Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah, as illegal settlers escalated attacks on farmland and residents, Anadolu reports.

Troops stormed the Qatari broadcaster’s office in central Ramallah and posted an official notice extending its forced shutdown for another 60 days, local sources said.

The military first raided the network’s office last…

The military wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam Brigades, warned on Saturday that the Israeli army is currently besieging a location where captive Israeli soldier Matan Zangauker is being held, and cautioned that any attempt to forcibly free him could result in his death, Anadolu reports.

In a statement issued by spokesman Abu Ubaida, the group said: “Israeli forces are surrounding a site where the captive Matan Zangauker is being held. We firmly affirm that the…

Iranian intelligence has obtained a large cache of highly sensitive strategic documents belonging to Israel, including material related to the country’s nuclear facilities and military projects, Iranian state media reported Saturday, Anadolu reports.

IRNA said Tehran obtained “a massive volume of strategic documents of special sensitivity” linked to Israel. Among the files are “thousands of documents concerning Israeli nuclear facilities and…