Author: Middle east Editor

The Department of Justice said Google must sell Chrome to end search monopoly as Google has ‘deprived rivals’ of opportunities to expand their search engine market share. Alphabet’s Google should be forced to sell its Chrome browser and share data with competitors, prosecutors in the United States have argued, as part of a list of proposals intended to end the tech giant’s monopoly on searching the internet. In a court filing on Wednesday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) argued that Google, which controls about 90 percent of the online search market, should not be allowed to re-enter the browser…

Israel launched overnight strikes in three areas north of Gaza which continued until this morning. At least 95 people were killed in less than 24 hours, local media reports. The overnight strikes killed at least 66 people in Beit Lahiya and injured dozens. In Sheikh Radian at least 22 people, including children, were killed in the air strikes and at least 7 people, including one child, were killed in Al-Mawasi.

The United Nations has raised alarm about dire humanitarian conditions in northern Gaza, where no significant aid has been delivered for 40 days due to an ongoing siege by Israeli forces. According to the UN, 65,000 to 75,000 people in areas like Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia face severe shortages of food and other essentials.

Mohammed Afif, Hezbollah’s media chief and one of its prominent public figures, was killed in an Israeli air strike in central Beirut, the group confirmed. The strike targeted the Baath Party headquarters in the crowded Ras al-Naba neighbourhood, destroying much of the building, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.

At least 34 people, including many women and children, were killed in an Israeli air strike targeting a five-story residential building in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. Seven others were injured, and dozens are believed to remain trapped under the rubble.

HRW has accused Israel of committing war crimes by forcibly displacing nearly 90% of Gaza’s population, amounting to about 1.9 million people. In its report, HRW says this constitutes “forcible transfer” and possibly “ethnic cleansing,”

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide,” marking one of the strongest criticisms of Israel by a Saudi official since the conflict began.  

43,508 killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, 70% women and children  The latest death toll figures from the Gaza health ministry show 43,508 people have been killed in Israel’s attacks. Another 102,684 Palestinians have been wounded in the strikes that began in October 2023. The actual death toll is likely to be far higher as thousands could be buried in the debris of the destroyed buildings. A UN report on Friday said nearly 70 per cent of those killed in Gaza are women and children. The UN Human Rights Office called it “a systematic violation of the fundamental principles of…

The Israeli parliament has passed a law allowing the government to deport family members of individuals convicted of terrorism, including Israeli citizens. The legislation applies to immediate relatives, such as parents, siblings, or children, of those found guilty of committing or supporting acts of terrorism.

At least 40 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon on Wednesday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The strikes targeted areas in the Baalbek and Bekaa regions, which Israeli officials say were aimed at Hezbollah operatives. 

Protests in Israel after Netanyahu fires defence minister Protests have broken out in Israel following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Netanyahu cited a “crisis of trust” between the two leaders as the reason for the dismissal, saying his confidence in Gallant had eroded over recent months. Foreign Minister Israel Katz will take over Gallant’s duties temporarily. Gallant, who had been at odds with Netanyahu on several key issues, suggested his removal was due to disagreements over Israel’s approach to the Gaza conflict, including his belief that painful concessions could help secure the release of…

Human rights activists are calling for the release of a woman detained in Tehran after she removed her clothes in an apparent protest. A video shared on social media showed the woman sitting in her underwear on the steps of the university before walking away. In another clip, she is seen removing more clothing before being forced into a car by plainclothes agents.

Gaza polio vaccinations continue after Israel bombs clinic A polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza continued on Sunday after being disrupted by an attack on the Sheikh Radwan clinic, which injured six people, including four children. Over 58,000 children in northern Gaza received a 2nd dose of the polio vaccine on Saturday, according to the UN, as health workers race to vaccinate thousands more before the campaign ends on Monday. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported the strike but did not specify who was behind it. A Gaza civil defence official claimed an Israeli quadcopter was responsible, while Israel stated…

Key updates Middle East news bulletin today – Genocide in Gaza, Israeli strikes in Syria, US issues warning over aid Death toll latest Genocide in Gaza: at least 43,163 Palestinians and wounded 101,510 others since the start of the war Israel’s war on Lebanon: at least 2,822 people have been killed and 12,937 wounded in Israeli attacks since the war on Gaza began. US issues warning to Israel over Gaza aid amid humanitarian crisis The United States has pressed Israel to take immediate action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning that aid flow must increase by November 12…

US issues warning to Israel over Gaza aid amid humanitarian crisis The United States has pressed Israel to take immediate action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, warning that aid flow must increase by November 12 or risk a reduction in American military support. According to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Israel needs to match its commitments with action, as conditions on the ground remain dire. The U.S. is calling for 350 aid trucks to enter Gaza daily, but UN reports show only around 10% of that target has been met so far. Israel’s UN…

US condemns Israeli airstrikes on Gaza as ‘horrifying’ At least 93 people are dead or missing after an Israeli air strike on Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The U.S. State Department condemned the strike as “horrifying,” citing reports that many civilians, including children, were among the casualties. The Israeli military acknowledged civilian harm in the area and is investigating. Israel has been conducting operations in northern Gaza, claiming they are attempting to dismantle Hamas networks, while Gaza faces an escalating humanitarian crisis with severe shortages of supplies. The IDF has been attacking northern Gaza over…

Latest Middle East news – Genocide in Gaza – UNRWA banned, international community react with horror A roundup of the latest news from the crisis in the Middle East as Israel continues its horrific genocide in Gaza – with aid being seriously impacted by Israel’s latest move.  The Israeli war on Lebanon continues with overnight strikes killing at least 60. Quick facts World condemns Israel’s ban on UNRWA France reacts to UNRWA ban by Israel “Implementation of these laws would have very serious consequences for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is already catastrophic, but also all of the Palestinian territories,”…

Israel passes law banning UNRWA amid Gaza aid concerns Israel’s parliament has approved legislation to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating in Israel and Israeli-controlled East Jerusalem within the next three months. The new law prohibits contact between UNRWA staff and Israeli officials, severely impacting the agency’s work in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as cooperation with Israel’s military is essential for aid transfers into Gaza. UNRWA, the primary UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, will also see its East Jerusalem headquarters closed, and its staff will no longer have legal immunity…

Israeli airstrike on Gaza school shelter killed 17 including children  An Israeli airstrike on Thursday hit the Al-Shuhada school in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least 17 people, according to local reports from Al-Awda hospital. The school was being used as a shelter for displaced civilians, mostly women and children. Nine children were among those killed, and over 50 people were injured. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a Hamas command centre operating from the site, accusing the group of planning attacks from there. The Hamas-run government media office reported that thousands of displaced people…

Polio vaccinations suspended amid Israeli bombardment The UN has postponed a polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza due to heavy Israeli bombardments and mass displacement. The campaign, aimed at providing a second dose of the vaccine to nearly 120,000 children, was delayed amid ongoing military actions in Jabalia.  This comes after Gaza reported its first polio case in 25 years, which left a baby paralysed. Health experts warn that delays could impact efforts to stop the spread of the disease, as herd immunity requires at least 90% of children to receive two doses. Despite reaching 442,000 children in southern and…

The latest from the Israel-Gaza conflict as more civilians are slaughtered and calls for ceasefires go unheard. Some international takes on the conflict include fears that the Democrats’ support for Israel will weaken Kamala Harris’s chances of being elected and Spain has announced a freeze on purchases of arms from Israel. More civilian deaths – and fears of the lack of humanitarian aid going into the area are other top stories from the region. In an opinion piece for Al Jazeera, Mohamad Elmasry, suggests that Biden-Harris’s demand to Israel to get aid into Gaza within 30 days or face consequences,…

Four killed in Israeli bombing near southern Beirut hospital An Israeli airstrike near Rafik Hariri University Hospital in southern Beirut has killed four people, including a child, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The strike reportedly hit the hospital’s car park, with 24 others injured in the attack, a hospital source told Reuters. The airstrike was part of a series of 13 strikes that targeted areas in south Beirut on Monday evening. The Israeli military stated that the strikes were aimed at Hezbollah-linked facilities. While an Israeli spokesperson had earlier issued warnings for people to evacuate certain areas in southern…

Israeli bombing of northern Gaza leaves 87 dead or missing Israeli airstrikes on multiple homes in northern Gaza have resulted in at least 87 people dead or missing, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. The strikes, which occurred overnight and into Sunday, also injured around 40 individuals in the town of Beit Lahiya, a location that was one of the initial targets of Israel’s ground invasion nearly a year ago. The Israeli military stated that the attacks were precise strikes aimed at Hamas targets. For the past two weeks, Israel has conducted a large-scale operation in northern Gaza, claiming that…

The U.S. government is currently investigating a leak of classified documents that detail American assessments of Israel’s potential military response to Iran.  The leaked documents reportedly include satellite imagery showing Israel moving military assets in preparation for a response to a missile attack from Iran on October 1. The materials were shareable within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the US, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Israel has been deliberating its response to Iran’s missile strike, with its defence minister warning that any retaliation will be “deadly, precise, and surprising.” The two leaked documents are attributed to the…

Sudan’s war has become a battleground and pivotal theatre for geopolitical rivalries as foreign powers compete for influence in the strategically vital Red Sea region. Similar to the Houthis in Yemen, Sudan’s location offers a chokehold over one of the world’s most crucial maritime trade routes, the Suez Canal, making it a highly coveted target for foreign interests. In March this year, Iran reportedly offered to set up a naval base in Port Sudan, a request that, if approved, would have given Tehran another crucial foothold in the Red Sea. Despite the Sudanese military’s rejection of the offer, there are…