Defence Secretary Austin hospitalised for post-surgery complications
Lloyd Austin was reported by hospital to be recovering positively despite experiencing…
China demands that Israel cease its “collective punishment” of Gaza.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas meets China’s President Xi Jinping in June 2023
Leaks of intelligence in Lebanon? As Israel attacks Hezbollah, worries
Slain Hezbollah commander Wissam al-Tawil, left, with deceased Iranian General Qassem Soleimani
Israeli forces detain twenty-six Palestinians in the West Bank.
According to the prisoners' affairs authority, 26 Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Israel has detained at least 5,780 Palestinians since October 7. According to the authority's yearly report, there were 8,800 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails as of the end of December 2023, and 80 of them were women. Israeli soldiers have been conducting nightly raids into Palestinian homes during their 56-year military occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. On "calm" days, they have arrested 15 to 20 people. Israel increased the number of Palestinians under its custody from 5,200 to over 10,000 in the first two weeks following October 7.
Iraq demands a “quick” withdrawal of US forces
Al-Sudani at a press briefing in Tehran, Iran
Blinken is now having a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas of Pennsylvania.
Blinken, left, meets Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah
A senior Biden official visits Qatar for captive talks
According to US news outlet Axios, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was received by American top Middle East advisor Brett McGurk on a plane trip to Doha. Qatar and Egypt are leading the way in facilitating captive-prison swap agreements between Israel and Hamas. The Qatari government and the White House maintained a fairly low profile during the visit. The news article stated, "They failed to publicize McGurk's travel or provide a readout of his discussion with the prime minister of Qatar. During a week-long ceasefire in Gaza, Palestinian detainees and civilian captives detained in Gaza were freed under the terms of the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in November.
South Africa’s genocide case against Israel
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will host two days of public hearings in South Africa's genocide lawsuit against Israel on Thursday. Pro-Palestine activists are hoping that the World Court will stop Israel's destructive military operation in Gaza. Being the first case pertaining to the siege of the Gaza Strip at the ICJ, the South African-filed lawsuit establishes precedence. Both South Africa and Israel are parties to the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, which is allegedly violated by Israel when it comes to genocide. Israel has vowed to defend itself and refutes the accusations.
Ecuador announces a state of emergency as gangs unleash violence and ten people are slain.
Gunmen storm TV station during live broadcast, more than 20 violent incidents…
Which nations support South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel?
Here are countries which welcomed the ICJ case that says Israel is…
