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☆ Aid is being shipped to Gaza by sea. But a new maritime corridor is unlikely to stop the looming famine
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

With Palestinians in Gaza in dire need, any aid is welcome, but aid groups say maritime and air-dropped aid should be complementary to land deliveries, not a substitute. How do maritime aid deliveries compare to other methods? The US and other countries have meanwhile been air-dropping humanitarian aid into Gaza, a method aid agencies have criticized as ineffective given the scale of need in Gaza. Mousa Salem/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Palestinians transport bags of flour on the back of trucks as humanitarian aid arrives in Gaza City on March 6. Omar Qattaa/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Humanitarian aid packages are dropped from the air by Jordanian army planes in Gaza City on March 1.

Persons: WCK, Israel, ”, Michael Fakhr, Jamie McGoldrick, ” WCK, Joe Biden, Mahmud Hams, Lior Haiat, “, COGAT, Menahem Kahana, McGoldrick, Josep Borrell, Ashraf Al, Qidra, Loay, Fadi, Kamal Adwan, Omar Qattaa, Saher, Ahmed Qannan, Mohammed Salem, Said Khatib, Dawoud Abo, Jehad, crouches, Abed Zagout, Yazan, Rabie Abu Noqaira, Mohammed Abed, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Yasser Qudih, Fatima Shbair, ” Juliette Touma, ” Touma Organizations: CNN, Gaza, Spanish, European Commission, United Arab, Israel, Aid, UN, Pentagon, AFP, Getty, Crescent, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, Foreign, European Union, Food Programme, Gaza Ministry, Health, Washington Post, Kamal, Anadolu Agency, Reuters, US Air Force, UPI, Dawoud Abo Alkas, Communications Locations: Cyprus, Gaza, United States, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Israel, Port, Rimal, Gaza City, UAE, Palestinian, AFP, Cypriot, Territories, Kerem, Rafah, Egypt, Mousa Salem, Jordanian

☆ Middle East Crisis Palestinian Authority Leader Expected to Choose Insider as Prime Minister
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Adam Rasgon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority has signaled his desire to appoint Muhammad Mustafa, a close economic adviser, as prime minister. Mr. Abbas could change his mind, and a decision to appoint Mr. Mustafa will only be final if Mr. Abbas signs a decree. Much of the Palestinian public sees the Palestinian Authority as tainted by corruption, mismanagement and cooperation with Israel. In the Palestinian Authority, the prime minister is supposed to oversee the work of ministries, but Mr. Abbas often intervenes in decision-making, according to analysts. He has previously been the authority’s economy minister and deputy prime minister.

Persons: Mahmoud Abbas, Muhammad Mustafa, Abbas, Mustafa, Mr, Majdi Mohammed, Mohammed Shtayyeh, “, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Nasser, Mohammed, Muhammad, ”, Qudwa, Abu Mazen, “ Abu Mazen, Borge Brende, Jehad Harb Organizations: Palestinian Authority, Palestinian, Union, European Union, Press, West Bank, United, Authority, Israel, George Washington University, Washington , D.C, Palestine Investment Fund, Gaza Locations: Gaza, Israel, Hamas, United States, Palestinian, Washington ,, Davos, Ramallah

☆ These Workers Are Risking Their Lives to Restore Gaza’s Phone Network
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Adam Rasgon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Mohammed Sweirky prepared to leave for a work trip in January to repair telecommunications infrastructure that had been destroyed in northern Gaza, his wife and children pleaded with him not to go. But he said he felt he had no choice given that residents there desperately needed their phone services restored. “It was painful to say bye,” said Mr. Sweirky, 50, who fled Gaza City at the beginning of the war and is now sheltering with six family members in a garage in Rafah, the territory’s southernmost city. “They were crying, but I couldn’t abandon our mission.”Since the start of the war, Mr. Sweirky’s job has become among the most dangerous in Gaza and also one of the most important. Israel’s bombing campaign against Hamas has pummeled telecommunications infrastructure in Gaza, destroying subterranean fiber cables, damaging data centers and blowing up cell towers.

Persons: Mohammed Sweirky, Sweirky, ” Organizations: Hamas Locations: Gaza, Gaza City, Rafah, “

She passed away.”As Israel’s severe restrictions on aid entering the Gaza Strip drain essential supplies, displaced Palestinians told CNN they are struggling to feed their children. CNNFood shortages are reportedly the worst in northern Gaza, where Israel concentrated its military offensive in the early days of the war. Dr. Muhammad Salha, acting director of Al-Awda Hospital, in northern Gaza, told CNN medical workers are treating cases of dehydration, gastroenteritis, and hepatitis among women and children. The US military said it had, alongside the Royal Jordanian Air Force, parachuted more than 36,800 meals into northern Gaza that day. He told CNN that he injured his foot while trying to buy flour along Al-Rashid Street.

Persons: CNN — Anwar Abdul Nabi, Kamal Adwan, tenderly, Mila, Nabi, Ashraf Al, Hussam Abu Safiya, Israel, “, ”, Ikhlas Shehadeh, ” Anwar Abdul Nabi, Richard Peeperkorn, Dr, Muhammad Salha, ’ wombs, Mohammed Salem, Ahmad Salem, Kosay Al Nemer, Melanie Ward, Riyad Mansour, Faraj Abu Naji, Rashid Organizations: CNN, Kamal, Health, Hamas, Ministry of Health, Integrated Food Security, UNICEF State, United Nations Population Fund, World Health Organization, WHO, Al, Awda, Reuters, Humanitarian Affairs, Kamal Adwan Hospital, United Arab, Emirati Ministry of Defense, Royal Jordanian Air Force, Medical Aid, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Rafah, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Gaza City, ”, Kuwait, Rasheed, Palestinian, Al

☆ C.I.A. Violently Cut Off 9/11 Suspect When He Tried to Talk About Attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Carol Rosenberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

wanted him to discuss Al Qaeda’s future plans, not the attacks that had horrified America a year and a half earlier, Dr. James E. Mitchell, the psychologist, said. So when the prisoner, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, mentioned Sept. 11, they would slam him, naked, into a wall. That month, interrogators would waterboard Mr. Mohammed 183 times at a secret overseas C.I.A. prison in the mistaken belief, Dr. Mitchell said, that a nuclear attack in the United States was imminent. But Mr. Mohammed still was not saying what his captors wanted to hear.

Persons: Al Qaeda’s, James E, Mitchell, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Mr, Mohammed, ” Dr Locations: America, United States

☆ Mohammed Shtayyeh, Palestinian Authority prime minister, and government to resign
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Nick Thompson | Ibrahim Dahman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and his government have submitted their resignations, he announced Monday. The resignation comes as the Palestinian Authority (PA), which is seen as corrupt, comes under intense pressure from the United States to reform and improve its governance in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The PA was set up in the mid-1990s as a temporary government pending Palestinian independence after the Palestine Liberation Organization signed the Oslo Accords with Israel. It is headquarters in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah and exercises nominal self-rule in parts of the territory. Israel has rejected the prospect of the PA returning to Gaza after the war, and has dismissed the idea of establishing a Palestinian state in the territories.

Persons: Mohammed Shtayyeh, “, Mahmoud Abbas, ” Shtayyeh, Fatah, doesn’t, ” Organizations: CNN, Palestinian Authority, Facebook, West Bank, Palestine Liberation Organization, West, Hamas Locations: United States, Palestine, Oslo Accords, Israel, West Bank, Ramallah, Gaza

☆ Diapers Instead of Bridal Gowns: Gaza Tailors Adapt to Wartime Needs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"There are 1.5 million displaced people in Rafah city and there are no Pampers," said Yasser Abu Gharara, owner of the tailoring workshop now making diapers. "We are not only talking about diapers for babies, but also for the elderly and people with disabilities," he said. For displaced people living in tent camps, the dearth of diapers has been worsening the daily struggle to keep babies and toddlers clean and dry. Hany Subh, a displaced father, said he was looking for diapers in the market every day, but the prices were too high. The war has reduced much of the enclave to rubble and caused what the U.N. has called a humanitarian catastrophe.

Persons: Mohammed Salem, Yasser Abu Gharara, Abu Gharara, Inas Al, Masry, Estelle Shirbon, William Maclean Locations: Mohammed Salem RAFAH, Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, Israel

☆ Israeli minister says ground offensive in Rafah will begin by Ramadan if hostages aren’t returned
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Mohammed Tawfeeq | Lauren Izso | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Israel will expand military operations in the southernmost Gazan city of Rafah if hostages held by Hamas are not returned by the start of Ramadan, war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has warned. Israel believes that 130 hostages remain in Gaza – 101 alive and 29 dead – following Hamas’ October 7 attacks, which killed around 1,200 people in Israel. The comments come amid stuttering talks aimed at securing the release of hostages and a longer-term ceasefire in Gaza. Egypt’s security buildup comes amid fears of the war spilling over into its territory should Israel begin its operation in Rafah. The Israeli military said it had credible evidence that Hamas had previously held hostages at the hospital, and that the bodies of deceased hostages may be at the medical complex.

Persons: CNN —, Benny Gantz, Ramadan, ” Gantz, “, Israel, ’, Israel’s, Israel –, Benjamin Netanyahu, Khan Younis, Mohammed Salem, Martin Griffiths, Sameh Shoukry, ” Shoukry, Abed Rahim Khatib Organizations: CNN, Hamas, United Nations, Sunday, Sky News, Anadolu, Getty, Hospital Locations: CNN — Israel, Gazan, Rafah, Jerusalem, Gaza, Israel, “, Nasser, Khan, United States, ”, Egypt

☆ Qatar PM Says Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations 'Not Very Promising' in Recent Days
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MUNICH (Reuters) - Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Saturday the pattern of negotiations for a framework ceasefire deal for the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza was "not very promising" in recent days. "The pattern in the last few days are not really very promising but, as I always repeat, we will always remain optimistic and will always remain pushing," Sheikh Mohammed said at the Munich Security Conference. War in Israel and Gaza View All 209 Images"I believe in this agreement we are talking at a bigger scale and we still see some difficulties on the humanitarian part of these negotiations," he said. He added that he thought that if negotiations on the humanitarian element of any deal progressed then the obstacle over the numbers of those released would be ultimately tackled. Photos You Should See View All 33 ImagesTalks involving officials from Qatar, Egypt, Israel and the United States have so far not yielded a deal for a pause in the fighting.

Persons: Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Sheikh Mohammed, Maha El Dahan, Hatem Maher, Frances Kerry Organizations: Qatar's, Munich Security, Hamas Locations: MUNICH, Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Egypt, United States

☆ Five patients die at Gaza’s Nasser hospital after Israeli raid cuts off power and leads to ‘deeply alarming’ scenes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Rob Picheta | Vasco Cotovio | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Troops located weapons inside the hospital and apprehended dozens of terror suspects,” the Israeli military claimed in a statement on Friday. The Israeli military also said it had found weapons inside the facility, including mortar shells and grenades, releasing a low-resolution photograph of the alleged weapons stash. Palestinian patients evacuated from Nasser Hospital have been arriving in Rafah. “The military raid at Nasser Medical Complex and reports emerging from the hospitals are deeply alarming,” World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said in Geneva on Friday. “Patients, health workers, and civilians seeking refuge deserve safety, not peril in places of healing.

Persons: Khan Younis, Nasser, Mohammed Salem, Tarik Jasarevic, “, Jasarevic, ”, Daniel Hagari, hadn’t, ” Hagari, Hagari Organizations: CNN, Nasser Hospital, Ministry of Health, Health of Organization, WHO, Nasser, Israel Defense Forces, “ Troops, IDF, Health Organization, Hamas, MSF Locations: Khan, Gaza, Israel, Nasser, Rafah, Mohammed, Geneva

☆ Close US partners in the Middle East demand air defenses after Iranian drone attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US Congress has already asked DoD to develop a plan to equip the Peshmerga with air defenses. Iraqi Kurdistan expects the US to appreciate such stances and provide air defenses, given the high stakes for the autonomous region. Ceng Sagnic, chief of analysis of the geopolitical consultancy firm TAM-C Solutions, said “several considerations” are involved in supplying the Peshmerga air defenses. Turkey may not object to an American air defense provision to Iraqi Kurdistan under certain conditions. Advertisement“Using recent clashes as a reason to request additional US air defenses is likely to be viewed negatively in Ankara,” Ali Bakir, a Turkey expert and non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East program, told BI.

Persons: —, America’s, Masrour Barzani, ” Mohammed Salih, ” Salih, Ceng Sagnic, ” Sagnic, Mazlum Kobane, ” Ali Bakir Organizations: DoD, Service, Kurdistan’s, NBC News, Foreign Policy Research Institute, TAM, C, ISIS, ”, Kurdistan Democratic Party, Patriotic Union of, Kurdistan Workers ’ Party, Syrian Democratic Forces, SDF, Reuters, US Locations: Kurdish, Syria, Turkey, Iraq’s Iran, United States, Iraqi Kurdistan, Jordan, Iran, Iraqi, Erbil, Jan, Washington, Iraq, American, Baghdad, Ankara, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Kurdistan

☆ Iraq Hosts Both U.S. and Iranian-Backed Forces. It’s Getting Tense.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For years, Iraq has managed to pull off an unlikely balancing act, allowing armed forces tied to both the United States and Iran, an American nemesis, to operate on its soil. When Washington, Tehran and Baghdad all wanted the same thing — the defeat of the Islamic State terrorist group — the relationships were fairly tenable, but in recent months, as the war in the Gaza Strip sends ripples across the region, American and Iranian-backed forces have clashed repeatedly in Iraq and Syria. A U.S. strike on one of those militias last week killed 16 Iraqis, and Iraq is saying it has had enough. “Our land and sovereign authority is not the right place for rival forces to send messages and show their strength.” the office of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement on Sunday. For many years, both Iran and the United States had their proponents within the Iraqi government, and the Iranian-backed armed groups and the American troops lived in a tolerable if uneasy balance.

Persons: Mohammed Shia, Sudani Organizations: Islamic State Locations: Iraq, United States, Iran, American, Washington, Tehran, Baghdad, Gaza, Syria, U.S

But no deal has been struck, and it is not clear how Israel will respond to Hamas’s counterproposal. “The reply includes some comments, but in general it is positive,” he said. He declined to offer further details, but said the counteroffer had been delivered to Israeli officials. “We are optimistic,” Sheikh Mohammed said. Mr. Blinken said that he planned to discuss Hamas’s response with Israeli leaders on Wednesday.

Persons: Hamas’s, Israel, Antony J, Blinken, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, ”, ” Sheikh Mohammed, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Abdel Fattah el Locations: Gaza, U.S, Israel, Rafah, Egypt, Doha, Thani, Qatar, Cairo

☆ Living Among the Dead: Gaza Families Seek Shelter in Cemetery
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"People were forced to come here to this safe place, which is the cemetery among the dead," said Amer, who is displaced from Al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza with 11 family members including children and grandchildren. Israel has threatened to storm the area with tanks when it finishes a battle in Khan Younis just north of it. The cemetery has neat rows of low cement graves that pre-date the war, with plants and flowers growing on them, inscriptions and peeling paint. "The dead are in comfort while we, the living, are in pain and going through very tough conditions. "I see the children, our children, playing among and above the graves," said Amer.

Persons: Mohammed Salem, Mahmoud Amer, Amer, Israel's, Khan Younis, Estelle Shirbon, Peter Graff Organizations: Al Locations: Mohammed Salem RAFAH, Gaza, Rafah, Israel, Egypt, Palestinian

☆ Iraq Bans 8 Local Banks From US Dollar Transactions
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Timour AzhariBAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has banned eight local commercial banks from engaging in U.S. dollar transactions, taking action to reduce fraud, money laundering and other illegal uses of U.S. currency days after a visit by a top U.S. Treasury official. The banks are banned from accessing the Iraqi central bank's daily dollar auction, a main source of hard currency in the import-dependent country that has become a focal point of a U.S. crackdown on currency smuggling to neighbouring Iran. A central bank document verified by an official at the bank listed the banned banks. War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 ImagesThey are: Ahsur International Bank for Investment; Investment Bank of Iraq; Union Bank of Iraq; Kurdistan International Islamic Bank for Investment and Development; Al Huda Bank; Al Janoob Islamic Bank for Investment and Finance; Arabia Islamic Bank and Hammurabi Commercial Bank. Banks banned from dollar transactions are allowed to continue operating and are allowed to engage in transactions in other currencies, the central bank says.

Persons: Timour Azhari, Al Huda, Ashur, Hammurabi, ”, Banks, Brian Nelson, Mohammed Shia, Giles Elgood Organizations: Treasury, Ahsur, Bank for Investment, Investment Bank of Iraq, Union Bank of, Kurdistan International Islamic Bank for Investment, Development, Al, Al Huda Bank, Islamic Bank for Investment, Finance, Arabia Islamic Bank, Hammurabi Commercial Bank, Central Bank of, U.S . Treasury, Huda Bank, Reuters, Iraqi Locations: Timour, Timour Azhari BAGHDAD, Iraq, U.S, Iran, United States, Israel, Gaza, Union Bank of Iraq, Kurdistan, Central Bank of Iraq, Washington, Baghdad

☆ US Airstrikes in Iraq Killed 16 Including Civilians -Iraqi PM's Office
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

CAIRO (Reuters) - Sixteen people were killed, among them civilians, and 25 injured in overnight U.S. airstrikes on pro-Iran targets in Iraq, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office said on Saturday. In a statement, it condemned the strikes as a "new aggression against Iraq's sovereignty" and denied that they were coordinated by the Baghdad government beforehand with Washington, calling such assertions "lies". The presence of the U.S.-led military coalition in the region "has become a reason for threatening security and stability in Iraq and a justification for involving Iraq in regional and international conflicts", the statement added. (Reporting by Timur Azhari, Enas Alashray, Adam Makary; editing by Mark Heinrich)War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 Images

Persons: Mohammed Shia, Timur Azhari, Enas Alashray, Adam Makary, Mark Heinrich Organizations: U.S Locations: CAIRO, Iran, Iraq, Baghdad, Washington, U.S, Israel, Gaza

☆ More than 800 Western officials pen scathing criticism of Gaza policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Mick Krever | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —More than 800 officials from the United States and Europe have signed a scathing criticism of Western policy towards Israel and Gaza, accusing their governments of possible complicity in war crimes. Among them are around 80 United States officials and diplomats, a source told CNN. The official added that the ICJ’s decision to hear a genocide case lodged against Israel was validation for the authors’ concerns. Despite the letter not listing its authors, the US official told CNN many colleagues feared losing their jobs, and that the lower number of US signatories reflected stronger protections for official dissents in Europe. CNN has asked the U.S. State Department, the European Union, and the Dutch Foreign Ministry for a response to the statement.

Persons: “, ”, Israel, Mohammed Salem Organizations: CNN, United, Hamas, International Court of Justice, Union, U.S . State Department, European Union, Dutch Foreign Ministry, ” Locations: United States, Europe, Israel, Gaza, Rafah, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, British, Ukraine, Russia, China, Iran

☆ Widening Mideast Crisis Militia Blamed for Attack on U.S. Forces Says It Will Halt Military Activity
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

His comment raised fears in Iraq about a possibly retaliatory U.S. attack on its territory. The militia, Kata’ib Hezbollah, or Brigades of the Party of God, is the largest and most established of the Iran-linked groups operating in Iraq. (Kata’ib Hezbollah is separate from the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.) The other two Iraqi groups that are believed to have been involved in strikes U.S. targets — Harakat al Nujaba and Sayyid Shuhada — have not announced they will halt attacks. Kata’ib Hezbollah and other groups had ignored the Iraqi government’s request to stand down, but once the attack in Jordan on Sunday took American lives, Mr. Sudani demanded a complete halt from Kata’ib Hezbollah.

Persons: Biden, Israel, —, Nujaba, Sayyid Shuhada —, Kata’ib, Abu Hussein al, “, Pat Ryder, ”, Mohammed Shia, Sudani, Hisham al, Sudani’s, Nuri al, Qais, Hadi, Esmail Qaani, Falih Hassan, Farnaz, Eric Schmitt Organizations: Pentagon, Hezbollah, Party of, Iraqi Army, Kurdish Syrian Defense, Islamic, Kata’ib Hezbollah, Defense Department, U.S, Sunday, Revolutionary Guards, Maliki, Quds Force Locations: Iran, Iraq, U.S, Jordan, Syria, Gaza, The U.S, Islamic State, Lebanon, Yemen, Islamic Republic of Iran, United States, Iraqi, Baghdad, New York, Washington ,

☆ Widening Mideast Crisis Qatar Is Expected to Present Hamas With Deal for Pause in Fighting
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Edward Wong | Julian E. Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Qatar is presenting the proposal to the political leaders of Hamas, who would convey it to the group’s military leaders, who would then send a response. During a seven-day pause in November, many people in those categories were among more than 100 hostages released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas and other men from Gaza took about 240 people hostage in the terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, which also resulted in about 1,200 deaths, Israeli officials said. Hamas has tried to steer any diplomacy toward discussion of a permanent cease-fire, but Israeli leaders have balked at that. The Israeli officials were expected to speak to leaders in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv about the framework after returning there from Paris.

Persons: Antony J, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, William J, Burns, Shin, Blinken, “, ” Sheikh Mohammed, Biden, Michael Crowley Organizations: Hamas, Central Intelligence Agency, Atlantic Council, New York Times, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Israel Locations: Qatar, Thani, Washington ., Gaza, Israel, United States, Paris, Egypt, Shin Bet, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Washington, Palestinian, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has made it clear the U.S. will strike back after a deadly drone attack killed three service members and wounded more than 40 at a small base in Jordan over the weekend. On Tuesday, Biden bluntly said “yes” when asked if he'd decided how to respond to the attack. Target options range from inside Iran, including on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, to Iranian ships at sea and Tehran-backed militia groups and key militant leaders in Iraq and Syria. HIT MILITIA GROUPS AGAINThe most likely move would be to hit Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria again. Hawkish Congress members said Biden should directly target Tehran for the deadly attack on the base in Jordan.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, he'd, “ That’s, ”, John Kirby, ” Biden, Quds, Gen, Qassem, Asad, Avi Melamed, ” Melamed, Jordan, Pat Ryder, Mohammed Shia, Sudani, Sen, Lindsay Graham, Sara Jacobs, Bradley Bowman, Jim Risch, —, Farnoush Amiri, Mike Pesoli, Joshua Boak, Sagar Meghani, Kevin Freking, Abby Sewell Organizations: WASHINGTON, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Quds Force, National Security, Force, U.S, Embassy, Middle, HIT, Pentagon, CONGRESSIONAL, HOW, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Republican, Senate Foreign Relations, Associated Press Locations: U.S, Jordan, Iran, Gaza, Tehran, Iraq, Syria, IRAN, Baghdad, Iranian, Hill, Davos, Washington, Beirut

CNN —In a surprise move, the most powerful Iran-backed militia in Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah, announced on Tuesday the suspension of its military operations against US forces in the region two days after a drone attack killed three US service members and wounded dozens of others. “We are announcing the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces (US troops) – in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government,” Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement. The US holds Iran broadly responsible for arming and supporting these groups and has specifically singled out Kataib Hezbollah as likely to have carried out the deadly attack on Sunday. Asked about the statement, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a briefing Tuesday, “We’ve seen those reports. The motive behind the group’s decision is unclear, but an adviser to the Iraqi prime minister said the prime minister’s efforts have paid off.

Persons: ” Kataib, Pat Ryder, “ We’ve, ” Ryder, Ryder, Kataib, ”, Islamic Republic –, Mohammed Shia, Hisham Al Organizations: CNN, US, Free Hezbollah Brigades, Iraqi Locations: Iran, Iraq, Gaza, Syria, Jordan, Islamic Republic, Iraqi

☆ Gaza Ceasefire Plan for Hostage Release Awaits Hamas Response
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +7 min

"We don't know and we cannot predict what Hamas' response will be," Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister, said on Monday. Hamas told Reuters in a statement on Tuesday the proposal would involve three stages, including the release of hostages held by the group and Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. "After that, the Hamas leadership will meet to discuss the paper and express its final opinion on it," the statement said. More than 100 Israeli hostages are still held, following the release of a similar number in an earlier truce in November that involved the release of scores of Palestinian prisoners. The Hamas statement said the second phase would also involve the release of male military recruits.

Persons: Jonathan Landay, Maya Gebeily, Andrew Mills, Nidal, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, David Barnea, Sheikh Mohammed, Jordan, Ismail Haniyeh, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Islamic Jihad, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Dan Williams, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Michael Georgy, William Maclean Organizations: Reuters, Palestinian, U.S, Paris, Islamic, Hamas, Washington's Atlantic Council, Israeli Defense Forces Locations: Mughrabi WASHINGTON, BEIRUT, DOHA, Gaza, Israel, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Paris, Qatar, Egypt, U.S, France, Cairo

☆ Amid anguished joy, ‘nothing is impossible’ for the Palestinian national soccer team on its Asian Cup adventure
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Eoin Mcsweeney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —As the echoes of the final whistle rang out around the Abdullah bin Khalifa stadium in Doha, Qatar, Palestinian players celebrated with anguished joy last week. The historic sporting moment for Palestinians comes as Israel’s war against Hamas rages in Gaza, causing widespread destruction and initiating a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. The Palestinian Football Association says that, as of December 6, 55 football players are amongst the dead, including amateur and youth members. Some Palestinian national team footballers, like Saleh, have reportedly lost family members or have relatives and friends trapped in Gaza. Palestinian national team players observe the national anthems prior to the AFC Asian Cup Group C match between Iran and Palestine at Education City Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

Persons: Abdullah, Oday, Israel, Rami Hamada, Mohamed Saleh, Mohammed Rashid, CNN’s Eleni Giokos, “, Hong Kong, ”, “ We’re, Rashid, Mohammed Saleh, Hector Retamal, Saleh, ” Rashid, there’s, “ They’ve, ” Mohammed Rashid of, Mohammad Mohebbi, Masashi Hara, Gianni Infantino, we’re, Robert Cianflone, Monday’s Organizations: CNN, Palestinian national soccer team, AFC Asian, Hong, Qatar, Iran, Palestinian, UAE, Group C, Janoub, Getty, Ministry of Health, Palestinian Football Association, West Bank, Palestinian soccer, Education City, FIFA, UEFA, Russian, Israel, Persib, “, Hamas Locations: Doha, Qatar, Palestinian, Gaza, Hong Kong, Hong, Palestine, Al, AFP, “, Ramallah, Israel, Iran, Al Rayyan, Ukraine, Persib Bandung, refence, Russia

BEIRUT (AP) — The United States and Iraq held a first session of formal talks Saturday in Baghdad aimed at winding down the mission of a U.S.-led military coalition formed to fight the Islamic State group in Iraq. Washington has had a continuous presence in Iraq since its 2003 invasion. Although all U.S. combat forces left in 2011, thousands of troops returned in 2014 to help the government of Iraq defeat IS. Those estimated 2,500 U.S. troops and the bases they serve on have drawn more than 150 missile and drone attacks fired by the militias. Iraqi officials have complained that the U.S. strikes are a violation of Iraq's sovereignty.

Persons: Mohammed Shia, Sudani, ”, Qassem Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al Organizations: Islamic, Coalition, Iranian, Israel, Popular Mobilization Forces Locations: BEIRUT, United States, Iraq, Baghdad, U.S, Iraqi, America, Syria, Iran, Israel, Washington, Gaza

☆ Iraq and the U.S. begin formal talks to end coalition mission formed to fight the Islamic State group
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Army soldiers watch as fellow Coalition soldiers pass by near the entrance to the International Zone on May 30, 2021 in Baghdad, Iraq. The United States and Iraq held a first session of formal talks Saturday in Baghdad aimed at winding down the mission of a U.S.-led military coalition formed to fight the Islamic State group in Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement that he had sponsored "the commencement of the first round of bilateral dialogue between Iraq and the United States of America to end the mission of the Coalition in Iraq." Although all U.S. combat forces left in 2011, thousands of troops returned in 2014 to help the government of Iraq defeat IS. Iraqi officials have complained that the U.S. strikes are a violation of Iraq's sovereignty.

Persons: Mohammed Shia, Sudani, Qassem Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al Organizations: Army, Coalition, Islamic, Iranian, Israel, Popular Mobilization Forces Locations: Baghdad, Iraq, United States, U.S, Iraqi, America, Syria, Iran, Israel, Washington, Gaza

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