Palestine

Israel Military Says Controls 40 Percent of Gaza City

The Israeli military on Thursday said it controls 40 percent of Gaza City, the largest urban center in the Palestinian territory which it is preparing to conquer after nearly two years of devastating war. Israel has intensified in recent days its bombardments of the area of Gaza City, in the territory's north, ahead of the planned offensive, ...

Israel FM Says No Macron Visit Unless France Drops Palestinian State Recognition

Israel's foreign minister said Thursday that his government would not agree to a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron so long as Paris plans to recognize a Palestinian state. A statement from Israel's foreign ministry said Gideon Saar told France's top diplomat Jean-Noel Barrot in a phone call that "there is no room" ...

Israel Vows to Inflict Biblical Plagues on Yemen's Houthis

Israel's defense minister vowed Thursday to inflict the biblical 10 plagues of Egypt on Yemen's Houthi after they stepped up their missile attacks against Israel. "The Houthis are firing missiles at Israel again. A plague of darkness, a plague of the firstborn -- we will complete all 10 plagues," Israel Katz posted on X. He was ...

Israel Intercepts Houthi Missile Fired From Yemen

The Israeli military said Wednesday it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen after Houthis vowed to avenge the killing of their prime minister in an Israeli strike last week. "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted," an Israeli military statement ...

Israeli Strikes Kill 13 People Near Gaza City

Gaza's civil defence agency said on Tuesday that Israeli strikes on an apartment and a residential building killed 13 people overnight. Spokesman Mahmud Bassal said in a statement to AFP that Israeli warplanes hit the top floor of a residential building in southwestern Gaza City, killing 10 people. Bassal said Israeli helicopters also struck ...

Abbas Determined to Withdraw All Palestinian Weapons from Lebanon

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that his leadership is determined to withdraw all Palestinian weapons from Lebanon, calling the step essential to the country’s security and sovereignty. In an interview with Al-Arabiya, Abbas confirmed that he had reached an understanding with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on carrying out the ...

US to Refuse Visas to Palestinian Officials at UN Summit on State

The United States said Friday it will deny visas to members of the Palestinian Authority to attend next month's UN General Assembly, where France is leading a push to recognize a Palestinian state. The extraordinary step further aligns President Donald Trump's administration with Israel's government, which adamantly rejects a Palestinian state ...

Israel Army Declares Gaza City 'a Dangerous Combat Zone'

The Israeli military declared Gaza City "a dangerous combat zone" on Friday, as it prepared to conquer the Palestinian territory's largest city after almost two years of devastating war. Israel is under mounting pressure at home and abroad to end its offensive in Gaza, where the vast majority of the population has been displaced at ...

Sweden and Netherlands Call for EU Sanctions on Israel, Hamas

Sweden and the Netherlands have urged the EU to adopt sanctions on Israel and Hamas over the war in Gaza, including suspending the EU-Israel trade deal, according to a document seen by AFP on Thursday. In a letter to European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, the Swedish and Dutch foreign ministers called for targeted sanctions on Israeli ...

Gaza at 'Breaking Point', Says UN Food Agency Chief After Visit

The head of the UN's World Food Programme warned Thursday that famine-hit Gaza is "at breaking point", appealing for the urgent revival of its network of 200 food distribution points. "Enough is enough," the WFP's executive director Cindy McCain said after visiting the besieged Palestinian territory, where Israel is pressing operations in its ...