Gaza genocide

Protesters rally in Somalia to condemn killing of Hamas leader

Africa /

Protesters in Somalia rallied Friday to condemn the assassination of Hamas’ Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh by Israel. Students, business people and religious clerics came out in Mogadishu to show solidarity with the Palestinian people who have been facing an Israeli onslaught in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, against Israel. Protesters were led by famous Somali religious scholar Sheikh Abdi Hayi who chanted against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “There is no God but Allah, Netanyahu is an enemy of Allah,” protesters chanted. The Somalia government strongly condemned Haniyeh’s assassination on Wednesday and said it was a violation of international law. Haniyeh, who was in the Iranian capital of Tehran to attend the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian, was killed by an airstrike that targeted the building where he was staying.  Hamas and Iran have blamed Israel for the attack but Tel Aviv has neither claimed nor denied responsibility. “Somalia fears an escalating pace of violence that could lead to more violations against civilians,” said the Somali Foreign Ministry, expressing “heartfelt condolences” to the Palestinian people. Mogadishu condemns political killings and violence “in all its forms, whatever its motives are,” it said in a statement. 

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Algeria suspends flights to Lebanon amid regional tensions

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Algeria’s flag carrier Air Algerie said Thursday that it suspended its flights to and from Lebanon until further notice. The airline urged all customers to contact the company’s call centers for more information and updates. The national carrier did not provide a specific reason for the decision. However, it follows similar moves by other airlines, including Kuwait Airways, Royal Jordanian Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines. The suspension comes amid rising tensions and the potential for a broader conflict between Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah group on one side and Israel on the other. It follows the assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr by Israel on Tuesday and accusations by the Palestinian group Hamas and Iran that Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday. Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport, the only airport in Lebanon, has previously been targeted during the country’s civil war from 1975 to 1989 and in past conflicts with Israel, most recently in the July 2006 war. Hamas and Iran have vowed to retaliate for Haniyeh’s assassination, while Hezbollah has pledged to respond to Shukr’s killing.  Meanwhile, international efforts are underway to de-escalate the situation and prevent the conflict from spreading further in the region. Fears have grown of a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire. The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught on Gaza which has killed nearly 39,500 people since last October following an attack by Hamas.

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Haniyeh’s funeral ceremony begins in Tehran

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 The funeral ceremony for Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Palestinian Hamas group’s political bureau, began early Thursday in the Iranian capital of Tehran, with a large number of people and officials participating, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, local media reported. The Iranian Mehr News Agency released a short video of the funeral ceremony, which featured Hamas top figures. According to the official IRNA news agency, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will lead the funeral prayers. On Wednesday morning, Hamas and Iran announced the assassination of Haniyeh in an Israeli airstrike targeting his residence in Tehran, a day after he attended the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Though Israel has remained silent about Haniyeh’s death, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted at Tel Aviv’s involvement in his assassination. Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas. At least 39,445 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 91,000 injured, according to local health authorities. Nearly 10 months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine. Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

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Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in Israeli airstrike in Tehran

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 The Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced early Wednesday that its political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his residence in the Iranian capital Tehran. “Hamas mourns to our great Palestinian people, to the Arab and Islamic nations, and to all the free people of the world, the martyr, the Mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, who was killed in a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran after participating in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president,” it said in a statement on Telegram. Iranian state television also reported Haniyeh’s death, noting that an investigation into the assassination is ongoing and that the results will be announced soon. No immediate announcement has been made by Israel on the incident.

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UNRWA: 200 UNRWA workers killed in Gaza

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 Nearly 200 UNRWA workers have been killed in Gaza since the start of Israel’s ongoing offensive on Oct. 7, 2023, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Saturday. “When the war in Gaza started nearly 10 months ago, no one thought we will reach this grim milestone. Nearly 200 UNRWA team members have been killed in Gaza,” Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement on X. “These are not numbers, these are our colleagues and our friends,” said Lazzarini, noting that “this is by far the largest loss of personnel killed in a single conflict or natural disaster since the creation of the United Nations – a reality the world must never accept.” Lazzarini reiterated “the call of the UN Secretary General for a full accountability for each and every one of these deaths.” Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. More than 39,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children. Vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine. Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

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UN chief: Humanitarian situation in Gaza ‘total disaster

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 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Thursday about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip while reiterating a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza is a total disaster,” Guterres said as he listed two reasons. “First, a military campaign that has the highest level of killing and destruction that I remember in any other military campaign since I am Secretary General, anywhere in the world,” he said. “The second reason is because the level of humanitarian aid is totally out of proportion with the needs.” His remarks came one day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint session of the US Congress, where he claimed that the war in Gaza has “one of the lowest ratios of combatants to non-combatant casualties in the history of urban warfare.” Turning to Netanyahu’s claims about Gaza, Guterres said: “There was nothing said yesterday that is new. So, there is nothing that was said that deserves comments, and obviously, we absolutely must keep the two-state solution as the only possible long-term solution for peace in the region, independently of whatever is said by whoever, wherever.” Asked by Anadolu about his evaluations of Netanyahu’s claims about the number of casualties in Gaza, Guterres said: “My answer is simple: to whom people believe in relation to that, I am very at ease in relation to this question.” Guterres said he has not reached out to Netanyahu while he is in the US to discuss attacks on UN convoys in Gaza. “I have not reached out to the Prime Minister, but our people have been reaching out, both to Israeli authorities and also to other countries, exactly in order to make sure that this kind of regrettable incidents are not repeated,” he added. Netanyahu has faced a wave of protests since arriving Monday in Washington. Thousands took to the streets to protest his address to Congress and his policies in Gaza. They are also demanding a cease-fire in the besieged enclave. Nearly 39,200 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 90,400 injured, according to local health authorities. Over nine months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine. Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

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Thousands demonstrate in Washington against Netanyahu visit

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Thousands of people, including Jewish Americans, demonstrated in Washington on Wednesday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a joint  session of the US Congress. They had descended on Capitol Hill, the seat of the US government, chanting “Free, Free Palestine” as some tried to block streets ahead of Netanyahu’s speech. Police wearing gas masks blocked the crowd, which was calling for an end to the war that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians, from getting closer to the Capitol. Tall steel barriers ringed entrances to the complex, and security officers deployed by the score on foot, bicycle, and with dogs. Overnight, hundreds of protesters organised by a Jewish group staged a sit-in at a congressional office building, crying, “Not in our name.” The prime minister was greeted by Republican House Speaker, Mike Johnson, as he arrived in the afternoon at the Capitol, for a speech arranged weeks ago and instigated by the Speaker. “I think people are rageful that the United States government has the gall, after months and months of genocide, not to hold Benjamin Netanyahu accountable, but to continue to roll out the red carpet for him,” said demonstrator Zaid Khatib. Carrying posters saying “Wanted. War Criminal Benjamin Netayahu”, protesters demanded the prime minister’s arrest, as requested by the international criminal court’s chief prosecutor in May. One protester, who travelled from Maryland to take part in the demonstration, said it was important to show that not all US citizens support the government’s policies towards Israel. “They don’t support the policies of our elected officials. We are in a rogue kind of administration that are disconnected from the people,” said Michael Prentice. “I think it’s important to show, come out and show the world that the American people, our policies, are not popular with the American people, if that makes sense.” Inside Congress, dozens of high profile Democratic lawmakers decided not to attend Netanyahu’s speech, expressing their dismay over the civilian deaths and humanitarian crisis as a result of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The most notable absence was behind him. Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as president of the Senate and traditionally would sit behind whatever dignitary is speaking, said a long-scheduled trip would keep her away.

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Palestinian factions pledge to ‘end divisions’ during Beijing talk...

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Palestinian factions have pledged to end divisions during their reconciliatory talks in Beijing, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced on Tuesday. The representatives inked the declaration “pledging to end division and strengthen unity.” Representatives from 14 groups of Palestinians have held talks in Beijing since Sunday. Video footage released by Chinese state media showed Wang walking along with the representatives of the Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah, after their meeting held in Beijing.

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Protests erupt in Tunisia, Morocco against Israeli attacks on Gaza

Africa /

Demonstrations against Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip took place Friday in Tunisia and Morocco, drawing thousands of protesters. In the Tunisian capital of Tunis, protesters gathered on Habib Bourguiba Avenue for a Solidarity with Palestine march. Demonstrators carrying Palestinian and Tunisian flags, chanted slogans such as “Freedom for Palestine” and “The hypocritical world has set Gaza and Palestine on fire.” Human rights activist Said Buacle, who participated, told Anadolu that protesters have been holding support demonstrations for Gaza for 37 weeks and plan to continue. Similar demonstrations were held in cities across Morocco, including Rabat, Fez, Meknes, Tangier, Kenitra, Nador, Ahfir, Taroudant and Agadir. Thousands took part to demand that Israel stop its attacks on Gaza and allow humanitarian aid into the enclave. Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas. More than 38,800 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 89,400 injured, according to local health authorities. Over nine months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

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