• Israel resumes airstrikes on Gaza as ceasefire proposal collapses

    Jul 14
    Israel resumed air strikes in Gaza as a ceasefire agreement proposed by Egypt collapsed, reports Reuters.

    Hamas’ military wing rejected the ceasefire proposal, stating that the key demands of the Palestinian people were not addressed in the terms of the ceasefire proposal.

    Israel earlier in the day accepted the ceasefire, warning that its operation would intensify should Hamas fail to act on the proposal and stop firing rockets.

    The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said on national TV that there was no choice left but to ‘expand and intensify’ its campaign against Hamas.

    Condemning Israel's acceptance of Egypt's ceasefire proposal, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman called for Gaza to be occupied. “An end result to the operation would see the IDF control Gaza,” the Times of Israel quoted him as saying.

  • Thousands flee northern Gaza as conflict continues

    Thousands of Palestinians fled northern Gaza, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continued into the seventh day.

    According to the UN, over 17,000 have sought refuge within UN buildings, the BBC reported. At least 172 Palestinians have been killed.

    The Israeli military said earlier today it had shot down a drone launched from Gaza. Hamas had previously stated drones carried out "three missions over Israeli military bases" via its Twitter account.

  • Egypt proposes Middle East ceasefire
    Egypt presented its proposals for a ceasefire on Monday, aimed at halting the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

    The ceasefire proposals aim to be in force by 0600 GMT on Tuesday, followed by a cessation in the violence by 12 hours later, and talks in Cairo within 48 hours, Egypt state media MENA reported.
  • Concern at Thailand's planned deportation of refugees to Myanmar
    Rights groups have expressed grave concerns over the Thai military's decision to deport up to 130,000 refugees from Myanmar.

    "The policy of the National Council for Peace and Order is to send the refugees back and close all camps," a source within the military was quoted by the Bangkok Post as saying.
  • UN Security Council calls for Gaza ceasefire as death toll rises

    The UN Security Council on Saturday called for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinians, as the death toll in Gaza continues to rise amidst heavy air strikes.

    “The Security Council members called for de-escalation of the situation, restoration of calm, and reinstitution of the November 2012 ceasefire,” a statement said.

    “The Security Council members further called for respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.”

    The statement is the first by the 15 member Security Council since the Israeli offensive began, with members previously divided on how to respond.

  • First Russian fatality in Ukraine crisis

    A shell fired across the border from Ukraine into Russia has killed one man, the first reported Russian fatality in the three-month conflict.

  • Amnesty calls for UN war crimes investigation into Israel/Gaza conflict and regional arms embargo
    The UN must set up a fact finding mission into Israel and Gaza to investigate airstrikes and shelling committed by both sides of the conflict that could constitute to war crimes, said Amnesty International in a statement Sunday.
  • Turkey legislation paves way for PKK peace talks

    Turkey has passed a legal framework for peace talks with the PKK, previously made difficult due to the country’s strict anti-terror laws.

    Thursday’s parliamentary vote removes the risk of Kurds participating in the talks from being prosecuted in case negotiations fail.

  • 175 victims of Srebrenica massacre buried on anniversary

    The 19th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre was marked in Bosnia-Herzegovina, with 175 victims that were found in mass graves buried in the town on Friday.

    The newly identified bodies of Bosniak men and boys were buried next to 6,066 massacre victims, found previously.

    Over 8,000 Bosniak Muslims were massacred by Serbian troops, after Dutch UN troops handed the area over to the Serbs. The commander of the troops who did the killing, Ratko Mladic, is now on trial at The Hague, facing charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

  • Kurds seize Iraqi oil fields

    Two oil fields have been taken over by Kurdistan’s peshmerga in the north of Iraq.

    The facilities, at the Bai Hassan and Kirkuk oil fields, have come under full control of Kurdish forces, a day after Kurdish MPs withdrew from Iraq’s government.

  • No international pressure will stop us from acting with all power' says Israel
    Israel said Friday that it would not bow down to international pressure to end air strikes on Gaza, whilst the US offered to help negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas, reports Reuters.

    “No international pressure will prevent us from acting with all power,” he told reports Tel Aviv.
  • EU places sanctions on leaders in South Sudan
    The European Union Friday, imposed sanctions on two South Sudanese military leaders for breaking ceasefire agreement, reports the Reuters.

    The EU announced travel bans on South Sudanese rebel leader Peter Gadet, and Military commander of the government army, Santino Deng. 
  • Kurdish leaders to boycott Iraqi cabinet over Maliki comments

    Kurdish leaders vowed to boycott the Iraq cabinet on Thursday, demanding an apology from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, for his remarks accusing Kurdistan of harbouring ISIS fighters.

    Mr Maliki made those comments whilst visiting the Kurdistan's capital Irbil on Wednesday.

  • Work towards two state solution for peace in Israel and Palestine says UN Sec General
    The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki moon, Thursday, warned the United Nations Security Council of a serious escalation of casualties in the Israel and Gaza could only be avoided if parties worked towards a two state solution.
  • Gaza death toll continues to rise

    Over 38 people, including at least 8 children have now been killed in the Gaza strip after continuing air and sea attacks by the Israeli Defence Force.

    Officials in Gaza said that six children were killed in an attack targeting Hamas activist Odeh Ahmad Mohammad Kaware, with several of his children said to have died in the assault, reported The Guardian.

    The Israeli military has conducted over 440 air and naval strikes since Monday.

    "Four Palestinians were killed in air strikes, including two brothers who are 12 and 13 years old in Shejaiya, while a four-year-old boy and a woman were killed in a raid on Zeitun," emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told Agence France-Presse.

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