Middle East Crisis

Gaza War
Gang threatens hospital: “Post-apocalyptic sci-fi”

New forms of violence and anarchy are emerging in Gaza after almost 21 months of war. The Guardian has spoken to staff at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis who tell of the threat posed by gangs clashing with each other.

Last week, the hospital was stormed by armed gangs searching for a man from a rival group. The man had been injured in the gangs’ fighting over valuable sacks of flour from looted aid convoys. Hospital staff were beaten, equipment destroyed and vehicles set on fire. Soon after, forces sent by the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry joined in. Israeli drones circled over the chaos.

“You have gangs fighting, Israeli airstrikes or soldiers shooting people, and Hamas is still there. Meanwhile, we have kilometers after kilometers of desperate people cooking over open fires, living in tents and being very hungry. It's like a kind of post-apocalyptic science fiction movie, says an aid worker.

West Bank
Israeli settlers attack IDF base in West Bank

A dozen or so Israeli settlers attacked an Israeli military base and several Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, reports Haaretz.

"A number of civilians set fire to and vandalized a security facility," the IDF confirmed on X.

According to AP, the attacks come after security forces there cracked down on settler violence in recent days. One general in particular was singled out as a "traitor" and attacked during the riot, writes AFP.

The incident drew criticism from unexpected quarters, when the usually apologetic Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir condemned the action on social media:

"Attacking IDF soldiers, who are our brothers and protectors, crosses a red line and must be dealt with with full force," he wrote, according to the AP. 

Golan Heights conflict
Israel: Wants to see peace agreements with Syria and Lebanon

Israel is "interested" in concluding a peace agreement with old enemies Syria and Lebanon. This was stated by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar at a press conference, according to Reuters.

Sa'ar says that it is in Israel's interest to expand the list of countries in the "circle of peace and normalization," writes TT.

At the same time, he emphasizes that the occupied Golan Heights should remain under Israeli control.

AFP writes that a peace agreement would be a remarkable shift after decades of war.

Neither Syria nor Lebanon has responded to the Israeli statement.