April 29, 2026

Gaza War

<b>Israeli military launches first ground operation into central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah</b>- <i> www.euronews.com</i>

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The Israeli military has launched a ground operation on Monday in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah, sending in tanks a day after dropping leaflets on neighbourhoods advising people to evacuate.

The ground operation, the first to take place in the city since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza erupted in 2023, is being accompanied by aerial strikes by Israel’s air force.

Eyewitnesses said massive air strikes took place on the city overnight into Monday, one of the last remaining areas of the Strip not to suffer significant damage from the war.

The city is hosting thousands of Palestinians displaced from southern Gaza and is also the main hub for erratic aid deliveries due to its central location.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) cautioned against a military operation in Deir al-Balah after the IDF dropped evacuation orders on the city on Sunday.

Iran’s parliament has voted to ignore any efforts to engage in talks with the U.S. about its nuclear program until certain preconditions are set. The country released a statement, reading “When the United States uses negotiations as a cover for deception and enables the Israeli regime’s surprise military assault, it is no longer possible to negotiate as before. Preconditions must be set, and until they are completely fulfilled, no new talks should take place.”

This comes after a report suggests two of the three nuclear facilities could be brought back online in a few months, raising concerns there may be more strikes to come. Iran specifically wants guarantees it will not be targeted by the U.S. again, a demand that is likely not going to be met.

Iranian parliament: No negotiations with U.S. until preconditions met– www.washingtontimes.com
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Iran formally ruled out any further participation in U.S. nuclear negotiations unless a series of preconditions are met, Iran’s parliament ruled this week.

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Georgetown University’s interim president, Robert Groves, told Congress he is “very proud” of the school’s financial relationship with Qatar and defended his decision to award a presidential medal to a Qatari royal who openly celebrated Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.

“I’m very proud of our mission in Qatar,” Groves said Tuesday during a House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing. “It’s completely consistent with the Jesuit animation of working at the frontiers of serving groups that are not served easily in Washington.”

Republican lawmakers at the hearing—which also featured University of California, Berkeley, chancellor Rich Lyons and City University of New York chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez—focused much of their attention on Georgetown’s financial relationship with Qatar, through which the university has received approximately $1 billion from the Gulf state since 2005.

One project the university built with its influx of Qatari cash is the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), situated within Georgetown’s prestigious School of Foreign Service. Groves pointed to the ACMCU as one example of the school’s efforts to address “interfaith conflict.”

<b>20 Palestinians killed in Gaza aid site stampede, Israel-backed group says - National</b>- <i> globalnews.ca</i>

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Twenty Palestinians were killed Wednesday in the crush of a crowd at a food distribution site run by an Israeli-backed American organization in the Gaza Strip, the group said, the first time it has acknowledged deadly violence at its operations. The deaths came as Israeli strikes killed 41 others, including 11 children, according to hospital officials.

The Gaza Humanitarian Fund accused the Hamas militant group of fomenting panic and spreading misinformation that led to the violence, though it provided no evidence to support the claim.

It said 19 people were trampled in a stampede and one person was fatally stabbed at a hub in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. Gaza’s Health Ministry and witnesses said GHF workers used tear gas against the crowd, inciting a panic. The ministry said that it was the first time people have been killed by a stampede at the aid sites.

It was also the first time that GHF has confirmed deaths at one of its distribution sites, although Palestinian witnesses, health officials and U.N. agencies say hundreds of people have been killed while heading to the hubs to get food.

Erdogan Hopes to Build Anti-Israel Coalition

Erdogan’s ‘War on Israel’ call at non-Arab Muslim meet, with Iran present: Full Speech| ECO| Turkey – Hindustan Times
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a powerful speech at the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit, directly addressing the escalating crisis in the Middle East. Erdoğan condemned Israel’s increasingly aggressive policies under its current administration, warning that these actions threaten peace and stability across the region. The Turkish President vowed to “not remain silent while the Netanyahu administration turns our region into a bloodbath”. Will Iran’s new non-Arab Muslim coalition act against Israel soon?

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Tucker Carlson, who seems fully dedicated to the anti-Israel movement now, provided yet another platform for the world’s biggest state sponsor of terrorism (Iran) to lie to the world. One of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s denials is disprovable with a simple internet search — yes, Iran has repeatedly called for Donald Trump’s assassination.

Carlson rarely seems to do any research that would enable him to call out his interviewees’ lies, allowing multiple guests in recent months to make preposterous claims that the barest journalistic prep would have warned him are false claims. In this case, he was so focused on trying to claim Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is lying to trick Americans into fighting a regime that has been at war with us for four decades that he let Pezeshkian make a mendacious semi-denial. Ignore the fact that Iran’s grand ayatollah just issued a fatwa saying Trump must receive the punishment of death.

Netanyahu said in June about Iran, “They want to kill [Trump]. He’s enemy number one.” And if Tucker weren’t an antisemite more interested in irritating other conservatives than in fact-checking foreign dictators’ claims, he’d know that Iran’s desire to see Trump dead isn’t a big secret — Iran has been posting online about it for years.

“Has Iran ever backed an assassination attempt against Donald Trump?” Carlson asked. Predictably, Pezeshhkian lied without an outright denial, while cleverly manipulating Carlson by using one of Tucker’s favorite phrases: “This is actually what Netanyahu is trying to insinuate and to make your people or the president of your country to believe. But this is wrong because Netanyahu, who has his own agenda, wants to drag the U.S. into forever wars as I said and to bring insecurity and instability and onwards to the whole region.” Pezeshkian also denied Iranian sleeper cells in America, about which the Department of Homeland Security is raising alarms.

<b>Iran’s supreme leader makes first public appearance since Iran-Israel war started</b>- <i> www.washingtonexaminer.com</i>

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday made his first public appearance since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran began, attending a mourning ceremony on the eve of Ashoura.

Khamenei’s absence during the war suggested the Iranian leader, who has final say on all state matters, had been in seclusion in a bunker — something not acknowledged by state media. State TV in Iran showed him waving and nodding to the chanting crowd, which rose to its feet as he entered and sat at a mosque next to his office and residence in the capital, Tehran.

There was no immediate report on any public statement made. Iranian officials such as the parliament speaker were present. Such events are always held under heavy security.

After the United States inserted itself into the war by bombing three key nuclear sites in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump sent warnings via social media to the 86-year-old Khamenei that the U.S. knew where he was but had no plans to kill him, “at least for now.”

On June 26, shortly after a ceasefire began, Khamenei made his first public statement in days, saying in a prerecorded statement that Tehran had delivered a “slap to America’s face” by striking a U.S. air base in Qatar, and warning against further attacks by the U.S. or Israel on Iran.

Trump replied, in remarks to reporters and on social media: “Look, you’re a man of great faith. A man who’s highly respected in his country. You have to tell the truth. You got beat to hell.”

<b>Why didn't Hezbollah join Iran in the war against Israel?</b>- <i> www.yahoo.com</i>

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Expert Tal Beeri discussed how it is unknown why the religious directive had not been given, but if it were, Hezbollah would have joined the war against Israel on Iran’s side.

Hezbollah refrained from entering the war between Israel and Iran on Iran’s side due to a lack of religious directive, expert Tal Beeri said.

Beeri is the head of the Research Department at the Alma Center for the Study of Security Challenges in the North. He has published a detailed analysis titled “Why Didn’t Hezbollah Join Iran in the War against Israel?” In it, the Middle East expert challenged prevailing explanations for Hezbollah’s decision to refrain from entering the war on Iran’s side and also discussed the perceived gap between Hezbollah’s weakness and the actual reality.

Beeri noted: “There is a significant gap between the existing portrayal of Hezbollah’s supposed weakness and the actual reality.”

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In the days before a return deadline set for Sunday, tens of thousands of Afghans crossed the border from Iran, creating an “emergency” situation at border crossings, according to the United Nations.Iranian authorities said that out of six million Afghans living in Iran, about four million could be affected by a late May order asking them to leave the country by July 6.Unicef’s representative in Afghanistan, Tajudeen Oyewale, called the situation an “emergency” in a country already facing a “chronic returnee crisis.” He said that 1.4 million Afghans have returned this year from long-time host countries like Iran and Pakistan.Men, women, and even entire families are crossing the border with little money or belongings. “What is concerning is that 25 percent of all these returnees are children… because the demographics have shifted,” Oyewale was quoted as saying to news agency AFP on Thursday.

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When Russia sought assistance from China, North Korea and Iran amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, some Western officials expressed concern about the formation of a new axis against Western countries.

But none of these countries came to Iran’s aid during the Iran-Israel war or when American forces attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities.

China and Russia, the most powerful countries in the axis, have only expressed verbal condemnation of Washington’s actions but stopped short of providing any financial, material or military assistance to Tehran.

Alexander Gaboyev, Director of the Carnegie Centre for Russian and Eurasian Affairs, told the New York Times: “Each of these countries is completely pacifist and they don’t want to get involved in each other’s wars. Unlike the US and its allies, these countries do not necessarily have the same structures, values and institutional links with each other.”

The four countries have authoritarian regimes and are hostile to the United States, which has always tried to undermine them and question their legitimacy. They also have some strategic ties with each other which seek to circumvent US-led economic sanctions by advancing trade and exchanging weapons technology.

Michael Kimge, a professor of history at The Catholic University of America and a former US State Department official, also believes that “there is probably little coordination between China, North Korea, Iran and Russia, so that they share views and have conversations around the centre of dissatisfaction with the United States, but not very meaningful coordination with each other.”

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday for what some analysts have dubbed a “victory lap” following the US joining Israel in strikes against Iran. But as they meet for the third time this year, the outwardly triumphant visit will be dogged by Israel’s 21-month war against Hamas in Gaza and questions over how hard Trump will push for an end to the conflict.

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The talks would focus on conditions for a possible ceasefire, including hostage and prisoner releases, and Hamas would also seek the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah crossing to evacuate the wounded, the official told AFP.

Hamas’s delegation, led by its top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, was in Doha, the official told AFP. Israel’s public broadcaster said the country’s delegation had left for the Qatari capital in the early afternoon.

Qatar’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the indirect negotiations had begun.

‘Enough blood’

Two Palestinian sources close to the discussions told AFP the proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel.

However, they said, the group was also demanding certain conditions for Israel’s withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system.

On the ground, Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 26 people were killed by Israeli forces on Sunday.

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New details of the Gaza ceasefire proposal emerged on Sunday as Israel sent a negotiating team to Qatar ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘s White House visit for talks toward an agreement. Inside the territory, hospital officials said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 38 Palestinians.

“There are 20 hostages that are alive, 30 dead. I am determined, we are determined, to bring them all back. And we will also be determined to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel,” Netanyahu said before departing, emphasizing the goal of eliminating Hamas’ military and governing power.

A person familiar with the negotiations shared with The Associated Press a copy of the latest ceasefire proposal submitted by mediators to Hamas, and its veracity was confirmed by two other people familiar with the document. All three spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the sensitive talks with the media.

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President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet at the White House on Monday. One of the most difficult questions on the table is what Gaza might look like without Hamas.

Experts tell Fox News Digital that while the need for an alternative is clear, almost every proposed solution comes with serious structural, political and security limitations.

John Hannah, a senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) and veteran of both Republican and Democratic administrations, said building an alternative to Hamas must happen in parallel with dismantling it.

Hamas terrorists emerge from the shadows as they surround Red Cross vehicles. (TPS-IL)

“Part of how you win is by showing there’s a viable alternative,” Hannah said. “People need to see there’s a future beyond Hamas”

That future, experts believe, lies in a non-Hamas technocratic government – comprised of Palestinians unaffiliated with either Hamas or the PLO – backed by a coalition of key Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the UAE.

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Following an AP investigation accusing a US mercenary firm of firing on desperate Gaza aid seekers, the company has released extensive new footage in an attempt at damage control. But the video only further implicates the scandal-plagued operation.

On July 2, the Associated Press released an exposé containing short videos which appeared to show American mercenaries associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) opening fire on aid-seekers in Gaza during an incident in southern Gaza this May. The footage was supplied by a former employee of UG Solutions, a firm charged with securing GHF distribution sites.

“I think you hit one,” one soldier of fortune says to another following a loud burst of gunfire.

“Hell yeah, boy!” another exclaims.

<b>Scepticism and hope for end to Gaza war before Trump-Netanyahu meeting | Israel-Palestine conflict News</b>- <i> www.aljazeera.com</i>

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting the United States on Monday, a visit analysts expect will focus on celebrating Israel and the US’s self-anointed victory against Iran and discussing a proposal for a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza.

This is the third time this year Netanyahu will be meeting US President Donald Trump, who claims the US and Israel “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme during a 12-day war and that he would resume bombing Iran if it restarts nuclear activities.

Last week, Trump said Israel had agreed to conditions for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, which would allow all parties to work towards an end to Israel’s 21-month-long war on the besieged enclave.

On July 4, Hamas gave a “positive” response to Qatari and Egyptian mediators about the latest ceasefire proposal.

<b>Israel to send team to Gaza talks despite Hamas demands, PM says</b>- <i> www.bbc.com</i>

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Israel has decided to send a delegation to Qatar on Sunday for proximity talks with Hamas on the latest proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he had accepted the invitation despite what he described as the “unacceptable” changes that Hamas wanted to make to a plan presented by mediators from Qatar, the US and Egypt.

On Friday night, Hamas said it had delivered a “positive response” to the proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and that it was ready for negotiations.

However, a Palestinian official said the group had sought amendments including a guarantee that hostilities would not resume if talks on a permanent truce failed.

In Gaza itself, the Hamas-run health ministry said on Sunday that 80 people killed in Israeli attacks had arrived at hospitals over the past 24 hours.

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An Israeli delegation is heading to Qatar for indirect talks with Hamas on a possible hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza.

The development comes ahead of a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump in Washington DC on Monday aimed at pushing forward peace efforts.

The US leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to secure a permanent ceasefire and an end to the 21-month-long war in Gaza.

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So Iran is still waging war through their proxies.

Since President Trump brokered the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, Iran’s proxy the Houthis have been launching missiles into Israeli cities from Yemen. Israel rightfully retaliated harshly against the brutal terror state. Israel is doing the world an enormous favor by decapitating Iran and it’s terror proxies.

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A medical professional whom people trusted to care for them sparked a national uproar after showing off her evil soul following one of the worst U.S. natural disasters in recent memory, and now she no longer has a job.

As Mediaite reported, Christina B. Propst, a Houston, Texas pediatrician, gloated about the 82 victims of the Texas flooding in Kerr County, saying they voted to gut FEMA and got what they deserved as a result.

These victims included 28 innocent little children.

“May all visitors, children, non-MAGA voters and pets be safe and dry,” she wrote. “Kerr County MAGA voted to gut FEMA. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for. Bless their hearts.”