ESCALATING CRISES: GAZA HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY, BORDER TENSIONS, AND URGENT CALLS FOR AID

The Middle East is witnessing a mounting series of crises that threaten to plunge the region further into turmoil. In Gaza, an ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has led to a dire humanitarian emergency, with no ceasefire in sight. Meanwhile, tensions are flaring on Israel's northern border with Lebanon, raising concerns of a potential spread of hostilities. Amid these crises, the world watches anxiously, while international diplomats scramble to find solutions. Here, we delve into these pressing concerns and explore the calls for immediate humanitarian aid.

GAZA BORDER REMAINS SHUT AS ISRAEL WARNS OF A ‘LONG WAR’

The Gaza Strip faces a dire humanitarian crisis with no ceasefire in sight. Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza, leading to shortages of critical supplies like water and fuel. Prime Minister Netanyahu warns of a prolonged battle and cautions Iran and Hezbollah.

RAFAH CROSSING: THOUSANDS AWAIT RELIEF AMID DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS

Thousands gather at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in hopes of relief as diplomatic negotiations continue. A lack of cooperation and conflicting reports hinder the reopening of this critical passage.

ISRAEL TO EVACUATE TOWNS NEAR LEBANON BORDER AMID RISING TENSIONS

As Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion of Gaza, tensions flare on its northern border with Lebanon. Evacuations near the Lebanese border reflect concerns of the conflict spreading.

GAZA’S CROWDED HOSPITALS NEAR BREAKING POINT

Hospitals in Gaza are on the verge of collapse due to a lack of supplies and fuel for generators. The UN warns of the risk of disease outbreaks as thousands seek shelter in overcrowded facilities.

CALLS MOUNT TO LET AID INTO BESIEGED GAZA

Aid agencies urgently appeal for humanitarian supplies to be allowed into Gaza as water supplies diminish, and food and fuel stocks run low. The ongoing conflict, which began with an attack by Hamas, has exacerbated the crisis.

MORE UPDATES

US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday to be briefed on its plans for war against Hamas militants

Biden will hear from Israel how it will conduct its operations in a way that "minimises civilian casualties", the US says

Rishi Sunak says at least six British people were among those killed by the initial Hamas attack, and 10 remain missing

ISRAEL: HAMAS HAS 199 HOSTAGES, HIGHER THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED

The Israeli military says Hamas and other Palestinian militants are holding 199 hostages in Gaza, higher than previous estimates. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a military spokesman, said that the families have been notified. Earlier, at least 155 others, including children, were captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza, according to Israel.

ISRAEL SAYS KILLED 6 HAMAS SENIOR MEN

Israel says it has killed at least six senior leaders of Hamas in acampaign of retaliatory airstrikes launched in the aftermath of the attack that began Oct. 7 and killed over 1,400 people. But the strikes are exacting a growing toll on Gaza’s people : The Palestinian Ministry of Health said 2,750 people have been killed and 9,700wounded.

ARAB LEAGUE CHIEF DEMANDS AN END TO GAZA MILITARY OPERATIONS

BAGHDAD: The Arab League chief demanded an end to military operations in the Gaza Strip, and said the siege of the enclave is “depriving the Palestinians of their humanity”. “We demand the opening of safe corridors,” Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said during an Arab justice ministers’ meeting in Baghdad.

ISRAELI REOCCUPATION OF GAZA TO BE ‘BIG MISTAKE’, WARNS BIDEN

President Joe Biden, while showing strong support for Israel following the Hamas attack that killed many, warned against a full-scale reoccupation of Gaza, emphasizing that Hamas doesn't represent all Palestinians. He stated that "taking out the extremists" is necessary but occupying Gaza again would be a mistake. Meanwhile, there's consideration of a visit to Israel to show solidarity, as PM Netanyahu extended an invitation, though no decision has been made.

US SEEKS TO CLUB UKRAINE AND ISRAEL AID

The Biden administration is pushing for Congress to take up an emergency assistance package that would pair support for Ukraine and Israel, according to a White House official. “The president has made clear that he is going to go to Congress with a package of funding for Ukraine as well as continued support for Israel,” Jake Sullivan, the NSA, said.Last month, Congress let lapse the emergency funds it had been sending to Ukraine for its war with Russia. The decision to tie aid for Ukraine to aid for Israel reflects the urgency of both conflicts — and a calculation that Republicans who would otherwise be loath to send more money to Ukraine may feel bound to approve such a package to support Israel.

DUBBED ‘FACE OF EVIL’, HAMAS GAZA CHIEF AT TOP OF ISRAEL’S TARGET LIST

The Israeli military considers Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza, as the "face of evil" and a top target for Israeli forces. Sinwar spent over two decades in Israeli prisons before his release in a 2011 prisoner exchange. He assumed leadership of Hamas in Gaza in 2017. Sinwar is known for his hardline stance and history of violence, including being sentenced to four life terms for killing two Israeli soldiers. He played a role in establishing Hamas's military wing and led the group's security branch, which enforced morality and punished suspected collaborators with Israel. He is associated with the detention and alleged torture of a Hamas commander in 2015.

PUTIN PUSHES FOR CEASEFIRE IN CALLS WITH ISRAEL, IRAN AND PALESTINIANS

Moscow : Russian President Vladimir Putin entered the fevered diplomatic fray of the Middle East on Monday, speaking to five of the major players including Iran and leading Arab powers in an attempt to secure a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Russia, which has relationships with Iran, Hamas, major Arab powers as well as with the Palestinians and with Israel, has repeatedly said the US and the West have ignored the need for an independent Palestinian state within 1967borders.

Putin told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call on Monday that Russia was ready to help end the confrontation between Israel and the Palestinians, the Kremlin said.

Putin spoke to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and to Syrian President Bashar alAssad by telephone, the Kremlin said. “We believe that the main thing right now is to begin the process of a political settlement,” Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov was quoted by state news outlets as saying.

6-YEAR-OLD PALESTINIAN BOY DIES IN US AFTER BEING STABBED 26 TIMES

Chicago : A man in suburban Chicago was accused of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old boy and seriously wounding the boy's mother because they were Muslim. The attack was linked to the ongoing violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip. The 6-year-old boy, identified as Wadea Al-Fayoum, was stabbed 26 times and pronounced dead at a hospital, while his mother sustained more than a dozen stab wounds. The suspect, Joseph Czuba, faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of a hate crime, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. President Joe Biden expressed shock and condemnation of the attack, noting that the family was seeking refuge in America.

POLAND’S PRO-EU OPPOSITION TIPPED TO WIN PARLIAMENT POLLS

Poland’s liberal opposition on Monday appeared on track to win a parliamentary majority, exit polls showed, a day after a national election which saw the highest turnout since the fall of Communism.

The surprise result would end eight years of rule by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, during which relations with the European Union — and in recent weeks with war-torn Ukraine — have dramatically soured.

The Opposition, led by former EU chief Donald Tusk, has billed the parliamentary elections as the “last chance” to save democracy.

Putting the liberal opposition in power would bring a huge political shift in Poland, countering the PiS party’s nationalist hardline Catholic vision for the country.

The election was dominated by issues such as Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, migrants and women’s rights.

FRANCE TO FASTRACK EXPULSION OF RADICALISED FOREIGNERS

Arras (France) : France plans to expedite the deportation of radicalized foreigners and strengthen immigration laws following the recent fatal stabbing of a teacher by a monitored security risk, Mohamed M. The government intends to review lists of security threats and remove those who pose a risk from the country. The attack, which President Emmanuel Macron labeled as "barbaric Islamic terrorism," led to heightened security measures and troop deployments in France. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin highlighted the need for a new security law to enable the expulsion of individuals like the attacker, who had previously displayed concerning behavior.

RUSSIA RETURNS FOUR UKRAINIAN KIDS AFTER QATARI MEDIATION

Four Ukrainian children who had been separated from their families and taken to Russia have been reunited with them, the government of Qatar announced Monday, saying it had acted as a mediator in negotiations for the return of the children. Qatar’s foreign ministry said a “successful family reunification process” had been completed this week in the case of the four, “marking an important step toward reuniting children with their families.” There was no comment from Ukrainian authorities. The removal of children to Russia has been one of the most painful issues for Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion last year; Ukraine’s government as well as parents and humanitarian groups have made strenuous efforts to get the children back.

BRUSSELS SHOOTING: 'EUROPE SHAKEN' AFTER TWO SWEDES SHOT DEAD

Two Swedish nationals were shot dead, and one person injured in a Brussels attack, now treated as terrorism. The Belgium-Sweden Euro 2024 qualifier football match was canceled, and the city is on high alert. The gunman, armed with an assault rifle, remains at large. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed that "Europe has been shaken." A video purportedly shows the attacker claiming inspiration from the Islamic State group and saying he killed three people in the name of God. A terrorism inquiry has been initiated by Belgian federal prosecutors over the Boulevard d'Ypres shooting.

YOUNGEST-EVER PRESIDENT-ELECT IN ECUADOR VOWS TO ‘RESTORE PEACE’

Daniel Noboa, 35, an heir to a banana empire, has become Ecuador's youngest-ever President-elect. He's committed to "restoring peace" in a nation grappling with a violent drug gang war. Ecuador, once a peaceful buffer between major cocaine-exporting countries Colombia and Peru, has witnessed escalating violence as rival gangs with connections to Mexican and Colombian cartels vie for dominance. This unrest has led to the brutal killing of over 460 inmates in prisons since February 2021. Noboa, who secured around 52% of the vote, will serve a 16-month term to complete the incumbent's tenure and can run for two additional presidential terms.