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Yemen's Houthi rebels have announced a new escalation, threatening to target any commercial vessels connected to Israeli ports regardless of their country of origin. This campaign, focused on the strategic Bab el Mandeb Strait, aims to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The Houthis have already attacked over 100 ships, sunk multiple vessels, and launched missiles at Israel, prompting fierce retaliatory strikes. International shipping faces increasing peril, while diplomatic efforts seek to stave off further conflict and protect key global trade routes.#RedSeaCrisis #HouthiAttacks #GlobalShipping #IsraelGaza #MiddleEastNews #MaritimeSecurity #BreakingNews #Ceasefire
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Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Israeli minister prays at flashpoint holy site as officials say 27 aid-seekers killed in Gaza
A far-right Israeli minister visited and prayed at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site on Sunday, triggering regional condemnation and fears that the provocative move could further escalate tensions. The visit came as hospitals in Gaza said 27 more Palestinians seeking food aid were killed by Israeli fire. With Israel facing global criticism over famine-like conditions in the besieged strip, Itamar Ben-Gvir's visit to the hillside compound threatened to further set back efforts by international mediators to halt Israel's nearly two-year military offensive in Gaza. The area, which Jews call the Temple Mount, is the holiest site in Judaism and was home to the ancient biblical temples. Muslims call the site the Noble Sanctuary. Today it is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam. Visits by Israeli officials are considered a provocation across the Muslim world and openly praying violates a longstanding status quo. Jews have been allowed to tour the site but are barred from praying, with Israeli police and troops providing security. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said after Ben-Gvir's visit that Israel would not change the norms governing the site. Ben-Gvir visited following Hamas' release of videos showing two emaciated Israeli hostages. The videos caused an uproar in Israel and raised pressure on the government to reach a deal to bring home from Gaza the remaining 50 hostages who were captured on Oct. 7, 2023, in the Hamas-led attack that triggered the war. During his visit, Ben-Gvir called for Israel to annex the Gaza Strip and encourage Palestinians to leave, reviving rhetoric that has complicated negotiations to end the war. He raged against a video that Hamas released Saturday of 24-year-old hostage Evyatar David showing him emaciated in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel, and called it an attempt to pressure Israel. Ben-Gvir's previous visits to the site have prompted threats from Palestinian militant groups. Clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian demonstrators in and around the site fueled an 11-day war with Hamas in visit was swiftly condemned as an incitement by Palestinian leaders as well as Jordan, the Al-Aqsa Mosque's custodian, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. The videos — released by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the second-largest militant group in Gaza — triggered outrage across the political spectrum. Tens of thousands rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday urging Israel and the United States to urgently pursue the hostages' release after suspending ceasefire talks. Netanyahu's office said it spoke with the Red Cross to seek help in providing the hostages with food and medical care. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was 'appalled by the harrowing videos' and called for access to the hostages. Right-wing politicians who oppose deals with Hamas said the videos reinforced their conviction that Hamas must be obliterated. 'From here we need to bring a message and ensure that from today, we conquer all of the Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty over all of the Gaza Strip, take out every Hamas member and encourage voluntary emigration,' Ben-Gvir said on a video posted on social media after his visit to the holy site. Palestinians reported more deadly violence at aid sites Sunday, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said a staff member was killed when Israeli forces shelled its office. Israel's military said it was reviewing the Red Crescent's claim. Hospital officials said Israeli forces killed at least 27 Palestinians seeking food, and witnesses described facing gunfire as hungry crowds surged toward aid sites. Desperation has gripped the Palestinian territory of more than 2 million, which experts warn faces 'a worst-case scenario of famine ? because of Israel's blockade. No aid entered Gaza between March 2 and May 19, and aid has been limited since then. Witness Yousef Abed described coming under indiscriminate fire and seeing at least three people bleeding on the ground.'I couldn't stop and help them because of the bullets,' he said. Two hospitals in southern and central Gaza reported receiving bodies from routes leading to the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid sites, including 11 killed in the Teina area while trying to reach a distribution point in Khan Younis. Three Palestinian eyewitnesses, including one traveling through Teina, told The Associated Press they saw soldiers open fire on the routes, which are in military zones secured by Israeli forces. Israel's military said it was not aware of casualties as a result of its gunfire near aid sites in the south. The United Nations says 859 people were killed near GHF sites from May 27 to July 31 and hundreds of others have been killed along the routes of UN-led food convoys. GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding. Israel's military has said it only fires warning shots. Both claim the death tolls have been exaggerated. GHF's media office said Sunday there was no gunfire 'near or at our sites.' Gaza's Health Ministry said six more Palestinian adults died of malnutrition-related causes over the past 24 hours, bringing the malnutrition-related death toll among adults to 82 over the five weeks that such deaths have been counted. Malnutrition-related deaths are not included in the ministry's count of war casualties. Ninety-three children have died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began, the ministry said. Israel has taken steps in the past week to increase the flow of food into Gaza, saying 1,200 aid trucks have entered while hundreds of pallets have been airdropped, but UN and relief groups say conditions have not improved. The UN has said 500 to 600 trucks a day are needed. Anger has led to protests overseas, including one in Australia on Sunday by thousands of people. About 1,200 people were killed in the 2023 attack that sparked the war and another 251 were abducted. Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed more than 60,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, is staffed by medical professionals. The United Nations and other independent experts view its figures as the most reliable count of casualties. Israel has disputed the figures but hasn't provided its own account of casualties.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Pak, Iran agree to increase bilateral trade volume to $10 billion annually
Pakistan and Iran on Sunday agreed to enhance bilateral trade volume to $10 billion from the current $3 billion annually as they signed 12 agreements and MoUs after talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Prime Minister Sharif announced the new bilateral trade target while addressing a joint press meeting with President Pezeshkian after their talks during which they also agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat militancy along their shared border, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). The agreement to enhance bilateral trade volume to $10 billion was reached earlier in the morning during a meeting between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Iranian Minister for Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad Atabak. Sharif also said that Iran has the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, which had been at the heart of the current conflict with Israel. Pakistan stands with Iran for the acquisition of peaceful nuclear power, Sharif said as he condemned recent Israeli attacks against Iran and appreciated Tehran for its forceful defence of the country. Pakistan and Iran exchanged 12 agreements and MoUs in the presence of Sharif and Pezeshkian. These included cooperation in trade, agriculture, science, technology and innovation, information and communications, and maritime safety, among other issues, the APP said. Prime Minister Sharif on Sunday said that the leadership of Pakistan and Iran were keen to enhance the bilateral trade volume to the target of $10 billion as soon as possible, the APP said. The two leaders also discussed issues related to terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat militancy along their shared border, it said. On his part, Pezeshkian said that the MoUs signed included one about finalisation of the free trade agreement at the earliest between the two sides. President Pezeshkian expressed satisfaction that serious and sincere efforts were being initiated by both sides for cooperation in diverse fields, and to take their current trade volume of $3 billion to the projected target of $10 billion, the APP said. President Pezeshkian landed in Lahore on Saturday afternoon and flew to the capital later in the evening. Meanwhile, after Khan's meeting with Atabak, a statement by Pakistan's Commerce Ministry said the high-level discussion between the two leaders marked a renewed commitment from both sides to accelerate trade, remove border bottlenecks, and build trust-based partnerships across priority sectors. The meeting emphasised maximising the potential of neighbourhood trade, with Khan highlighting how ASEAN countries have benefited enormously by trading within their region. Geography is an advantage. Pakistan and Iran must utilise this discount of distance. If we don't, we lose both time and cost benefits, he stated. The Pakistani minister suggested organising targetted trade delegations that include representatives from federal and provincial chambers of commerce, enabling focused discussions on market access and regulatory facilitation, according to the statement. The ministers also expressed a shared commitment to increasing the use of existing trade corridors and border facilities. Atabak also highlighted ongoing discussions about increasing Pakistani exports to Iran and encouraged swift follow-up on newly signed agreements. Khan said that beyond bilateral gains, such connectivity could expand to Turkey, Central Asia, Russia, and even parts of West Asia, creating an economic bloc of substantial power and resilience. Atabak supported the idea of holding a dedicated B2B day during every high-level visit and offered to bring Iranian business groups to Pakistan for in-depth meetings, the statement said. Both ministers agreed on the importance of identifying specific sectors such as agriculture, livestock, services, energy, and cross-border logistics for future collaboration, the statement said. With high-level political alignment and mutual trust, Pakistan and Iran appear poised to enter a new phase of strategic economic partnership that could reshape regional trade dynamics, it added. Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research, a policy think tank in Islamabad, said the total volume of formal bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran reached around $2.3 billion in 2022, with the trade balance largely tilted towards Iran. Iranian exports to Pakistan stood at $1.488 billion, mainly petroleum gas, electricity and petroleum coke. Pakistan's exports to Iran amounted to $842.8 million, primarily comprising Iron pipes, medical instruments and utility meters, it said in a September 2024 brief titled 'Pakistan and Iran's Struggle for Economic Cooperation'. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
US and Israeli officials float idea of 'all or nothing' Gaza deal
For months, the Israeli government had focused on negotiating a two-phased deal for a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of some hostages, leaving discussions about a permanent end to the war for a later stage. With the talks now at an impasse, U.S. and Israeli officials appear to be sharply changing their tone by signaling that they will push for a comprehensive deal. But Israel and Hamas remain far apart, and analysts said this new approach would also face steep challenges. The shift, at least in rhetoric, comes as the Israeli government faces rising domestic pressure to secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza. Israel believes that about 20 are still alive and that the bodies of 30 others remain in the enclave. Videos released over the weekend showed two living captives looking emaciated and frail, shocking many Israelis and sparking fear among the hostages' families. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo The Israeli government has also come under mounting international criticism over the mass hunger that has spread through Gaza's population of about 2 million people after Israel imposed strict restrictions in recent months on the entry of aid. Israel has continued launching military strikes on Gaza, even as it has facilitated the entry of more aid into Gaza in recent days. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on Sunday that Israeli artillery had hits its offices in Khan Younis, killing one of the aid group's staffers and injuring others. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Live Events Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration's special envoy to the Middle East, who is visiting the region, met with families of Israeli hostages on Saturday and told them that President Donald Trump now wants to see all the living hostages released at once. "No piecemeal deals, that doesn't work," he said, according to an audio recording of part of the meeting published by the Ynet Hebrew news site. "Now we think that we have to shift this negotiation to 'all or nothing' -- everybody comes home," he said. "We have a plan around it," he added, without elaborating. A participant in the meeting confirmed that Witkoff made such remarks. Israel and Hamas do not negotiate directly. Instead, negotiations for a ceasefire between the two sides have run through intermediaries: the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Trump are said to be working on a new proposal that would involve presenting Hamas with an ultimatum, according to reports in the Israeli news media that were confirmed Sunday by a person familiar with the matter. The White House was not immediately available for comment. Under the terms of the ultimatum, Hamas would have to release the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and agree to terms to end the war that include the group's disarmament. Otherwise, the Israeli military would continue its campaign. Mahmoud Mardawi, a Hamas official, said the Palestinian armed group had yet to receive a formal Israeli proposal for a comprehensive deal from Arab mediators. He said that while Hamas supported such an agreement in principle, it would not disarm -- which has long been a core Israeli condition. "This has been our demand from the beginning: an end to the war, the release of prisoners, and day-after arrangements in the Gaza Strip -- a clear and comprehensive deal," Mardawi said in a phone interview. The prospects of any rapid advancement toward such a deal appear dim. Hamas has consistently rejected Israel's terms for ending the war throughout the negotiations. On Saturday, the group said in a statement that it would not disarm unless a Palestinian state was established, despite a call from Arab states last week for the group to do so. The Israeli government opposes Palestinian statehood. On Sunday, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli national security minister, visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which Jews revere as the Temple Mount, long a tinderbox for Israeli-Palestinian tensions. "It's important to convey from this place that we should immediately conquer Gaza, exercise our sovereignty there, and eliminate every last Hamas member," Ben-Gvir said from the site, in a video shared by his office. Many Israelis say they support a comprehensive deal to return all the hostages and end the war. But many are skeptical that such a deal can be achieved under the conditions set by the hard-line Israeli government, which has vowed to continue fighting until Hamas surrenders or is destroyed. Given the firm positions of both sides, an Israeli and American push for a comprehensive deal may not bring an agreement closer, according to analysts. "Hamas is essentially saying to Israel: 'If you want the 20 living hostages out, give us a full victory,'" said Ehud Yaari, an Israel-based fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, an independent research group. Hamas' terms are far beyond what Netanyahu would accept, Yaari said. But, he added, the prime minister "has to keep convincing the Israeli public and his own voters that he is doing everything he can, and he has to reassure the families of the hostages." Efrat Machikawa, a relative of a released hostage, said that reports attributed to anonymous Israeli officials about there being a comprehensive deal on the table were "empty slogans." "The preconditions set by Israel are unrealistic and unworkable," she said, speaking at a rally Saturday in Tel Aviv. Mardawi said that Hamas saw little reason to negotiate with Israel given the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. "What is the point of talks when people are dying of starvation?" he said.
