Two dead, several injured in raid on Catholic church in Gaza
The strike damaged the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic Church inside the Palestinian enclave.
Italy's Ansa news agency said six people were seriously injured, while parish priest Father Gabriel Romanelli, who used to regularly update the late Pope Francis about the war, suffered light leg injuries.
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Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Middle East Eye
US condemns France's release of political prisoner Georges Abdallah
The United States has voiced strong opposition to France's decision to free Georges Ibrahim Abdallah and deport him to Lebanon. 'The United States opposes his release,' said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce in a statement shared on X. 'His release threatens the safety of US diplomats abroad and is a grave injustice to the victims and the families of those killed,' claimed Washington Washington also said it would continue backing efforts to seek justice in the case. Abdallah, a pro-Palestinian Lebanese fighter, was jailed in 1984 for the killing of an American and an Israeli diplomat in France. After serving nearly four decades, a French appeals court ordered his release, citing the length of his imprisonment and his age, calling continued detention 'disproportionate.'
Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
Families of Americans slain in West Bank lose hope for justice
When Sayfollah Musallet of Tampa, Florida, was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the West Bank two weeks ago, he became the fourth Palestinian-American killed in the occupied territory since the war in Gaza began. No one has been arrested or charged in Musallet's slaying — and if Israel's track record on the other three deaths is any guide, it seems unlikely to happen. Yet Musallet's father and a growing number of US politicians want to flip the script. "We demand justice,' Kamel Musallet said at his 20-year-old son's funeral earlier this week. "We demand the US government do something about it.' Still, Musallet and relatives of the other Palestinian-Americans say they doubt anyone will be held accountable, either by Israel or the U.S. They believe the first word in their hyphenated identity undercuts the power of the second. And they say Israel and its law enforcement have made them feel like culprits - by imposing travel bans and, in some cases, detaining and interrogating them. The grave of Sayfollah Musallet, who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers while he was visiting family in the West Bank town of Al Mazra as-Sharqiya, is seen. AP Although the Trump administration has stopped short of promising investigations of its own, the US embassy in Jerusalem has urged Israel to investigate the circumstances of each American's death. Writing on X on July 15, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said he'd asked Israel to "aggressively investigate the murder" of Musallet and that "there must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act." Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and 28 other Democratic senators have also called for an investigation. In a letter this week to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pam Bondi, they pointed to the "repeated lack of accountability" after the deaths of Musallet and other Americans killed in the West Bank. Israel's military, police and Shin Bet domestic security agency did not respond to requests for comment about the Palestinian-Americans' deaths. A memorial poster showing Sayfollah Musallet, who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers, is displayed outside of a bakery in West Bank. AP American-born teenagers Tawfic Abdel Jabbar and Mohammad Khdour were killed in early 2024 by Israeli fire while driving in the West Bank. In April 2025, 14-year-old Amer Rabee, a New Jersey native, was shot in the head at least nine times by Israeli forces, according to his father, as he stood among a grove of green almond trees in his family's village. In the immediate aftermath of both cases, Israeli authorities said that forces had fired on rock throwers, allegations disputed by the families and by testimony obtained by the AP. Israel pledged to investigate the cases further, but has released no new findings. The teens' families told the AP they sought independent investigations by American authorities, expressing doubts that Israel would investigate in good faith. According to the Israeli watchdog group Yesh Din, killings of Palestinians in the West Bank rarely result in investigations - and when they do, indictments are uncommon. Mourners carry the bodies of Sayfollah Musallet and Mohammed Al Shalabi during their funeral in the West Bank village of Al Mazraa a-Sharqiya. AP The US Justice Department has jurisdiction to investigate the deaths of its own citizens abroad, but does so after it gets permission from the host government and usually works with the host country's law enforcement. The US embassy in Jerusalem declined to say whether the US has launched independent probes into the killings. A spokesperson for the embassy said in a statement that investigations are "underway' in Israel over the deaths of the four Americans and that its staff is pressing the Israeli authorities to move quickly and transparently. Sen. Van Hollen said that when the U.S deals with Israel it "either doesn't pursue these cases with the vigor necessary, or we don't get any serious cooperation.' "And then instead of demanding cooperation and accountability, we sort of stop - and that's unacceptable. It's unacceptable to allow American citizens to be killed with impunity," the Maryland Democrat said. A man tidies the graves of Sayfollah Musallet, left, and Mohammed Al Shalabi, both of whom were killed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank town of Al Mazra. AP Israel says it holds soldiers and settlers to account under the bounds of the law, and that the lack of indictments does not mean a lack of effort. A prominent recent case was the death of Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist for broadcaster Al Jazeera killed in the West Bank in 2022. An independent U.S. analysis of the circumstances of her death found that fire from an Israeli soldier was "likely responsible' for her killing but said it appeared to be an accident. Despite an Israeli military investigation with similar conclusions, no one was ever disciplined. Rather than a path toward justice, the families of Khdour, Rabee, and Abdel Jabbar say they've faced only challenges since the deaths. Khdour, born in Miami, Florida, was shot and killed in April 2024 while driving in Biddu, a West Bank town near Jerusalem where he lived since age 2. U.S. investigators visited his family after the killing, his family said. Abdel Jabbar was killed while driving down a dirt road close to Al Mazra as-Sharqiya, his village in the northern West Bank. Khdour's cousin, Malek Mansour, the sole witness, told the AP he was questioned by both Israeli and American investigators and repeated his testimony that shots came from a white pickup on Israeli territory. He believes the investigators did not push hard enough to figure out who killed his cousin. "The matter ended like many of those who were martyred (killed),' said Hanan Khdour, Khdour's mother. Two months after the death, Israeli forces raided the family's home and detained Mohammad's brother, Omar Khdour, 23, also an American citizen. Videos taken by family and shared with the AP show Omar Khdour blindfolded and handcuffed as Israeli soldiers in riot gear lead him out of the building and into a military jeep. He said he was threatened during questioning, held from 4 a.m. to 3 p.m., and warned not to pursue the case. Omar Khdour said Israeli soldiers at checkpoints have prevented him from leaving the West Bank to visit Israel or Jerusalem. Two other American fathers of Palestinian-Americans killed since Oct. 7, 2023 reported similar restrictions. Hafeth Abdel Jabbar, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar's father, said he and his wife were blocked from leaving the West Bank for seven months. His son, Amir Abdel Jabbar, 22, remains restricted. The father of Amer Rabee says he and his wife have also been stuck in the West Bank since their son's killing. He showed AP emails from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in which a consular official told him that Israel had imposed a travel ban on him, though it was unclear why. Israeli authorities did not respond to comment on the detentions or travel restrictions. Rabee said that in a land where violence against Palestinians goes unchecked, his family's American passports amounted to nothing more than a blue book. "We are all American citizens,' Rabee said. "But here, for us, being American means nothing." Associated Press
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Middle East Eye
Police station stormed in Egypt as outrage over Gaza blockade reaches boiling point
On the night of 25 July 2025, a group of young Egyptians launched a bold attack that shook Egypt's political order. Calling themselves 'Iron 17,' they stormed the State Security headquarters at the Ma'asara police station in Helwan, detaining several security personnel for hours in an unprecedented act, the first of its kind since Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's rise to power in 2013 as president. More than just an attack on a government building, the raid, captured in viral videos, exposed mounting public fury that could threaten Sisi's grip on power. Much of this anger stems from Egypt's role in the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the closure of the Rafah crossing. Since Israel seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in May 2024, Gaza's humanitarian crisis has worsened, with dozens, mainly children, dying of starvation according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Egyptian regime, denying responsibility for the closure, faces accusations of failing to pressure for its reopening. This stance has fuelled public outrage, with many seeing it as capitulation to Israeli and US pressures at the expense of the Palestinian cause. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Adding fuel to the fire, North Sinai Governor Khaled Megawer, in a Friday interview with pro-regime journalist Mustafa Bakri, admitted Egypt cannot forcibly reopen Rafah due to US opposition, a statement critics view as an implicit admission of Cairo's role in the closure. Security lapse exploited during Friday prayers Through the Telegram channel 'Nation's Flood,' which has nearly 50,000 subscribers, footage emerged showing young men inside the Ma'asara State Security office, holding officers captive for hours. The videos, viewed millions of times, showed the group condemning the closure of the Rafah crossing, a lifeline for Gaza's besieged population, and the arrests of activists collecting aid for the enclave. In one chilling exchange, a detained officer responded to demands to reopen Rafah with a single word: 'Impossible.' These clips are not just documentation; they stand as a testament to a people fed up with a regime they accuse of complicity in Gaza's suffering. The question of how the group accessed a high-security facility was quickly answered. Displaced Palestinian children chat with an Egyptian soldier standing guard behind the fence between Egypt and Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on April 26, 2024 (AFP) Leaked documents, posted on the same Telegram channel, revealed lists of individuals under Egypt's notorious 'security monitoring' programme, which requires released prisoners to check in regularly at police stations. One video explained that the group chose Friday prayers on 25 July for their operation, taking advantage of lax security during that time. Former detainees corroborated this, noting the ease of accessing the State Security office on the fourth floor for routine check-ins, a gap the group exploited to enter and detain personnel. The leaked documents also exposed names of current detainees and forcibly disappeared individuals linked to charges like protesting or alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. They included security classifications, labelling people as Brotherhood members, Salafists, or sympathisers. The FactCheckar, an independent fact-checking initiative, in a detailed analysis on its official Facebook page, confirmed the authenticity of some names, including Fathi Rajab Hassan Ahmed and Ahmed Nadi Haddad Darwish, both tied to the 'Helwan Brigades' case, and Abdel Rahman Ramadan Mohamed Abdel Shafi, previously listed as forcibly disappeared in a 2024 report by the Shahab Center for Human Rights. Egyptian response: denial and deflection Egypt's Interior Ministry quickly issued a statement denying the videos' authenticity, claiming they were fabricated as part of a Muslim Brotherhood-led conspiracy. Exclusive: Egypt presidency forced Al-Azhar to delete statement condemning Israel's starvation of Gaza Read More » While it announced arrests of those involved in spreading the footage, it avoided addressing the validity of the leaked documents, merely stating they were unrelated to the incident. This knee-jerk denial, a familiar tactic, failed to mask the ministry's embarrassment and fuelled criticism that the regime is trapped in denial, dismissing legitimate grievances as foreign plots. A subsequent video from 'Nation's Flood' showed one of the young men, bloodied and with torn clothes, insisting they were not terrorists and had used an empty sound pistol, aiming only to send a message. He sought assurances from a detained officer that they would not be harmed if released. Still, communication with the group abruptly ceased, and all prior messages on the Telegram channel vanished, raising questions about whether security forces had seized control of the channel or its administrators had deleted the content. Iron 17's manifesto: a call to awaken society Hours before the channel went silent, it released an audio statement styled like Palestinian faction communiques, claiming responsibility for the 'Iron 17' operation. The statement, attributed to Ahmed Abdel Wahab and Mohsen Mustafa, rejected any political affiliations, describing themselves as 'heirs of Omar ibn al-Khattab and Amr ibn al-Aas' seeking to revive Egypt's national spirit. The figures in question refers to invoking early Islamic military and political leaders that symbolised strength, justice, and national revival. Their message was clear: end the genocide in Gaza and stop repressing Egyptians. Addressing the Egyptian people, they decried the 'severe blows' inflicted on the nation and vowed to rouse it from its 'death.' Italian and European parliament members hold placards during a protest in front of the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, calling for aid to be allowed into the Gaza on May 18, 2025 (AFP) Social media buzzed with polarised reactions. Some doubted the videos' authenticity, while others saw them as a genuine outcry. Critics blamed the regime's relentless repression and heavy-handed security measures for pushing people to such extremes. Others, echoing the government narrative, accused the Muslim Brotherhood and regional actors of orchestrating a plot to destabilise Egypt with fake videos and misinformation. On Saturday morning, the Egyptian presidency's spokesperson posted a brief statement about a meeting between Sisi and Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfiq, without detailing its agenda. Pro-regime outlets suggested it discussed security updates and an upcoming reshuffle of Interior Ministry officers, though it remains unclear whether Sisi addressed the Ma'asara incident or considered dismissing Tawfiq. Political fallout: a regime under pressure The Ma'asara incident was not an isolated act. It followed a wave of protests the previous week outside Egyptian embassies in European capitals, sparked by activist Anas Habib in the Netherlands, who symbolically locked embassy gates to protest the Rafah closure. These actions spread to other cities, amplifying the message that Egyptians, both at home and abroad, reject what they see as complicity in Gaza's plight. The Ma'asara operation builds on this momentum, showing that anger is translating into bold action. Lebanese security forces block the road leading to the Egyptian embassy in Beirut during a protest against the closure of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip (AFP) The Ma'asara storming, coupled with embassy protests, signals growing pressure on a regime already grappling with economic and social crises. These actions could embolden opposition forces to organise further, especially amid intensifying repression. Sisi's reliance on brute force may backfire if public demands for Gaza and domestic reform are ignored. The current unrest echoes the spirit of the January 25 Revolution, hinting at a potential turning point where Egyptians reclaim their voice. Ultimately, the Ma'asara incident stands as a resounding cry against injustice, both in Gaza and within Egypt. The regime faces a critical test: heed these voices or risk an escalation that could reshape the political landscape.
