𝓡Tensions continue to escalate in West Asia as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 Palestinians in northern Gaza. A Hamas delegation is currently in Cairo for renewed efforts to secure a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, while Tuesday’s ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah remains in effect despite reported violations by the Israeli military, as per the news reports.
⭕Meanwhile, Syria’s 13-year civil war has resurfaced with a sudden rebel offensive on Aleppo, one of the country’s largest cities. The surge in fighting has raised the prospect of another violent front emerging in the already war-torn region.
Latest Updates From West Asia
Over 40 Palestinians Killed in Northern Gaza:
💯Israeli airstrikes targeted a house in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing more than 40 people, the Gaza Civil Defense said Saturday. The death toll from Israel’s attacks on Saturday rose to at least 100 people. Mahmoud Basal, Civil Defense spokesman, stated on Telegram that the bombing targeted a house belonging to the Al-Araj family in the Tel al-Zaatar neighborhood in northern Gaza.
ꦕSince October 5, Israel has carried out a ground operation in northern Gaza, citing the need to counter Hamas. However, Palestinians accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents. Humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, has been blocked from entering the area, leaving the population—estimated at 80,000—on the brink of famine.
Attacks On Aid Workers In Gaza
There have been a number of deadly Israeli attacks on aid operations and workers in Gaza in the past 24 hours. Twelve people were killed in southern Khan Younis while waiting for food aid. In a separate incident, three workers from the World Central Kitchen♔ were killed in Khan Younis, marking the third attack on the US-based aid organisation this year.
Additionally, Save the Children staff member Ahmad Faisal Isleem Al-Qadi was killed in an Israeli airstrike, and Gaza Soup Kitchenౠ chef Mahmoud Almadhoun was killed in a drone attack in northern Gaza.
Syrian Troops Withdraw From Aleppo
♏Syrian government forces withdrew from the city of Aleppo after an offensive by rebels opposed to the rule of President Bashar al-Assad. The army acknowledged that rebels had entered "large parts" of the city but vowed to stage a counterattack.
⛦The offensive marks the most significant fighting in Syria’s civil war in recent years. More than 300 people, including at least 20 civilians, have been killed since it began on Wednesday, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The civil war, which has left around half a million people dead, began in 2011 after the Assad government responded to pro-democracy protests with a crackdown. The conflict has been largely dormant since a ceasefire in 2020, but opposition forces have maintained control of the northwestern city of Idlib and much of the surrounding province.
Death Toll
ꦗIsrael’s war on Gaza has killed at least 44,382 Palestinians and wounded 105,142 since October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during Hamas-led attacks that day, and more than 200 were taken captive. In Lebanon, at least 3,961 people have been killed and 16,520 wounded in Israeli attacks since the war on Gaza began.
