The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip said on Thursday that "premature babies are facing catastrophic conditions in the nurseries of the Strip's hospitals."

Nasser Balbal, a consultant and head of the nursery department at the Solidarity Caravans Hospital affiliated with the Al-Shifa Complex, added, "Malnutrition and the siege have significantly increased the rate of premature births, and most newborns suffer from health complications."

He noted that the neonatal intensive care unit lacks incubators, respirators, and oxygen supplies, amid the enormous pressure it is under.

He pointed out that the nursery departments are operating on generators that are in danger of shutting down due to the severe shortage of diesel.

He stressed that children in nurseries are at grave risk due to frequent power outages, which could lead to serious complications for the lives of premature babies or even their loss.

He called on humanitarian agencies and health organizations to intervene immediately to provide the necessary medical equipment, fuel, generators, milk, and nutritional supplements, and to support medical delegations.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa described the decision to lift US sanctions, announced by US President Donald Trump during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, as a "courageous and historic decision" that paves the way for alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people.

Al-Sharaa's speech in Damascus came after his return from Saudi Arabia and his meeting with President Trump earlier Wednesday morning on the sidelines of the Gulf-US summit held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The meeting was the first of its kind between an American and Syrian president in 25 years.

In his speech, Al-Sharaa praised the positive engagement of Syrian communities abroad and their constructive contributions to the call for the lifting of sanctions, emphasizing that these efforts had a significant impact on achieving this accomplishment. He stated that Syria is not only celebrating the lifting of sanctions, but also "the return of fervent sentiment among the peoples of the region."

In a speech at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump said he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria "to give them a chance to grow and develop," describing the sanctions as "cruel and crippling, and it's time for Syria to rise up." He said he made this decision after discussing it with both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During the Gulf-US summit, Trump said that "the United States is considering normalizing relations with Syria after meeting with Sharaa," stressing that his decision to lift sanctions on Syria was to give the country a new opportunity.

A page has been turned

In his speech last night, Al-Sharaa affirmed that Syria has turned a tragic page in its modern history under the former regime, that the spirit of belonging has returned to the Syrian people, and that a window of hope has been opened, even though the country remains shackled by the pain of the past.
The Syrian president said that Syria had been liberated, and joy had spread among its people and its sister nations. He emphasized that the unity and sacrifices of the people had had a significant impact in changing international public opinion toward Syria.
He explained that Syria is committed to facilitating investment conditions and opening its doors to investors, adding that Syria has succeeded in opening doors that were closed and paving the way for strategic relations with Arab and Western countries. He noted that "the entire world loves Syria because of its great standing."
Sharaa also affirmed that Syria "will no longer be an arena for power-sharing," that he will not allow the country to be divided, nor will he allow the revival of the narratives of the former regime. He emphasized that Syria belongs to "all Syrians," and that priorities have been set to address the bitter reality the country was experiencing.
The Syrian President concluded by stressing that hardships have taught Syrians that their strength lies in their unity.
Source: Al Jazeera

The Gaza Humanitarian Fund, a US-led organization, announced that it will begin operating in the Gaza Strip before the end of May, following Israel's approval to increase the number of "safe distribution sites" to ensure the entry of food aid into the Strip.

An Israeli official confirmed to Kan News Channel on Thursday that construction of the new distribution centers will be completed within two weeks.

This announcement comes at a time when the Israeli security establishment estimates that food supplies in Gaza are running out.

Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and government ministers, saying, "We will not starve Gaza. Aid must arrive soon."

Earlier, the United States announced the start of the process of bringing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee explained at a press conference that the aid will be distributed through external organizations and foreign governments, and that Israel will not directly intervene in its distribution to the population. Huckabee added, "Food will be distributed in Gaza in an efficient and safe manner."

The US ambassador noted concerns that Hamas would "steal" aid, saying, "No one is interested in helping Hamas, so the aid will flow in a way that ensures it doesn't reach them."

He also explained that the operation would require cooperation between numerous non-profit organizations and foreign governments, and confirmed that several partners had agreed to participate, but he did not disclose their names due to the lack of final agreement on the details.

Regarding Israel's role, Huckabee said that Israel will not play a direct role in distributing aid, but rather its intervention will be limited to securing the areas surrounding the distribution points.

He emphasized that private security companies would be responsible for escorting humanitarian workers during food distributions, and that occupation forces would not be present at distribution points, but would instead guard them remotely to protect them from attacks by armed organizations, he claimed.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned that life-saving humanitarian aid stuck in warehouses outside the Gaza Strip is at risk of spoilage due to Israel's closure of the crossings and its denial of entry since March 2, in a continuation of the genocide it has been perpetrating for 19 months.

The UN agency said in a post on its Facebook account tonight: "Humanitarian aid, including food, hygiene supplies, medicine, and shelter materials, is stuck in warehouses outside the Gaza Strip due to the blockade."

She explained that "life-saving" aid is now "at risk of spoilage" with the closure of the crossings, adding: "Food that people cannot eat, and medicines that they cannot use."

UNRWA confirmed that its teams and trucks are "ready to deliver aid to those most in need" in Gaza.

The Israeli occupation forces launched a campaign of raids and arrests in the West Bank.

In Nablus, several Israeli military vehicles stormed the Balata al-Balad area, raided a home, searched it, ransacked its contents, and arrested the two brothers, Nour and Amir Muhammad Duweikat.

The occupation forces also arrested the two brothers, Rami and Ragheb Al-Badawi, from the northern Jabal area, after raiding and searching their homes.

In the same context, settlers attacked vehicles late yesterday evening, throwing stones at them on the road near the Yitzhar settlement, built on private Palestinian land south of Nablus.

In Hebron, occupation forces stormed Al-Fawar refugee camp, raided the homes of citizens, and detained a large number of them. They also assaulted the director of public relations at the Prisoners' Club, Amjad Al-Najjar, along with his wife and children, leaving his wife with a broken hand. They also smashed the furniture in the house.

They also stormed the town of Beit Kahil in the north and the village of Deir al-Asal in the southwest, searching several homes and detaining a number of citizens before releasing them.

The occupation forces also stormed the village of Khallet al-Dabaa, searched citizens' tents, destroyed their contents, and arrested citizen Jaber al-Dabbasah.

Today, Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces bombed a house in the town of Tammun and stormed the city of Tubas.

Local sources reported that special forces infiltrated Tamoun, south of Tubas, and surrounded a house. Military reinforcements, including a bulldozer, followed, targeting the besieged house with weapons and Energa missiles several times.

Azmi Balawneh, the director of education in Tubas, reported that an Israeli occupation patrol hit a bus carrying students to a kindergarten in Tammun, where the children were inside, causing panic.

At the same time, special forces infiltrated the city of Tubas, followed by military reinforcements, which were stationed at its southern entrance.

The occupation forces also stormed the headquarters of Al-Quds Open University in Tubas and blew up a café next to the university.

The governor of Tubas also announced a delay in official working hours due to the situation in the governorate.

Thirty-nine civilians, most of them children and women, were killed and dozens injured, Thursday night and Thursday morning, in Israeli shelling of several areas in the Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that 27 people were killed in a large number of raids targeting homes in Khan Yunis. Dozens of martyrs and wounded, most of them children, arrived at Nasser Medical Complex.

Sources confirmed that the occupation forces bombed a house near the Rafah garage belonging to the Al-Lahham family, and a house on Abu Khater Street near the Islamic University east of Khan Yunis. They also bombed a house belonging to the Al-Zaytani family near the Al-Najjar carpentry shop at the entrance to Hamad City north of Khan Yunis.

The sources indicated that the occupation forces targeted the home of the Al-Bayouk family in central Khan Yunis, and the home of the Kaware' family in the European housing project east of Khan Yunis. They also targeted a group of homes belonging to the Al-Amour family in the town of Al-Fakhari, near Khan Yunis.

Sources confirmed that the occupation forces bombed the home of the Abu Ta'ima family near the Ashkelon School in the town of Abasan al-Kabira, and also targeted the Abu Hadaf area east of the town of al-Qarara.

Sources confirmed that five people were killed and several others injured when Israeli forces bombed a home belonging to the Shehab family in Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli media reported that a female settler was killed and two others were seriously injured in a shooting attack targeting an Israeli vehicle near the Burqin area, west of Salfit, on Wednesday evening.

Hadashot website reported without censorship that the announcement of the settler's death came shortly after she was injured in the operation, while Israeli Channel 13 confirmed that Israeli forces are conducting extensive combing operations in search of the perpetrator, in the vicinity of the Bruchin settlement. In the same context, the occupation forces set up military checkpoints at the entrances to towns in the Salfit Governorate, and sent successive reinforcements to the vicinity of the attack, where they stormed villages, and closed the main roads and entrances as part of the pursuit campaign.

Israeli media also reported that commandos and paratroopers were called in to participate in the pursuit of the perpetrator.

The occupation's Army Radio reported that the Salfit operation was the fourth of its kind in the area within four months, and was carried out using a similar pattern and weaponry, with the perpetrator withdrawing after the attack.

The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, citing an informed Hebrew source, revealed that US envoy Steve Witkoff failed to convince Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show flexibility in the ongoing negotiations regarding the Gaza Strip.

The newspaper noted that Witkov had conducted intensive and repeated phone calls with Netanyahu over the past 24 hours in an attempt to advance the negotiations, without achieving any actual breakthrough.

According to the source, Netanyahu is adhering to the proposal presented by Witkoff two and a half months ago, which includes a temporary ceasefire lasting 45 days.

A number of citizens were killed and others wounded as a result of the Israeli occupation army's bombing of various parts of the Gaza Strip today, Wednesday.

According to local sources, two civilians were killed and others injured in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a tent housing displaced persons in the Al-Amal camp in Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip.

A citizen was also killed and others were injured when Israeli occupation aircraft bombed the vicinity of Badr Mosque in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City.

In Khan Yunis, a citizen was killed and others were injured when the occupation forces shelled the vicinity of Abu Nuwaira School in the town of Abasan al-Jadida, east of the city.

The town of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, witnessed heavy shelling from Israeli artillery, targeting civilian homes and the tents of displaced people.

Israeli occupation forces continued their home demolitions in the Nur Shams camp, east of Tulkarm, on Wednesday, as the ongoing aggression against the camp continues for the 95th consecutive day.

According to local sources, Israeli bulldozers continued to demolish residential buildings around the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Mosque in the center of the camp. A tight siege was imposed on the area, and infantry units were deployed extensively. The soldiers fired live ammunition at civilians and journalists who were in the wooded area opposite the camp to observe the unfolding events.

This escalation comes in implementation of the occupation's plan to demolish 106 buildings and homes in the Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps, which was announced two weeks ago and began implementation last week in Nur Shams camp.

According to local estimates, the number of buildings demolished by Israeli bulldozers over the past week has reached 20, including the apartments they housed. Other homes were also destroyed, after their residents were forcibly displaced during the ongoing aggression.

A World Health Organization (WHO) official said Tuesday that malnutrition rates in Gaza are rising, emergency treatments are running out, and hunger could have a lasting impact on an "entire generation."

Israel has blocked supplies from reaching the Strip since March 2, and resumed its war of extermination on Gaza two weeks later (March 18). A global hunger watchdog warned on Monday that half a million people there are facing famine.

The World Health Organization's representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, Rick Peeperkorn, stated that he saw children who looked years younger than their age and visited a hospital in northern Gaza where more than 20% of the children examined were suffering from severe malnutrition.

"What we are seeing is an increasing trend in global acute malnutrition. I saw a five-year-old child, I would say he was two and a half," Peeperkorn said in a press conference via video link from Deir al-Balah.

"Without adequate nutritious food, clean water, and adequate healthcare, an entire generation will be permanently affected," he added, warning of stunting and impaired cognitive development.

For his part, Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), told the BBC on Tuesday that he believes Israel is depriving civilians of food and aid as a weapon of war.

The New York Times revealed on Tuesday that while the Israeli government is publicly ignoring warnings of a severe food shortage after blocking aid deliveries since March 2, an internal analysis concluded that a crisis is looming if food supplies are not resumed.

Some Israeli military officials have concluded in private that Palestinians in Gaza face widespread famine unless aid deliveries resume within weeks, according to three Israeli defense officials familiar with the situation in the Strip.

Israel is pushing to implement its US-backed plan to bring aid into Gaza, which it says will isolate Hamas and distribute aid directly from what it calls neutral distribution sites.

The World Health Organization criticized the plan in a statement late Monday, describing it as "totally insufficient" to meet the urgent needs of the population.

Peppercorn said that because of the blockade, WHO only has enough stocks to treat 500 children suffering from severe malnutrition, which is only a fraction of the needs.

Citing figures from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, he added that 55 children have already died from severe malnutrition. Peeperkorn said he has seen many children in hospitals suffering from illnesses such as gastroenteritis and pneumonia, which can be fatal due to their weakened immunity linked to hunger. "Usually, you don't die from hunger, you die from illnesses associated with it," he added.

Israeli occupation forces arrested a citizen after settlers attacked and destroyed olive trees south of Hebron.

Activist Osama Makhamreh stated that Israeli occupation forces arrested citizen Ahmed Jaber Al-Nawajaa after a group of settlers destroyed a number of Al-Nawajaa's olive trees in the village of Susya, east of Yatta.

In the same context, settlers unleashed their livestock into Palestinian agricultural fields in more than 15 locations in Masafer and East Yatta, destroying a significant portion of the crops.

The Israeli occupation authorities continue to target women through systematic arrests, which have escalated in an unprecedented manner since the beginning of the war of extermination. Specialized institutions have documented 525 cases of arrest among women since the beginning of the genocide. Today, the occupation continues to detain 37 female prisoners, based on documentation to date, including two female prisoners who are five months pregnant, namely (Reema Balawi from Tulkarm, and Zahraa Al-Kawazbeh from Bethlehem).

The Prisoners Club said in a statement that the two female prisoners, Balawi and Kawazbeh, are being held in harsh and difficult conditions in Al-Damon prison. Like all male and female prisoners, they are being subjected to systematic and organized crimes, including the crime of starvation, which cast a shadow over the two female prisoners’ testimonies during their recent visit to Al-Damon prison. This is in addition to a series of systematic policies of theft and deprivation, which even affect their basic needs.

The Prisoners Club explained that Balawi (31 years old), a mother of two girls, was arrested from her home in Tulkarm, in February 2025, on the grounds of what the occupation calls “incitement,” while prisoner Kawazbeh (37 years old), a mother of three children, was arrested after the occupation forces set up a military checkpoint, following her return with her family from Jericho, and that was in early April 2025. The occupation courts have extended their detention several times over the past period, and a new court session is supposed to be held for prisoner Balawi on June 15, 2025, while a new court session will be held for prisoner Kawazbeh on May 18, 2025.

The Prisoners' Club noted that prisoner Balawi suffers from blood problems due to thalassemia, while prisoner Kawazba also suffers from nerve problems and requires intensive medical follow-up.

The continued detention of the two female prisoners, Balawi and Kawazbeh, is considered a “double crime,” given that the prison system continues to practice systematic crimes, policies, and procedures to torture, abuse, and kill prisoners, including female prisoners and child prisoners. Over the past months, institutions have monitored unprecedented crimes and violations against female prisoners, starting from the moment of their arrest, through the investigation period, and their transfer to Hasharon Prison as a temporary station, until their permanent detention in Al-Damon Prison.

Female prisoners also suffer double the suffering of being deprived of their children, as the prison system continues to deny families of male and female prisoners visits since the genocide. This deprivation of their children has exacerbated the suffering of many of them, leaving them facing difficult psychological conditions.

He stated that targeting women on the basis of what the occupation claims is “incitement” on social media sites, is today the most prominent issue that has escalated in an unprecedented manner since the beginning of the genocide, which has targeted, in addition to women, all segments of Palestinian society, and has become a central tool with the aim of imposing more control and censorship, and limiting freedom of opinion and expression, noting that what the occupation claims is “incitement” is a vague concept, through which it has worked to expand the circle of arrests that have affected thousands since the genocide, and it constitutes in essence another form of the administrative detention policy, which has affected thousands, including women and children, and it has also constituted the most prominent issue that has witnessed a historical transformation since the genocide.

In this context, the Prisoners Club held the occupation authorities fully responsible for the fate of all female prisoners, including the two prisoners (Balawi and Kawazbeh), and called again on the international human rights system, headed by the United Nations, to restore its necessary role in the face of the continuing atrocities and crimes committed by the Israeli occupation, in light of the ongoing crime of genocide in Gaza, the comprehensive aggression against our people, as well as the systematic crimes against male and female prisoners in the occupation prisons, which constitute another face of genocide and an extension of it.

It is worth noting that the number of prisoners in occupation prisons, until the beginning of May 2025, reached more than ten thousand and 100, including (3577) administrative detainees.

Today, Wednesday, our people in the homeland and diaspora commemorate the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, under the slogan: "We will not leave... Palestine is for the Palestinians..." and in rejection of the war of genocide and forced displacement, in defense of inalienable national rights, and in light of the ongoing targeting of the refugee issue, camps, and UNRWA.

For the second year in a row, the Nakba anniversary comes at a particularly special time, given the unprecedented catastrophic conditions our people in the Gaza Strip are experiencing due to the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression, which has lasted for 583 days. This scene echoes the bloody massacres committed by the occupation in the displaced Palestinian villages and towns.

The daily landscape in the West Bank is also marked by bloodshed. The Israeli aggression machine almost ceases its almost daily raids, destruction, killings, displacements, and arrests, accompanied by abuse, against Palestinian cities and villages. This is particularly true of the ongoing assault on the Tulkarm and Jenin refugee camps, which has resulted in the martyrdom and injury of dozens, the displacement of more than 40,000 people from their homes, and the systematic destruction of infrastructure.

At exactly 12:30, the sirens sounded for 77 seconds in various cities, marking the years of the Nakba. Our people stood in silence for 77 seconds during the sirens.

Large crowds commemorate the Nakba at a central festival in central Ramallah.

Large crowds of our people participated in the central festival, which started in front of the tomb of the late martyr Yasser Arafat and headed towards Al-Manara Square. During the festival, the Palestinian flag, black banners, and the keys to return were raised.

The march, called for by the Department of Refugee Affairs and the Higher National Committee for the Commemoration of the Nakba, was also attended by members of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Central Committee of the Fatah Movement, members of the Revolutionary Council and the National Action factions, a number of ministers, and representatives of official and popular institutions and civil society organizations.

In a speech delivered on behalf of President Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah's deputy chairman and Central Committee member, Mahmoud Al-Aloul, said the Nakba was the greatest crime committed in history, due to the scale and horrific nature of the massacres perpetrated against our people. Villages were wiped out, and a large portion were displaced both within and outside the country.

He added that the suffering of our people continues, and the occupation is trying to subjugate them until they give up their rights and their land, but it will fail, as always, in the face of our people's steadfastness and sacrifices.

He continued: "We commemorate this anniversary under difficult circumstances. There is a more severe and painful catastrophe currently being experienced by our people in the Gaza Strip, where the occupation is reaping the lives of children and women, and practicing massacres, siege, and starvation.

Al-Aloul added, "The massacres are extending to the West Bank governorates, and the settlers are practicing terrorism against the citizens, their land, and Islamic and Christian holy sites, under the protection of the occupation forces. This is in addition to the abuse of prisoners, which has resulted in the martyrdom of dozens of them in the occupation's prisons."

In a speech on behalf of the PLO and the factions, Ahmed Abu Holi, a member of the PLO's Executive Committee and head of the Refugee Affairs Department, reiterated that our people will not leave and that Palestine will remain for the Palestinians, despite the challenges facing our Palestinian cause. He also emphasized that our people will remain steadfast in the face of all destructive plans, including a war of extermination, forced displacement, the termination of UNRWA's role, the destruction of camps, and attempts to undermine the right of return.

He added, "We, in the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of our Palestinian people wherever they may be, affirm our people's right to self-determination and return to their homes. This is an inalienable right that does not expire with time. It is our people's right to strive for justice, liberation, and the building of their state."

He explained that our people's right of return is supported by international law and international legitimacy resolutions, calling on the international community to pressure the occupation to halt its war of extermination, starvation, and displacement in the Gaza Strip, and to halt Israeli attacks on West Bank camps and on Jerusalem, the capital.

He affirmed his absolute rejection of all attempts at forced and voluntary displacement, as well as policies of annexation and colonialism, thanking the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and all countries that stood against displacement.

He emphasized the Palestinian vision for confronting the challenges expressed by the President in all conferences and meetings, which aims to protect the legitimate rights of our people, implement international legitimacy resolutions, prevent urbanization, rebuild, and establish a Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders.

Abu Holi called for an international conference to rebuild Gaza and the West Bank, stressing UNRWA's continued efforts to serve our refugee people. He called on the world to support UNRWA politically and financially, as well as the Palestinian government, and to pressure the occupation government to release our financial rights.

He called for recognition of the Palestinian state, pressure to halt the occupation's aggression against our people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, reconstruction, and saving the two-state solution.

For his part, the General Coordinator of the Higher National Committee for the Commemoration of the Nakba, Muhammad Alian, stressed that our people are steadfast despite the groans, pain, and starvation, despite the siege and the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. They will remain loyal to the blood of the martyrs and will not depart. Palestine is ours and will remain ours.

The death toll from the genocidal war and aggression waged by the Israeli occupation forces on the Gaza Strip has risen to 52,928 dead and 119,846 wounded since October 7, 2023.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the death toll includes 2,799 dead and 7,805 wounded since March 18, when the occupation resumed its aggression on the Gaza Strip following the ceasefire agreement.

Over the past 24 hours, 20 dead and 125 injured people arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals. A number of victims remain trapped under the rubble and debris, and on the streets, unable to be reached by ambulances and civil defense teams.

It pointed out that 70 dead and dozens of injuries have arrived at hospitals since dawn today, as a result of the occupation's massacres and targeting of citizens in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the statements of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, in which he said, "A solution must be found to the Palestinian issue in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and international resolutions," during the opening of the Gulf-US summit held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

He commended Saudi Arabia's historic support for the Palestinian people and their just cause at all levels, most notably its continued support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. He considered these steps essential to achieving just and lasting peace in the region.

He also praised the positions and statements of the Gulf leaders supporting the Palestinian people's right to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, noting that all of these positions constitute support for the Palestinian and international position calling for peace in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

US President Donald Trump said, "We want a safe and dignified future for the people of Gaza. All hostages must be released, and we must work toward peace with the support of leaders in this room."

During the US-Gulf summit held in Riyadh on Wednesday, he added, "There are opportunities in this region to cease hostilities. The world is watching the Middle East and the Gulf states on their path to building a prosperous and secure future."

He addressed the Iranian nuclear issue, saying, "Iran must stop supporting terrorism and will not be able to possess nuclear weapons. I want to make a deal with them, but they must stop supporting terrorism and not possess nuclear weapons."

Trump spoke about the agreement with the Houthis, saying, "The Houthi group has pledged not to attack commercial ships." Regarding Lebanon, he said, "It has the potential to be freed from Hezbollah's grip and has a new opportunity with the new president and prime minister."

Regarding Syria, he stated that "lifting sanctions aims to give it a fresh start. Normalization of relations with Syria began with the meeting with Sharaa in Riyadh."

Trump noted that "we will work to add more countries to the Abraham Accords," addressing the Gulf leaders, "You are creating a stable Middle East and doing a great job. The Middle East has vital and strategic routes to the heart of the world, and I look forward to working with you."

US President Donald Trump met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday, a White House official said, a day after he pledged to lift sanctions on Syria.

A White House official told AFP that the two leaders met ahead of a broader meeting of Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia during Trump's tour of the region.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan participated in a video conference meeting with his US counterpart, Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to Anadolu Agency.

Arab countries welcomed US President Trump's intention to lift sanctions on Syria, while praising the efforts of Türkiye and Saudi Arabia in this regard.

This came according to official positions issued by Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Libya, and Syria.

In a speech at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday, Trump said the sanctions were "brutal and crippling," and that it was time for Syria to rise up.

He continued, "I will order the lifting of sanctions on Syria to give them a chance to grow and develop."

He added that he made this decision after discussing it with both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump added that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet his Syrian counterpart in Türkiye, without further details.

Trump met with Gulf leaders and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh before heading to Qatar on the second day of what he described as a "historic" visit to the region, following a busy day in the Saudi capital on Tuesday.

This busy diplomatic day comes on the heels of a multi-billion-dollar trade deal, with the United States and Saudi Arabia signing a series of deals in energy, artificial intelligence, arms, and technology.

Netanyahu tried to thwart Trump's lifting of sanctions on Syria.

An informed source revealed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that during his visit to the United States last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked President Donald Trump to maintain US sanctions on Syria and refrain from supporting stability there. Netanyahu attributed this to his fear of "a repeat of what happened on October 7, 2023," he claimed.

In the first week of April, US President Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House. The Israeli Prime Minister told the media at the Oval Office that he and the US President discussed the Syrian issue and told him, "We don't want to see Turkey use Syrian territory as a base against us." He also indicated that they discussed ways to avoid a clash. President Trump responded at the time by saying, "I have a great relationship with Erdogan (the Turkish President). I love him, and he loves me. I told Netanyahu, 'If you have a problem with Turkey, I will help solve it. I don't think that will be a problem, but you have to act rationally to solve any problem.'"

The source revealed that Netanyahu had made demands on both occasions during his visits to Washington not to lift sanctions on Syria, according to what US officials confirmed during discussions on lifting sanctions on Damascus.

The fate of Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, whom Israel attempted to assassinate yesterday, remains unclear, particularly in Israel, because the assassination was approved and carried out "very quickly and based on partial intelligence," according to Haaretz newspaper on Wednesday.

Israel claims that Sinwar led "the hardline position within Hamas' leadership and posed an obstacle to the approval of other kidnapped soldier deals," under Israeli conditions, most notably a refusal to cease hostilities. However, the newspaper noted that this assassination attempt came the day after Hamas leadership agreed to release the Israeli soldier, who holds American citizenship, Idan Alexander.

The newspaper added that Mohammed Sinwar has not replaced his older brother, Yahya Sinwar, with regard to Hamas's decision-making, and that he shares Hamas leadership with Izz ad-Din Haddad, whose power is concentrated in the northern Gaza Strip. Hamas' leadership currently wields greater influence abroad, including Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya.

Although the Israeli security service claimed that yesterday's assassination attempt on Sinwar was carried out after confirming that no Israeli prisoners were present alongside Sinwar, the newspaper confirmed that this was not confirmed.

She noted that Israeli prisoners released in recent prisoner exchange deals reported that their treatment and conditions of captivity worsened during periods when fighting resumed or following heavy Israeli attacks on Gazans.

The difficulty in determining Sinwar's fate now stems from the fact that Hamas does not immediately announce the deaths of its leaders following Israeli assassination attempts, as happened with the assassination of Qassam Brigades commander Mohammed Deif, whose death Hamas announced months after his assassination.

The newspaper argued that even if Sinwar were assassinated, this is not the central issue at present, and that the decisive factor regarding the continuation of the war lies in what US President Donald Trump will do in the coming days and "the extent of his success in imposing his position" on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan participated via videoconference in a meeting with the leaders of the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Syria in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Diplomatic sources told Anadolu Agency that President Erdoğan participated via video conference in a meeting that included his US counterpart, Donald Trump, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Israeli intelligence agencies are investigating whether a Shin Bet agent who held an "official position in Hamas" misled the Shin Bet ahead of the October 7 attack and whether he was a "double agent," Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday.

The Shin Bet contacted the "agent" in the hours preceding the "Al-Aqsa Flood" attack on October 7, 2023, and the "agent" told them that nothing was happening in the Gaza Strip.

According to the newspaper, the Shin Bet believes that this "agent" was supposed to be aware of what was happening when he was contacted, and therefore believes he was part of a deception operation carried out by Hamas.

But even if this "agent" later learned of the attack, he did not inform the Shin Bet, and therefore his report about the absence of incidents in the Gaza Strip served as a "calming factor" for Israeli intelligence, according to the newspaper.

The background to the investigation is the "severe distress" faced by Israeli intelligence agencies in the years preceding October 7, with regard to "human resources," i.e., the failure to recruit agents, "against the backdrop of the significant achievements of Hamas military intelligence in uncovering and executing" agents.

Israeli intelligence used the "secret tool" in the Gaza Strip, a complex and sophisticated set of operational and technological programs, aimed at uncovering Hamas's hidden secrets, according to a report published by the newspaper last September.

The "secret tool" provided Israeli intelligence with critical information over the years, significantly degrading the status of the agents in Gaza.

An officer in the Israeli Military Intelligence Division described the "secret tool" as "like knowing the location of our enemies' personal diaries, in which they record their most secret secrets. We can secretly access these diaries and examine their contents," the newspaper reported.

A Shin Bet official added that this tool "makes you addicted to it, to the point that other intelligence sources, at least with regard to Gaza, are being neglected."

Written by: Dr. Tahani Al-Lawzi
On this day in 1948, the Nakba began, a people deprived of their homeland, subjected to the largest ethnic cleansing operation of the twentieth century. More than 750,000 Palestinians were displaced from their cities and villages, and more than 500 Palestinian communities were destroyed. Today, 77 years later, the Nakba remains present, not only in memory, but also in the living and political reality of Palestinians, especially refugees in the Jerusalem Governorate, who face complex challenges under the occupation, in an attempt to end the status of "refugee" and erase the right of return from consciousness and history.

Targeting UNRWA: An Attack on the International Witness...
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is one of the most prominent international organizations established specifically to serve Palestinian refugees, embodying international recognition of their plight and their right of return. However, in recent years, the Israeli occupation has intensified its attempts to end UNRWA's presence, particularly in occupied Jerusalem, by pressuring donor countries to halt funding. This has led to a significant financial deficit that has directly impacted UNRWA's education, health, and relief services in Jerusalem, threatening to close its schools and health centers.
Attempts to replace the agency with the occupying municipality, by providing symbolic services with the aim of marginalizing UNRWA's role and stripping the refugee issue of its international character.
These policies aim to politically liquidate the Palestinian refugee issue and eliminate UNRWA as a legal and humanitarian witness to the ongoing Nakba.
Refugee camps in Jerusalem: renewed suffering.
There are two refugee camps in the Jerusalem Governorate. Qalandia Camp houses more than 11,000 registered refugees, while the actual population density is estimated at over 20,000.
Today, Shuafat camp houses more than 24,000 registered refugees, while the population density is estimated at more than 40,000. According to UNRWA statistics, the number of registered Palestinian refugees in the Jerusalem Governorate exceeds 100,000, the majority of whom live in the Shuafat and Qalandia camps, and areas such as Kafr Aqab, Al-Eizariya, Abu Dis, Al-Ram, and villages northwest of Jerusalem and At-Tur. Despite all the policies aimed at eliminating the refugee issue, the presence of UNRWA and the symbolism of the camp constitute two pillars of Palestinian national identity.
Commemorating the 77th anniversary of the Nakba is not limited to mourning the past, but rather an affirmation that the Nakba continues, and so does steadfastness. Palestinian refugees, foremost among them the residents of Jerusalem's refugee camps, confront oppression with steadfastness and exclusion with adherence to the right of return. On this anniversary, we renew our pledge that the Nakba will not be forgotten, and that Jerusalem, with all its people, will remain a living witness to Palestinian rights and an unwavering voice in the face of the occupation.

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip warned on Wednesday of a serious deterioration in the water and sanitation situation in the Strip, noting that more than 25% of water samples showed high levels of contamination, leading to the widespread spread of disease among citizens.

The ministry added that 90% of families suffer from water insecurity due to the lack of safe and clean drinking water sources. This situation worsens with the onset of summer and rising temperatures, which doubles the need for water.

The ministry noted that displacement camps are experiencing catastrophic conditions due to the lack of water sources, while 90% of desalination plants have completely shut down, exacerbating the water crisis in the Gaza Strip.

The ministry also warned that 80% of wastewater treatment plants have ceased operation, increasing seawater pollution and threatening the groundwater reservoir with contamination due to reliance on unsafe cesspits.

The ministry called for urgent action to save the sector from a worsening environmental and health disaster that threatens the lives of millions of people.

Israeli occupation forces detained dozens of teachers at the Hamra military checkpoint on Wednesday, preventing them from reaching schools in the Jordan Valley.

Azmi Balawneh, Director of Education in Tubas and the Jordan Valley, reported that the occupation forces are detaining approximately 100 teachers at the Hamra military checkpoint, preventing them from reaching their schools in the Jordan Valley.

He explained that this significantly disrupts the educational process, as teachers are frequently denied access.

The checkpoints leading to the Jordan Valley (Hamra and Tayasir) have been subject to repeated military reinforcements and closures for two years, negatively impacting all aspects of life.

The Gulf-US summit, the fifth between the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council, is being held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, today, Wednesday.

This summit is expected to discuss several issues in light of the circumstances and changes in the region, most notably the regional security and political situation.

The summit, held at the King Abdulaziz Conference Center, will also discuss the Israeli occupation's aggression against our people, the ceasefire, and the entry of aid into Gaza, with the possibility of proposing a new mechanism for bringing aid into the Strip.

The economic situation in the region and the world will also be discussed, as will the US nuclear negotiations, details of what happened between the two sides, and ways to achieve peace in the region.

The Israeli occupation army continues to expand its bulldozing and destruction operations inside Jenin camp, demolishing it, changing its features, and obliterating its identity, while continuing to prevent entry or access to it.

The Jenin Municipality estimates that as the offensive enters its 114th day, the occupation authorities have completely demolished approximately 600 homes in the camp, while the rest have been partially damaged and rendered uninhabitable. Meanwhile, the occupation continues to fire live ammunition intensively in the camp.

Local sources indicated that the effects of the occupation's aggression were not limited to the camp alone, but extended to the city of Jenin, causing significant damage to facilities, homes, and infrastructure, particularly in the eastern neighborhood and the Al-Hadaf neighborhood.

She noted that, in light of the ongoing aggression, families from the camp, and hundreds of families from the city and its surrounding areas, are still being forcibly displaced. The Jenin Municipality reports that the number of displaced persons from the camp and the city has exceeded 22,000.

The economic situation in Jenin is also deteriorating, with massive commercial losses resulting from the aggression estimated at approximately $300 million so far. Many businesses have been forced to close due to bulldozing and the destruction of infrastructure and streets, particularly in the western neighborhoods, which are experiencing near-total economic paralysis. Furthermore, there has been a decline in shopping traffic entering the city from outside.

On the ground, villages in Jenin Governorate are witnessing near-daily raids as the aggression against the city and camp continues. Daily raids are being recorded in most villages in the governorate, alongside the constant presence of occupation patrols and vehicles.

This morning, forces arrested four young men from Anza and Meithalun, south of Jenin. Occupation forces patrolled the streets of the Interior Roundabout and the camp's surroundings, particularly near Jenin Governmental Hospital. Occupation forces also stormed the town of Silat al-Harithiya, firing live ammunition at civilians.

Since the start of the assault on the city and camp on January 21, 40 people have been killed, along with dozens more injured and arrested.

French President Emmanuel Macron last night described the situation in the Gaza Strip as an "unacceptable and horrific humanitarian tragedy," calling for it to stop.

In an interview with French TV channel TF1, Macron, who appeared moved after watching a video of an emergency doctor describing the tragic situation in Gaza, said, "There is no water, no medicine, the wounded cannot be evacuated: what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doing is a disgrace."

He called for pressure on Israel and a review of the partnership agreements between it and the European Union.

When journalist Gilles Bouleau asked him about the use of the term "genocide," Macron maintained his reserved position: "It is not the role of politicians to use this term, but rather for historians to do so at the appropriate time."

For his part, French Ambassador to the United Nations Jérôme Bonafont condemned the planned extension of Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, stating that his country opposes the aid distribution mechanism proposed by Israel and calls on it to immediately lift obstacles to humanitarian supplies and the activities of relief workers in Gaza.

Israeli occupation forces injured a boy and arrested others in the West Bank this morning, Wednesday.

In Jenin, occupation forces stormed the town of Meithalun at dawn, raided a number of homes, and arrested two young men, Muhammad Burhan Ali Nu'ayrat and Qasim Abdul Jabbar Nu'ayrat.

The occupation forces also stormed the village of Anza and arrested Qusay Al-Amur and Hamza Al-Sharbaty.

The occupation continues its aggression on the city and camp of Jenin for the 114th consecutive day, intensifying its raids on towns and villages in the Jenin governorate, launching raids, detentions, and arrests there.

In Ramallah, the first aid point in the town of Abwein reported that a 17-year-old boy was injured by a rubber bullet in the foot during the clashes.

In the same context, the occupation forces stormed a number of homes in the town, searched them, and ransacked their contents.

In Hebron, occupation forces stormed the southern part of the city and arrested Yaqoub Talal Al-Rajabi, Salem Abdul Rahman Al-Rajabi, and the brothers Hussam and Salah Ayed Al-Rajabi after raiding their homes, searching them, and vandalizing their contents.

The occupation forces also arrested the two brothers, Tariq and Moataz Aziz Al-Hajouj, while they were at the entrance to the town of Bani Naim, east of Hebron.

In the town of As-Samu, to the south, these forces raided a number of citizens' homes in the Khadour and Al-Qatfah areas, searched them, and subjected a number of them to field investigations.

This morning, Wednesday, the Israeli occupation forces began demolitions in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.

In Bethlehem, occupation forces stormed the village of Kisan, positioned themselves at its western entrance, and demolished a one-story house, with a total area of 100 square meters, belonging to Hussein Yousef Abayat, on the pretext that it was not built without a permit.

In Ramallah, Israeli bulldozers demolished an inhabited house in the village of Shuqba.

Local sources reported that the house demolished by the occupation bulldozers belonged to the young man, Yaqoub Hamida Qadah, and consisted of two floors with an area of approximately 250 square meters.

In occupied Jerusalem, Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Local sources reported that occupation forces stormed the town, accompanied by a bulldozer, in preparation for a demolition operation.