Turkey's Parliament approved a reconciliation deal with Israel

Israeli and Turkish flags
(Image: RT)

Reuters - ANKARA: Turkey's parliament approved a reconciliation agreement signed with Israel in June which has brought to an end a six-year rift between the two regional powers, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday.

Relations between the two countries crumbled after Israeli marines stormed a Turkish ship in May 2010 to enforce a naval blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, killing 10 Turks on board.

Palestinian talks: Fatah reconciliation delegation arrives in Cairo for negotiations

Fatah delegations arrives in Cairo for talks
(Image: Ahram-Online)

An official reconciliation delegation of the Palestinian Movement Fatah arrived in Cairo late of Tuesday, 9 February, for the talks with the Egyptian officials regarding the negotiations with Hamas, the rival Palestinian force.

Fatah delegation arrives in Cairo after the two days long talks with Hamas held earlier in Doha, Qatar.

The delegation of Fatah officials is headed by Azzam Ahmed and its aim is to hold the meetings with Egyptian officials in order to share the outcomes and provide with the updates regarding the talks with Hamas, held in Doha, according to the Fatah sources.

Egypt's President Sisi to meet Palestinian President Abbas in Cairo

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
(Image: Times of Israel)

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi meets with Palestinian President Mahnoud Abbas in Cairo on Thursday, 10 September, according to the state-owned MENA news agency.

Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Mahmoud Abbas are expected to discuss the latest developments and state of affairs in Palestine and in the region and the further cooperation between the two countries.

Egypt: major terrorist attack in North Sinai leaves dozens dead

Egyptian Armed Forces in Northern Sinai
(Image: BBC)

Egypt’s North Sinai was shaken on Wednesday, 1 July, by the major terrorist attack which was the biggest and the most coordinated since the beginning of this year.

Fifteen military checkpoints and security forces stations were attacked simultaneously in Northern Sinai cities of El-Arish, Sheikh-Zuweid and Rafah, along the border with Gaza. The attacks started at about midday.

It was the second largest attack that targeted Egyptian security and military forces since January 2015, when a massive attack of militants left 44 soldiers dead in Northern Sinai. Insurgency in the restive Sinai Peninsula intensified since ouster of the Islamist backed President Mohamed Morsi, as hundreds of soldiers and security forces personnel were killed and injured in the numerous attacks against Egypt’s security and military facilities. Civilians were also strongly affected by these attacks.

Egypt evacuates North Sinai residents and starts an operation of destroying the houses near Rafah border

Egyptian Army demolishes the houses within the special military
operation in Northern Sinai
(Image: Al-Masry Al-Youm)

Egyptian Army starts evacuation of the residents of Northern Sinai near the Gaza border in Rafah in accordance with the recent government’s plans of creation the buffer zone in the area in order to continue special military operation against the Sinai based jihadists and militants.

The decision to clear the area and to create the buffer zone came after the recent terrorist attacks against Egyptian Army have left nearly 40 soldiers dead during the latest week, and President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has declared state of emergency in Northern Sinai and launching military operation aimed to eliminate terrorist activity in the region.

Egypt starts evacuating residents from the Gaza border

Egyptian Armed Forces in Sinai
(Image: Daily News Egypt)

Egyptian authorities have ordered local residents living in Northern Sinai close to the Gaza Strip border to evacuate during the next 48 hours due to the government’s plans to create a buffer zone along the Gaza border. The houses of the residents are expected to be demolished during the ongoing military operation.

These measures came days after deadly terrorist attacks against Egyptian soldiers in Northern Sinai, near Rafah, Sheikh-Zuweid and Al-Arish cities. The attacks left 33 soldiers dead and dozens injured. Hours after the attacks Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has organized an urgent meeting of National Defense Council to discuss the situation and to take the measures to confront terrorism and to restore stability and security in the restive Sinai Peninsula, where jihadists’ attacks against Egyptian Army and police forces became a grim reality since ouster of Mohamed Morsi.

Hamas responded negatively on Egyptian plans to create buffer zone in Sinai

Egyptian military forces on the Gaza border
(Image: Press TV)

Hamas officials revealed negative reaction on the plans of Egyptian government to create a buffer zone in Northern Sinai, in the areas close to the Gaza Strip border. The decision of Egyptian government to clear the area and to relocate local residents for launching more effective military operation to confront Sinai based terrorists will benefit and support Israeli blockade of Gaza Strip, stated Hamas official Osama Hamdan during his recent interview.

“The buffer zone with Gaza’s borders will only increase the siege imposed for years and will only strengthen the case of incitement against Palestinian people,” Osama Hamdan continued.

Egypt officially postpones Israeli-Palestinian talks due to security situation

Israeli-Hamas negotiations team
(Image: Gaza Solidarity)

Egyptian government officially postponed negotiations between Israel, Palestine and Hamas to be held in Cairo and mediated by Egypt. This statement was made by Hamas spokesperson Fawzy Bahroum on Sunday 26 October, and was confirmed later by the Egyptian side as well.

The talks were scheduled to start on 27 October, Monday, and were aimed to discuss and to cement the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, reached after 51 days offensive in Gaza Strip, and to develop the further strategy and the peace talks.

Palestine: Hamas and Fatah agreed to return unity government to take control over Gaza

Hamas and Fatah representatives of the officials delegations in
Cairo
(Image: EPA)

Two Palestinian rival factions, Hamas, which is de facto ruler of the Gaza Strip, and Fatah have issued a joint statement on Thursday, 25 September, declaring their agreement to return unity government to take control over Gaza Strip and to regulate an issue of Gaza rebuilding and reconstruction after devastating 50 days long with Israel. The statement came after the two-days talks held between Hamas and Fatah in Cairo, with Egyptian mediation.

Hamas and Israel have agreed a long-term truce in Gaza

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas during the talks in Cairo

After 50 days of war in Gaza Israeli Operation Protective Edge reached its end as Israel, Palestine and Hamas, which is de fact ruling Gaza Strip, have agreed on a long-term ceasefire proposed by Egypt.

The truce ending seven weeks of a terrible war came into effect on Tuesday, 26 August, at 19:00 local time. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who attended Egyptian capital Cairo for the talks several times and traveled around Middle East seeking for support of the Arab countries in order to resolve the deepening crisis in Gaza, has announced about the long-term agreement with Israel in Ramallah, on Tuesday. Israeli Cabinet has announced about the beginning of a ceasefire later as well.

Egypt and Palestine reached an agreement regarding the future peace talks amid continuous Israeli strikes against Gaza and Hamas shelling Israeli territory

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during their meeting in Cairo
(Image: Times of Israel)

After the nine days ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and mediated by Egypt was broken at the beginning of this week, Israeli Defense Forces resumed their attacks and strikes against the “terrorist targets” and Hamas militant’s facilities in Gaza, as Hamas in its turn continues shelling Israeli territory on a daily basis.

Nearly 90 people in Gaza were killed since the ceasefire was broken, most of them civilians of Gaza. There was also one Israeli child among the victims. At least 10 people were killed in Gaza due to the Israeli military strikes on Saturday, 23 August, and at least 4 people were killed on Sunday, 24 August, despite the efforts to hold the peace talks and to reach an agreement about the new ceasefire.

Israel accepts several terms of the peace talks regarding Gaza ceasefire

Gaza after IDF bombings
(Image: BBC)

After almost one month long military offensive in Gaza Strip, which left hundreds people dead and many more injured, Israeli side accepted some terms and deamnds of the Palestinian side. 

Egypt, which is a strong and influential regional power and traditionally mediates the talks between Israel, Palestine and Hamas, played the role of a mediator this time as well, offering the ceasefire plan, which was initially rejected by Hamas three weeks ago and then finally accepted on Monday, with the 72-hour ceasefire starting since Tuesday, 5 August.

Updated: Israel accepted Egyptian ceasefire proposal and is expected to participate in the Gaza talks

IDF military strikes in Gaza
(Image: The Guardian)

After the previous ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hamas brokered by Egypt and USA failed Israeli Cabinet declared after its emergency meeting held on Friday, 1 August, that Israel finishes unilaterally its military operation in Gaza, withdrawing its ground troops from the besieged enclave and finalizing the operation aimed at the total destroying of the network of underground tunnels used by Hamas for smuggling and infiltrating Israeli territory.

UPDATED. Gaza conflict: Israeli military operation is ongoing as the death toll rises dramatically fast on the both sides and the ceasefire agreement is violated

Israeli military offensive in Gaza
(Image: The Guardian)

Israeli military Operation Protective Edge is ongoing for the twenty fifth day now, as IDF forces continue their ground offensive in Gaza, aiming to target the militants’ bases and facilities and to eliminate Hamas military activity in the besieged enclave. Israeli officials claim they target only militant object and don’t mean to harm any civilians, sending them constantly text messages and dropping the leaflets over Gaza urging people of Gaza to leave their homes and to evacuate for more safe places due to the ongoing military operation, but the tragedy is that there is actually no safe place left in Gaza anymore, as even the hospitals and the schools including those operated by UN and being used as refugees’ camps and shelters are being targeted by the Israeli forces constantly. At the same time Hamas continues to launch the rocket strikes against Israel, firing the rockets and mortar shells into Israeli territory. Israeli Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts dozens of rockets on a daily basis, as Israeli citizens hear the sirens every day, forced to run to the shelters.

Israel renews its offensive in Gaza after Hamas violated the humanitarian ceasefire, as the death toll in Gaza is over 1,000

Israeli strikes in Gaza
(Image: Ahram-Online)

Israeli Defense Forces continue massive Operation Protective Edge aimed to eliminate the activities of Hamas and militant Islamist groups in Gaza for the nineteenth day, as the ground incursion lasts for the ninth day, bringing more and more deaths to the people of Gaza, mostly civilians, and deteriorating the situation in the region, as the death toll rises on the both sides.

The end of the week was marked by the massive protests and rallies in support of Gaza and against Israeli military aggression, as Israeli forces targeted many civilian neighborhoods, destroying civil infrastructure and killing dozens of people, including the entire families. IDF strikes and tanks attacks carried out on Saturday and Sunday, 19 and 20 July respectively, turned into the real bloodshed for the Palestinians in Gaza and for the Israelis as well. Thus, angered and outraged Palestinians marched against Israeli aggression in West Bank, in Ramallah and in Jerusalem late on Thursday, as the massive rallies continued on Friday and on Saturday as well.

Updated: Israel continues its massive military operation in Gaza, as death toll rises on the both sides and amid continuous international efforts to broker ceasefire

IDF tanks during ground offensive in Gaza
(Image: Reuters)

Israeli Defense Forces continue their massive Operation Protective Edge in Gaza for the second week already. The operation is aimed at destroying Hamas military bases and facilities and to destroy militant leaders of Hamas and Al-Qassam Brigades, threatening security of the citizens of Israel. Though the death toll among the ordinary Palestinians living in a densely populated besieged Gaza grows rapidly as a result of Israeli bombings and the ongoing ground offensive carried out in the area.

Despite the hopes for the ceasefire and calls of the Arab leaders and international officials to halt the violence and to start the talks, the military operation of Israeli forces continues and turms into the next stage, as IDF started their ground incursion in Gaza, using all kinds of troops and weapons including infantry, navy, aerial strikes, artillery and tanks. These attacks are aimed at destroying the militant bases and infrastructure in Gaza and destruction of the numerous underground tunnels used by Hamas for smuggling and militant activities, according to official Tel-Aviv.

Israel launches ground operation in Gaza after six-hour humanitarian ceasefire with Hamas

Israeli Defense Forces to start ground offensive in Gaza
(Image: Al Arabiya)

As Israeli military Operation Protective Edge aimed at elimination of the militant activities of Hamas and Islamist Jihad in Gaza continues for the second week and the attempts to reach a ceasefire agreement failed till now, Israeli government ordered the beginning of a ground offensive in the besieged Gaza late on Thursday, 17 July.

Israeli aerial strikes against the militants of Hamas in Gaza have already left more than 260 Palestinians in Gaza dead, as nearly 80% of them are civilians and nearly one third of them are children, according to the reports of Gaza Emergency Services and UN. There are also more than 1900 people injured. One Israeli citizen was killed in a recent attack of Hamas, and there are also several dozens of injured people as well. One Israeli soldier was also killed durint the night, since Israeli ground incursion has started.

Hamas officially rejected Egypt’s ceasefire proposal. Israel and Hamas agreed for UN requested temporally ceasefire in Gaza

Israeli aerial strikes in Gaza
(Image: Jerusalem Times)

Israeli Defense Forces resumed their military operation and aerial strikes against the militants in Gaza after Hamas violated the ceasefire agreement proposed by Egypt and continued firing the rockets and missiles at Israeli territory. In addition to that Israel continues its preparation for a broader military operation in order to eliminate terrorist activities in Gaza, threatening security of Israeli citizens.

Gaza in its turn is under heavy fire of IDF, and the situation in the besieged enclave remains tense and deteriorating, coming close to the humanitarian catastrophe, not to mention numerous casualties. Gaza Emergency Service and Ministry of Health reported that at least 234 Palestinians were killed during the nine days of Israeli military operation launched in Gaza against Hamas militants. More than 80% of those killed are civilians and nearly one third of them are children, reports UN. The number of injured people reaches more than 1500, as there are also thousands of displaced people, who have nothing left and are forced to look for shelter in UNRWA camps.

Israeli Cabinet accepted a ceasefire agreement proposed by Egypt, as Hamas rejected it

Israeli aerial strikes in Gaza
(Image: Haaretz)

Israeli military Operation Protective Edge aimed at elimination of Hamas militant activity in the region and restoring security continues for the second week in Gaza, despite the growing international pressure and high death toll in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Hamas in its turn continue its rocket strikes of Israeli territory including major cities such as Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, Haifa and others. Southern Israeli cities also suffer from the Hamas rocket fire, and the reports stated that the resort city of Eilat, just on the border with Egypt, was hit by the Hamas rockets on Tuesday morning, leaving several people injured. Many of the rockets are being intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile systems protecting Israeli cities, that is why Israel didn’t suffer the great destruction and casualties, as it happens in Gaza.

Updated: Egypt to announce ceasefire in Gaza, while the death toll rises due to Israeli military operation against Hamas

Israeli aerial strikes of Gaza
(Image: IBT)

Israeli military operation against Hamas continues in Gaza for the seventh day, leaving more than 185 people dead and more than 1350 people wounded, according to the reports of the UN workers in the area. Thousands of Gaza people remain displaced and are forced to flee their homes looking for shelter in the besieged enclave, cut from the outside world, as Palestinians from the Gaza Strip aren’t allowed to cross into territory of Israel, while Egyptian Rafah border crossing point remains closed after it was opened for several hours to receive injured people on Thursday.