January 18, 2024

Mid East update

Medicine for Israeli hostages is heading to Gaza from Egypt in the first deal between Israel and Hamas since the November ceasefire. Palestinian civilians will also receive medication and humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, Israel’s top general warned a war between Israel and Lebanon is growing increasingly likely.

NPR - Pakistan's foreign ministry announced this morning that the country launched airstrikes on Iran, killing at least nine people. The strikes come after Iran struck Pakistan this week. The tit-for-tat attacks have raised questions over whether the war between Israel and Hamas is spreading to unexpected places.

Guardian-  Internet and mobile services continue to be cut off inside the Gaza Strip by Israel. The present outage has lasted for five days, according to internet access advocacy group NetBlocks. An estimated 85% of Gaza’s population have been displaced and are struggling for food, while local authorites say nearly 25,000 Palestinians have so far been killed by Israeli airstrikes since 7 October.

Israel’s president has told the Davos conference that there is an “empire of evil” emanating from Tehran which must be faced by a very strong coalition, and that Gaza’s population is entrenched in a network of terror.

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