Gaza death toll rises to at least 18 The latest death toll in Gaza has risen to at least 18 as Israeli continues to attack the territory, Al Jazeera reported. They include four Palestinians who were killed in an Israeli air attack on a car in the Saraya area in central Gaza City, the report said.
Israeli forces set fire to houses in southern Lebanon, report says Israeli forces set fire to houses in the al-Mashaa area between the towns of al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon, the country's National News Agency (NNA) reported. Earlier on Saturday, NNA reported that an Israeli attack on Bint Jbeil in the Nabatieh governorate wounded five Lebanese soldiers, who sustained minor injuries.
Opinion: Israel's genocide has frozen a generation of Gaza's young doctors In July 2025, when Israeli forces suddenly ordered Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah to evacuate under threat of imminent bombardment, my friend Ahmed Shabat, a junior doctor, found himself facing a choice that defined the thin line between life and death. Around him, the hospital was descending into panic as staff and patients scrambled to flee. Amid the blinding chaos, Dr Ahmed spotted a young man who had been brought into the emergency department, entirely overlooked as everyone rushed to escape.
'They almost killed my child': Women in Syria's Roj camp describe night of gunfire and fear Submitted by Reem Aouir on Sun, 08/02/2026 - 13:58 Women detained in northeast Syria's Roj camp say bullets tore through tents housing children during a confrontation with Kurdish-led security forces A boy shelters from the rain with a plastic bag during a military operation at Camp Roj in Syria's Hasakah province, on 5 April 2025 (Delil Souleiman/AFP) Off Kurdish-led armed forces opened fire inside Syria's Roj camp on Friday evening, with bullets tearing through tents housing children, after several days of protests by women demanding better treatment inside the facility, according to multiple accounts shared with Middle East Eye. No one was reported killed or wounded. But women inside the camp, which holds thousands of foreign women and children, relatives of suspected Islamic State (IS) group fighters, described a night of chaos and terror that has left them and their children severely traumatised.
Israeli attacks kill 14 in Gaza on Sunday The death toll in Gaza has risen to 14 today after two Palestinians, one a child, were killed in an Israeli strike on a tent housing displaced people in Remal, west of Gaza City. This follows Israeli attacks on Gaza City, Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis earlier on Sunday.
Israel's genocide has frozen a generation of Gaza's young doctors Submitted by Shoug Mukhaimar on Sun, 08/02/2026 - 12:24 With crossings closed and hospitals destroyed, medical training is at a standstill - and the specialists Gaza needs to rebuild may never exist A doctor checks a drip at the dialysis unit of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, on 1 February 2026 (Eyad Baba/AFP) Off In July 2025, when Israeli forces suddenly ordered Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah to evacuate under threat of imminent bombardment, my friend Ahmed Shabat, a junior doctor, found himself facing a choice that defined the thin line between life and death. Around him, the hospital was descending into panic as staff and patients scrambled to flee. Amid the blinding chaos, Dr Ahmed spotted a young man who had been brought into the emergency department, entirely overlooked as everyone rushed to escape.
Israeli finance minister calls for settlements near Gaza Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday called for the construction of three new Israeli settlements along the northern fence of Gaza. The statement comes as Israeli military attacks continue in Gaza and the occupied West Bank despite a ceasefire agreement announced in October. Smotrich, who heads Israel's Settlements Administration, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to approve the plan in a post on X.
Israeli finance minister calls for building settlements near Gaza amid ongoing Israeli offensive Submitted by MEE staff on Sun, 08/02/2026 - 13:38 Bezalel Smotrich's proposal comes as Israeli strikes kill more Palestinians and US prepares additional military support A displaced Palestinian sits outside tents after an Israeli air strike struck the medical supplies warehouse at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, 1 August 2026 (Eyad Baba/AFP) Off Israel 's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday called for the construction of three new Israeli settlements along the northern fence of Gaza. The statement comes as Israeli military attacks continue in Gaza and the occupied West Bank despite a ceasefire agreement announced in October. Smotrich, who heads Israel's Settlements Administration, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to approve the plan in a post on X.
Israeli strike on Bint Jbeil injures five Lebanese soldiers An Israeli attack in southern Lebanon has injured five Lebanese soldiers, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA). The Israeli strike targeted a civilian vehicle escorted by an army vehicle, the NNA reported. It took place in Bint Jbeil in the Nabatieh governorate.
Trump 'cancels' Iran strikes as Israeli attacks on Gaza continue Submitted by Imran Mulla on Sun, 08/02/2026 - 11:02 Iran said it would act 'decisively' in the event of any further US 'aggression' US President Donald Trump gestures while stepping off Air Force One upon arrival at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, on 31 July 2026 (AFP) Off US President Donald Trump has said he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly on Iran's nuclear programme and reopening the Strait of Hormuz completely. The announcement came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had informed his Turkish , Pakistani and Saudi counterparts that the Islamic Republic would act "decisively" in the event of any further US "aggression". Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that its Aerospace Force targeted the US F-35 repair hangar and ramp at Al-Azraq Base in Jordan with multiple ballistic missiles on Saturday, as the US reportedly geared up for major strikes targeting Iran's energy infrastructure.
MBS and Trump talk over the phone Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has spoken to US President Donald Trump over the phone on developments in the region. According to Saudi state media, the crown prince stressed "the necessity of prioritising dialogue to de-escalate tensions and the importance of exerting all possible efforts to achieve a truce, which paves the way for diplomatic solutions". He also said diplomatic solutions should "yield positive results for preserving the security and stability of the region and prevent it from being drawn into a wider conflict".
Three children among nine killed since dawn in Gaza Three children are among nine Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza since dawn, according to Al Jazeera Arabic. The attacks were in Gaza city, Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis.
Israeli forces claim Hamas commanders killed in Gaza The Israeli military said it has killed two Hamas commanders during air strikes on Friday and Saturday in Gaza. The military said Salem Jamal Abd al-Rahman Abu Labad, a cell commander in Hamas’s Nukhba special forces, who was killed in southern Gaza on Saturday, had taken part in the October 2023 attack. In a separate air strike in central Gaza on Friday, the military said its forces also killed Muhammad Abd al-Nasser Muhammad Khatib, a commander in Hamas’s Maghazi Battalion.
Hamas, PIJ stress full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza A Hamas delegation met officials from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Cairo, with the two groups stressing the need to force Israel to end its military offensive and fully withdraw from Gaza. Zaher Jabarin, Hamas's leader in the occupied West Bank, headed the group's delegation, while PIJ was represented by its secretary-general, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, Hamas said in a statement on its Telegram channel. Hamas said the two groups discussed "the escalating situation in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, the crimes and accelerated Judaisation operations being carried out by the occupation, and the intensified crimes against prisoners".
Morning recap Good morning Middle East Eye readers, US president Donald Trump said he would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz completely. His statement came after Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that he has informed his Turkish, Pakistani and Saudi counterparts that the Islamic Republic will act "decisively" in the event of any further US "aggression". Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that its Aerospace Force targeted the US F-35 repair hangar and ramp at Al-Azraq Base in Jordan with multiple ballistic missiles.
Israeli settlers cut electricity poles in Nablus, report says Israeli settlers cut and damaged electricity poles during a predawn attack on the village of Madama, south of Nablus, causing a power outage in parts of the community, Wafa reported. During the past two weeks, several areas in the occupied West Bank witnessed settler attacks on Palestinian homes, agricultural farms and religious places, desecration of graves and widespread arson. An Israeli police officer films Israeli activists protesting in Tel Aviv on 1 August 2026 against West Bank settler attacks.
Israeli forces detain three Palestinians during raid in Bethlehem Israeli forces detained three young Palestinian men during a raid on the Dheisheh refugee camp, south of Bethlehem, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Citing Palestinian security sources, Wafa reported that Israeli troops searched several homes in the camp on Sunday before arresting the three men. The report added that Israeli forces also raided the home of the Kanaan family on al-Saff Street in central Bethlehem and posted threatening notices on the walls of the nearby Salah al-Din Mosque.
Report: Saudi crown prince urged Trump to refrain from strikes Saudi Arabia expressed concern over US President Donald Trump's plans for massive strikes against Iran and sought clarity on the proposed course of action, US outlet Axios reported. Citing US officials, Axios said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Trump on Saturday and urged him to de-escalate tensions and refrain from launching the strikes. On Sunday, Trump said he had cancelled the strikes, contingent on a deal involving the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's commitment to denuclearisation.
Former Israeli prime minister vows to declare Qatar ‘enemy’ if elected Former prime minister Naftali Bennett has vowed to declare Qatar as an “enemy” if elected into government later this year, saying “it is unforgivable” that this is not already the case. In an interview with Channel 12, Bennett described Qatar as “more dangerous” to Israel at the moment than Iran. “With Iran, everyone knows that [it says], ‘We’ll destroy Israel.
Two children among eight Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza Overnight Israeli strikes on Gaza killed at least eight people, including two children, despite Hamas saying it agreed to the latest stage of a deal to end the war. Gaza civil defence officials said in one attack near the central Gaza Strip, a man and his wife were killed and several others were wounded when an Israeli military helicopter struck an apartment, AFP reported. An elderly man and a child were killed in another attack on an apartment west of Gaza City, and three people, including a child, were targeted when a strike hit another apartment northwest of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
