Connect with us

Middle East

Israel orders ‘complete siege’ on Gaza, intensifies air strikes

Published

on

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoac Gallant said the country has ordered a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip, as its military continues to launch air strikes on the Palestinian territory.

Also Read: 19 members of same family killed in Israeli air strike in southern Gaza

Advertisement

“We are putting a complete siege on Gaza. No electricity, no food, no water, no gas – it’s all closed,” Gallant said in a video message, referring to the enclave that is overcrowded with 2.3 million people.

Israel continued to pound the Gaza Strip with a new wave of rockets from the early hours of Monday morning, with clashes and shelling reported in the West Bank, Al Arabiya said.

Al Arabiya and Al Hadath sources reported that military planes bombed two mosques in Gaza on Monday morning.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said it had hit more than 1,00 targets in Gaza and its tanks and drones were stationed across the strip’s openings in the border fence to prevent anyone from entering areas under their control.

Nearly 500 people, including children and women, have been killed in Gaza and thousands of others have been injured in Israel’s attacks.

A humanitarian corridor to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip following Israeli strikes must be opened urgently, a source from the Palestinian Red Crescent told Al Arabiya.

Advertisement

The United Nations said the number of displaced Gazans has risen to more than 123,000 as a result of the fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas since the attack on Saturday.

As of late Sunday, retaliatory Israeli airstrikes had destroyed 159 housing units across Gaza and severely damaged 1,210 others, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said a school sheltering hundreds of families was also hit.

Advertisement

Several Israeli news outlets, citing rescue service officials, said at least 700 people have been killed in Israel, including 44 soldiers.

Advertisement

Middle East

Israel, Hamas start first truce in Gaza war

Published

on

Israel and Hamas initiated a four-day ceasefire beginning on Friday. During this period, the militants are scheduled to release 13 Israeli women and child hostages later in the day, and aid is expected to enter the besieged Gaza enclave. This marks the first temporary halt in the nearly seven-week-long conflict, Al-Arabiya reported.

The truce began at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT), involving a omprehensive ceasefire in north and south Gaza, and was to be followed by the release of some of the more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack inside Israel, mediators in Qatar said. A number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons were to be freed in exchange.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Middle East

Palestinian death toll in Gaza jumps to over 13,300

Published

on

As of Monday, authorities in Gaza reported that the death toll resulting from the continuous Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7 has surpassed 13,300.

Also Read: First-ever cinema opens in Madinah Saudi Arabia

Advertisement

In a statement cited by Anadolu agency, the Gaza-based government media office said the death toll includes 5,600 children and 3,550 women.

It added that the death toll also includes 201 medical staff, 22 members of civil defense rescue teams, and 60 journalists.

Since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Advertisement

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Middle East

First-ever cinema opens in Madinah Saudi Arabia

Published

on

The inauguration of Empire Cinema’s multiplex in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, marks a historic moment as the city’s first-ever cinema, situated within the Al-Rashid Mall. Featuring 10 screens and 764 seats, including a dedicated children’s theater and play area, this branch signifies Empire Cinemas’ 10th complex in the country.

CEO Gino Haddad expressed that this expansion is a significant step in their Saudi presence.

Advertisement

The lifting of the cinema ban in 2018 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman under Vision 2030 aimed at enhancing the quality of life and diversifying the economy.

AMC Entertainment became the first operating cinema in 35 years, followed by Saudi Arabia’s substantial investments in the entertainment sector, including a $100 million film fund announced at the Cannes Film Festival.

Recent reports from the Ministry of Commerce highlight a 28% growth in the Saudi cinema industry in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year. Predictions from PwC Middle East suggest that Saudi Arabia’s cinema revenue could reach $1.5 billion by 2030.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending