Time is running out to get aid into Taiz, besieged by pro-Iran Houthi fighters who are preventing supplies from reaching Yemen's third-largest city, the United Nations said Friday.

Houthi fighters have encircled Taiz since early October, blocking the road that links it to Aden, interim capital of the Saudi-backed, internationally-recognised government.

"Safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access is urgently needed so that essential supplies and life-saving assistance can reach people in need," said the UN humanitarian agency OCHA.

"It's 20 days and counting since Taiz has been cut off," said OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke.

"We are seeing increasingly that the fighting makes it impossible for us to get in and impossible for people to get out," he told a press conference in Geneva.

Laerke said the dwindling water supply was a growing concern, as most residents depended on water brought in by trucks.

"With the roads closed and the diesel to run the trucks very scarce, water production in the city has fallen by about half," he said.

"The cost of the truck water has roughly tripled. You can imagine what that does to these people who are trapped there."

Laerke said that while local humanitarian groups were distributing their remaining supplies, including fuel to keep water pumps and hospitals running, "it comes with a time code: the clock is running out".

"Cooking gas is another item that is largely unavailable, and the shortage is already threatening community kitchens that provide hot meals to families," he added.

Hospitals struggling: WHO

The Houthis, from Yemen's rugged north, seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, sparking a brutal civil war with a Saudi-led coalition fighting for the government.

The civil war reignited in July, months into the US-Iran conflict that has plunged the Middle East into crisis.

The World Health Organisation said hospitals in Taiz governorate were struggling to maintain life-saving services, faced with critical shortages of fuel, oxygen, medicine and medical supplies.

"With hospital services severely disrupted and stocks running dangerously low, urgent action is needed to sustain life-saving care for thousands of patients," the UN health agency's spokesman Christian Lindmeier said.

"In Taiz city alone, 42 health facilities are reporting acute shortage," he said.

Fuel shortages were threatening oxygen production, emergency transport and vaccine cold chains, he added.

The UN children's agency UNICEF said that in Taiz alone, it had screened more than 168,000 children this year, with over 52,000 found to be acutely malnourished, including more than 11,500 suffering from severe acute malnutrition -- the worst form.

The malnutrition situation "remains extremely concerning", spokesman Ricardo Pires said.

The United States appears to be preparing to resume large-scale strikes against Iran, but there is unlikely to be a military solution for either side in the devastating conflict, experts say.

Washington and Tehran's forces have settled into a pattern of strikes on commercial ships, with the United States seeking to enforce a blockade of Iran's ports and the Islamic republic trying to exert control over the key Strait of Hormuz waterway.

Neither country has engaged in major attacks on land-based targets since early September, but that may soon change.

"I'm banking now on the likelihood of strikes shortly after the midterms," said Suzanne Maloney, director of the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution, referring to November 3 elections in the United States.

She pointed to potential signs including the movement of additional US military assets and troops to the Middle East, warnings issued to Americans in the region, and a high alert status for Israeli forces.

Additionally, President Donald Trump "came out publicly and said that he wouldn't strike before the midterms," and "it wouldn't seem to help him at the polls to do so," Maloney said.

The US-Israeli war against Iran -- launched in late February -- is largely unpopular in the United States, especially because it has sharply driven up fuel prices, and is likely to be a drag on Trump's Republican Party in the key vote.

"Fundamentally, the situation isn't sustainable in its current state," Maloney said, noting that the US blockade is "creating greater pain for the Iranians," while Washington has a large number of naval assets tied up in enforcing it.

"There has to be some kind of a resolution, either through diplomacy or through military action," she said.

Asked about the Iran on Friday, Trump told journalists that "we could end it very quickly," but said the question is "do we want to finish it off, or... do we just want to let it wither?"

Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria and Iraq, meanwhile said Friday that there could "absolutely" be a strike this weekend, ahead of Tuesday's Israeli elections.

'Impossible to predict' 

Jason Campbell, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said there have "certainly been recent signs that renewed strikes may be in the offing," or that "the US is expecting strikes carried out by Iran" or their Houthi allies in Yemen.

He noted the planned deployment of the USS Theodore Roosevelt to the Middle East -- which could at least temporarily bring the number of carrier strike groups there to three -- as well as the decision to dispatch another Marine Expeditionary Unit to the region.

Campbell also said Israeli warplanes recently carried out a "show of force" mimicking previous strikes on Iran, and noted that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel.

However, "timing here is impossible to predict," he said of renewed strikes, while noting that "this is admittedly an expansive set of actions to take if the intent is to simply pressure Iran to the negotiating table."

Campbell said Trump's options are more limited than they were earlier in the conflict, with damage to US bases in the region having made any potential ground operation more difficult.

"At this point, there is no safe place to stage the thousands (in some scenarios tens of thousands) of forces that would be required for such an operation," he said.

Maloney meanwhile said that "most of the conventional military sites (in Iran) have already been heavily degraded" by previous strikes, meaning any new campaign will likely "entail more strikes on civilian infrastructure and targets that impact the Iranian population."

But that -- or any type of military action -- is unlikely to bring about a resolution to the conflict.

"From the start... this has been a war that can't be ended with further escalation on either side," Maloney said.

Campbell agreed, saying: "I do not see how renewed strikes on Iran akin to the first fifty days of the war will move the strategic needle for the Iranian regime."

"They have demonstrated a willingness to absorb a significant amount of physical pain and even some alterations to targeting that includes key mixed or even civilian infrastructure will not significantly change this," he added.

Reports of increased Israeli drone activity over Beirut and its southern suburbs have raised questions about whether Israel is preparing for a new escalation against Hezbollah.

But while the flights have become more conspicuous in recent days, analysts told The New Arab that their presence alone does not establish that a wider offensive is imminent.

A report by local Lebanese news outlet Lebanon Files said Israeli reconnaissance flights had "returned" to Beirut and Mount Lebanon’s airspace. However, there is no publicly available evidence establishing that the flights had stopped before recently becoming more noticeable.

Israeli drones have continued to be reported over Beirut and its southern suburbs in recent months, including in reports published in September and footage circulated this week.

The question, therefore, is not simply whether the drones are present, but whether there has been a meaningful change in the frequency, duration or scope of their operations.

Surveillance and pressure on Hezbollah

Elijah J. Magnier, a veteran war correspondent and political analyst, told The New Arab that the activity should be taken seriously, while cautioning against treating visible drone flights as evidence of an imminent attack.

"Local reporting today documented a drone flying at low altitude over the southern suburbs. That establishes a visible presence; it does not, by itself, establish a sustained increase in surveillance or an imminent offensive," he said in comments to The New Arab on 21 October.

Magnier said Israeli drone flights could serve several purposes at once, including gathering intelligence, updating potential targets, monitoring movements and exerting psychological pressure on residents. A conspicuous presence over the capital can also serve as a reminder of Israel’s ability to strike south of Beirut.

If Israel were preparing another operation, surveillance could help it locate commanders, monitor weapons movements and identify suspected military infrastructure. But Magnier stressed that these remained possible objectives rather than evidence of a decision to launch an attack.

"Nor does identifying a target establish that a political decision to strike has been taken," he said. Without comparative flight data or intelligence about operational orders, he added, it was difficult to distinguish routine surveillance from preparations for a particular attack.

Nasser Khdour, an analyst at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), also said Israeli drone activity over Beirut was not new.

"Israel has continued gathering intelligence and identifying possible targets in preparation for another round of fighting," he told The New Arab.

Khdour suggested the more conspicuous drone presence was likely intended to increase pressure on Hezbollah and the Lebanese government during negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, with the Iran-backed militant group’s disarmament remaining a central point of disagreement.

The latest round of US-mediated military talks between Lebanese and Israeli delegations began in Tampa, Florida, on 20 October. The talks came amid continued Israeli attacks and demolitions in southern Lebanon, as well as renewed threats by Israeli officials against Hezbollah.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has warned Hezbollah against joining Iran in an attack on Israel, threatening a "powerful response" against Beirut’s southern suburbs, which would include a forced evacuation of the whole area. He has also threatened to expand the invasion towards Nabatieh and the Litani River in the south.

Hezbollah has refused to disarm as long as Israeli forces remain in Lebanon.

Could tensions with Iran draw Hezbollah into a wider war?

The risk of escalation also extends beyond Lebanon. With Israel’s general election scheduled for 27 October, renewed threats involving Iran have added another layer of uncertainty to the regional picture.

Magnier said electoral considerations were relevant to the analysis, but cautioned against presenting speculation about a war being launched for political reasons as an established plan. He said there was no publicly established evidence that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intended to initiate a war to disrupt an election he expected to lose.

A renewed confrontation between Israel and Iran could, however, create a separate decision point for Hezbollah. Magnier said the group’s involvement would become a more serious possibility in such a scenario, but would remain a choice rather than an automatic consequence.

He also cautioned against assuming that Hezbollah’s weakened deterrence meant it had no remaining military capabilities. The group could seek to preserve its personnel and organisational structure while continuing to impose costs on Israel over time, rather than responding to every attack with a major escalation.

That calculation could change, he added, if civilian casualties mounted, senior leaders were targeted or Israel expanded its ground operations.

The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel began in October 2023 and was dramatically escalated by Israel into a full-scale war in September 2024. Fighting resumed on 2 March this year, alongside the US-Israeli war on Iran. Much of Hezbollah’s senior command structure has been eliminated over the past three years, and thousands of its fighters are believed to have been killed.

The drone flights therefore need to be viewed alongside the wider military and political context, rather than in isolation. Israel’s continued strikes, its threats against Beirut’s southern suburbs and the unresolved dispute over Hezbollah’s weapons all contribute to an already volatile situation.

For Magnier, the distinction remains between sustained pressure and a decision to launch a broader campaign. The visible presence of drones demonstrates Israel’s ability to monitor and threaten Hezbollah and its stronghold in Beirut's southern suburbs, but it does not reveal what Israeli leaders intend to do next.

"The drone flights show exposure and pressure. They do not yet tell us whether the next step will be surveillance, a targeted strike or a wider campaign," he said.

Tehran has drawn up detailed plans to target undersea communications cables in the Gulf if the United States and Israel attack Iran again, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters.

Their comments followed warnings by Iranian officials that undersea cables in the region could become targets in any renewed conflict if diplomacy with Washington collapses.

The two Iranian security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, gave few details and did not say how or where exactly Tehran would carry out such attacks. But one of them said Iran would aim to prevent repairs after any attacks to prolong disruptions to communications, including internet connections.

"If Iran is attacked, there will be no more red lines ... from undersea cables to military bases, including covert ones," one of the officials said.

The official warned Washington not to "play with fire", and said Iran had full access to the undersea cables and could easily destroy them.

Yadollah Javani, the deputy head of political affairs for Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), said on Wednesday that Iran could target seven major internet cables beneath the Strait of Hormuz if Iranian infrastructure came under attack.

Undersea cables carry around 99% of global internet traffic, according to the International Telecommunication Union, a UN agency. But the global impact of such attacks by Iran could be limited as less than 1% of international bandwidth passes through the Strait of Hormuz, said Alan Mauldin, research director at telecommunications research firm TeleGeography.

The strait separates Iran and Oman, linking the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.

The US Department of State and Iran's Foreign Ministry did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment on the Iranian security officials' remarks. There was no immediate comment from Gulf states.

'Stronger response'

The plans for possible attacks on undersea cables reflect a conviction in Iran's ​leadership that a renewed US military campaign would have to be met with a stronger response than before.

Top security official Mohsen Rezaei warned this month that US-linked digital infrastructure across the Gulf, including data centres and AI facilities, could be targeted in a renewed conflict.

Washington's Gulf allies have invested heavily in such infrastructure and they "should hold Washington, not Tehran, responsible for any damage to undersea cables," the second Iranian security official said.

Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said such threats were intended to deter renewed conflict and put pressure on Washington by making Gulf governments and US companies fear for their investments in the region.

"Tehran wants Gulf states and corporate executives to press (US President Donald) Trump over the risks his policies pose to their investment plans," said Vatanka.

Multiple cable cuts could slow internet services and disrupt financial transactions, e-commerce and cloud computing, analysts said. The impact would depend on how operators rerouted traffic and the capacity available on alternative connections, Mauldin said.

Restoring connections during wartime could be difficult, experts said, and higher insurance costs and delays in obtaining permits to enter territorial waters could further complicate repairs.

The Red Sea could offer a more significant target than the Strait of Hormuz, particularly if Iran had support from its Houthi allies in Yemen, though Tehran has made no public statement indicating it plans to target cables there.

The Red Sea carries data between Europe, East Africa and Asia, with capacity routed through it accounting for about 3% of global international demand and around 10% of traffic travelling between regions, Mauldin said.

Gulf governments have been investing heavily in technology to diversify beyond oil and become global artificial intelligence hubs, deepening ties with US technology firms.

Iranian strikes directly hit two Amazon Web Services facilities in the UAE in March and damaged infrastructure near one of its facilities in Bahrain. The IRGC named US tech companies including Microsoft, Google, Apple and Nvidia as legitimate targets at the height of the war in March.

Land-based connections can provide alternative routes for internet traffic, and Gulf states and US technology companies are investing in additional infrastructure to improve resilience.

Microsoft plans to invest more than $400 million in subsea and terrestrial connectivity across the Middle East by 2030.

Scores of people gathered in several parts of Tunisia’s capital late on Thursday to protest the killing of two people in separate security incidents as well as deteriorating living conditions.

The protests grew and quickly turned into clashes with security forces, while police used tear gas to disperse protesters.

The violence spilled out into the Ettadhamen neighbourhood of Tunis, as people expressed anger over the death of a man who was arrested by police on suspicion of drug dealing.

However, his family said he was subjected to violence at the hands of the police, causing his death, and demanded that those responsible for his killing be held accountable.

Local media have reported that the man died after swallowing drugs.

The protesters blocked roads in the neighbourhood, set alight rubber tyres and threw stones at security forces.

According to local media, security forces were deployed to the area when the clashes broke out.

In the south of the country, clashes broke out in the town of Jebniana, following the death of a man whose relatives say died during a police chase.

Protesters set fire to a police vehicle, while further clashes took place in the nearby city of Agareb.

Elsewhere in the Sfax governorate, students demonstrated against a student dying from a heart attack, with many accusing ambulance crews of being slow to respond. The protest shortly after grew into a bigger demonstration against the lack of medical facilities in the country.

University students have since called for a strike across higher education institutions on Friday.

The developments come amid a worsening economic, social and political crisis in Tunisia, as well as escalating public anger over worsening living conditions and declining public services.

Last week, thousands of Tunisians took part in a large-scale demonstration in the capital, which has been determined to be the largest in the country against President Kais Saied in years.

Protesters accuse him of undermining democracy and failing to manage the economic crisis in the country.

Human rights activists have also highlighted his expansion of his powers in 2021 and 2022, the dissolving parliament, and dismissing dozens of judges. They have also documented authorities increasingly clamping down on civil society and journalists.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to carry out collective punishment against a Palestinian neighbourhood in the city of Hebron after an attack on an Israeli army checkpoint in the occupied West Bank killed two soldiers.

Speaking during a visit to the city with Defence Minister Israel Katz, Netanyahu said: "First of all, we will act to destroy this place, to change it completely."

"But we are going to do something that has not been done until now: We will implement the successful and aggressive model we used in the refugee camps, which are essentially terrorist strongholds," he added, according to the Times of Israel.

Netanyahu's comments refer to Israel's policy of forcibly expelling thousands of Palestinians from several northern West Bank refugee camps, including Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams, that occurred in early 2025, with around 33,000 being expelled.

Laying out the plan for the neighbourhood, Netanyahu said: "We will evacuate the residents, we will go house to house, we will remove the weapons there as well, and all the terrorist infrastructure will be dealt with and destroyed."

He added that the Israeli military would carry out a major operation in the occupied West Bank, the largest since it first occupied the area following the 1967 war when it first took control of the area.

The announcement comes in response to the killing of two Israeli soldiers and wounding three others at an Israeli army checkpoint in the occupied West Bank, with two Palestinian gunmen also killed in the incident.

Israel Katz confirmed Netanyahu's comments, saying "the Jenin refugee camp model arrives in Hebron."

The attack comes days before Israel's Knesset elections that could see the formation of a new government, with polling suggesting that both the pro-Netanyahu and opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot are both under the threshold to form a majority government, with many politicians putting out statements on the incident.

Zizette Darkazally, an Associate Fellow at Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa Programme, told The New Arab that the reactions from Israel's politicians confirm the preexisting positions that they already held.

This includes Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister who also oversees Israel's military occupation in the West Bank, who announced he had already ordered the destruction of several buildings near the site of the shooting, and approved new farms in the area of Masafer Yatta, where Palestinian residents have long fought against Israeli attempts to destroy Palestinian homes.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also weighed in, again calling for the government to dismantle the Palestinian Authority that governs parts of the West Bank, while opposition politicians Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, and Yair Golan praised the Israeli military's response.

Darkazally said that Netanyahu's announced policies were an attempt to exploit the attack to gain more votes and further his self-proclaimed image as 'Mr Security', but that it's unlikely to change the base of voters between the two blocs.

"I don't think the attack will change votes of the base in any of the two blocs," she said, adding, "most of the 'undecided' at this stage are undecided within the same camp, meaning that they are undecided between parties in the same bloc", Darkazally said.

‘Restrictions on top of restrictions’

Restrictions announced by Netanyahu have immediately come into effect, according to Amir Daoud, Director of Publishing and Documentation at the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission, who told The New Arab that the city has been cordoned off, with preparations for wider closures occurring across the West Bank.

Hebron is the largest city in the occupied West Bank, with 250,000 Palestinians calling it home.

Daoud noted that these restrictions come on top of the plethora of restrictions, checkpoints, and barriers that are already in place across the area that impede freedom of movement for its three million Palestinian residents.

"According to the latest figures documented by the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission, there were 942 movement obstacles across the West Bank as of September 2026," he said, adding that "these restrictions have transformed Palestinian movement between cities, villages and communities into a process controlled by Israeli military decisions."

Israel's ever-tightening policies in the occupied West Bank have occurred in conjunction with its expansion of settlements and parallel infrastructure allowing them freedom of movement across the territory.

The policy, which rights groups have labelled apartheid, comes alongside an uptick in settler terror attacks against Palestinians that have escalated dramatically since the start of Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Daoud said that the restrictions mean Palestinians will be unable to reach their jobs or get medical treatment, with farmers losing access to land and markets to sell produce. This is set to impact the olive harvest season, already disrupted by widespread settler violence.

Medical Aid for Palestinians warned on Friday that, following announced restrictions and an Israeli military escalation in the occupied West Bank, its staff are reporting increased obstacles to reaching Palestinians in need of care.

The aid group noted that settler attacks in the village of Umm Safa, north of Ramallah, illustrate the risks posed to Palestinians amid the heightened security.

Aseel Baidoun, the group's Deputy Director of Advocacy and Communications in the West Bank, warned that both settler attacks and ministerial threats of collective punishment and forcible displacement meant "the risk of atrocity crimes is acute." 

There is also a risk of these measures becoming permanent, adding to the layers of restrictions that already impact life in the occupied West Bank.

"Our concern is that measures initially introduced as temporary security responses frequently become prolonged restrictions or are incorporated into the existing system of military control," Daoud told The New Arab.

“From our perspective, the fundamental issue is the cumulative effect of these measures,” he said, adding, “what we are witnessing is not merely a temporary interruption of movement, but the continued consolidation of a system in which freedom of movement is increasingly treated as an exception rather than a basic right.”

Algeria has instructed urea producers to stop exporting the fertiliser to France in an intensification of trade curbs that have followed a diplomatic rift between Algeria and its former colonial ruler, according to diplomats and industry sources.

Ties between Paris and Algiers, which have been complicated for decades, deteriorated in 2024 when French President Emmanuel Macron backed a plan for autonomy for the Western Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty.

The two countries sought to repair relations last year, even at one point declaring that the relationship was back to normal, but the ties have since soured again.

Information about a halt to urea exports emerged early last week and could put at risk Algerian supplies that account for around 30% of French urea imports, French fertiliser industry association Afcome and wheat growers group AGPB said.

Three diplomats also said they were aware of an instruction by Algeria to suspend urea shipments to France. They were among six French and European diplomats who also said that Algiers had in late July imposed a near-blanket ban on French imports.

The diplomats requested anonymity to discuss the issue.

Any disruption to Algerian urea supplies could create fresh concerns for French farmers, who rely on nitrogen-based fertilisers to maintain crop yields and who have already faced higher costs.

Beyond the agricultural impact, the dispute could become politically sensitive for President Emmanuel Macron's government, which is under pressure to shield households and producers from rising costs while managing a sharp deterioration in relations with Algeria, a topic that often polarises the French political landscape.

France experienced some of the worst unrest in years last weekend and a potential confrontation with farmers over fertiliser supplies could only add to that pressure.

Like with previous trade restrictions, including a halt to Algerian imports of French wheat since 2024, the sources said there had been no formal announcement by the Algerian government regarding either urea exports or imports of French goods.

The Algerian embassy in Paris did not immediately respond to emailed questions from Reuters. Algeria's trade and foreign ministries were also not immediately available for comment on Friday, a non-working day in the country.

France's foreign ministry said it had not received notification of such trade restrictions.

Trade matters were a competence of the European Union, it said, adding: "We will, of course, remain particularly vigilant on this issue."

This live blog has now ended. Make sure to follow us for the latest news on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Here were the key updates:

• At least six people have been killed and 28 injured in a shooting at a funeral in Jordan's Karak.
• In France, at least one person has been killed in a attack labelled "racist, probably Islamophobic" by mayor of La Verriere, Nicolas Dainville.
• US President Donald Trump suggested possible further military action against Iran, claiming that the US has knocked the "hell out" of it.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said  Israel would lock down Hebron in the occupied West Bank, go house to house and demolish homes after the Israeli military said Palestinian attackers killed two soldiers at a military checkpoint near the city. 

Lewis Hamilton on Thursday called for a "Free Palestine" in comments made during a conference discussing Formula One’s return to Africa this week.

The 41-year-old British driver pushed for the race to return to Africa, despite the proposal garnering backlashing, stating it would create huge economic opportunities for the continent.

During the conference, he noted there were some reservations over Rwanda hosting the continent’s first Grand Prix in over three decades, but said he wanted to stay in racing in the next decade so he would be able to fulfil his dream of racing in an African Grand Prix.

When quizzed about if he had any other comments or thoughts, he said: "I guess I'll finish it off with, you know. I think we need to make sure we're pushing to free Congo, free Sudan, free Syria, free Palestine. I think there's a lot of peace that I'm hoping that some stage we get to".

The development comes after Formula One last week announced a 10-year agreement with Rwanda, with the race set to commence after the circuit has been built in the early 2030s.

He acknowledged that there were problems in Africa as well as all over the world, but defended the decision saying, “I think we really have to approach it with humility”.

“Growing up in England, they never taught us anything about Africa. It needs to be on the curriculum,” he said.

"A lot of the problems they have there are still the results of colonialism and the West intervening, but if you see the people, you see so many designs that are out there today. Top brands come from Africa, and it’s got all the richest resources,” he continued.

He also stated that the culture across Africa is rich and having Formula One there would allow the continent to shine.

Conversations surrounding Rwanda hosting Formula One started in May 2024 when officials met leaders of the International Automobile Federation during the Monaco Grand Prix. Months later, Formula One President and CEO Stefano Domenicali confirmed that Rwanda submitted a proposal and discussions would be underway.

The decision has garnered opposition, with Congolese Foreign Affairs Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner arguing that the event could improve President Paul Kagame’s international image while conflict rages on.

This is not the first time Hamilton has called for a free Palestine. He has previously called for a ceasefire in Gaza amid Israel’s onslaught which has killed over 74,000 people. He has also used his social media platforms to shed light on the destruction in Gaza as a result of fierce Israeli bombardment.

The activities of the "National Guard" militia in Syria's southern province Suweida, led by Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, are increasingly coinciding with violations committed by Israeli forces occupying southern Syria and moves by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to win over Palestinian Druze voters ahead of the upcoming elections.

Militia members recently threatened to attack Umm Walad, a town in eastern rural Daraa near the administrative boundary between Daraa and Quneitra governorates, according to video recordings. The threats came as the militia carried out a drone attack early on Wednesday targeting a government-affiliated internal security checkpoint near Tal Hadid, west of Suweida.

Wael Alwan, a researcher at the Jusoor Centre, said military operations by the National Guard and affiliated armed groups in Suweida were expected.

Speaking to The New Arab, Alwan said the activities would serve Netanyahu's aim to secure votes from Druze communities in the occupied Palestinian territories. They also provided him with an opportunity to demonstrate his alleged commitment to protecting Syria's Druze, as he claims to be doing within Israel, while supporting and arming them.

Alwan said these actions by militias in the governorate, as well as calls for Israeli intervention, were primarily political and media-driven and were part of their continuing attempts to create unrest and block efforts to resolve the situation in Suweida.

Israeli arms openly supplied in Suweida

Israeli arms supplies to militias opposed to the Syrian government are no longer being concealed, according to Charles Lister, director of the Syria programme at the Middle East Institute.

On 19 October, Lister wrote on X that National Guard members had obtained US-made M16 and AR-15 rifles, suggesting Israel had supplied them. 

Rashid Hourani, a researcher specialising in security and military affairs, told The New Arab that the National Guard's escalation was linked to efforts on the ground to return the Suweida issue to square one.

These efforts had intensified followed the militia's takeover of Waqm willage in western rural Suweida on 8 October, he said—with the group seeking to expand its areas of control in the province while the Syrian government worked to restore stability and facilitate residents’ return.

Hourani also linked the developments to continuing Israeli military operations on the "Sufa 53" road project, which aims to extend a route through western rural Daraa to the Jordanian border.

He said these activities were an attempt to undermine efforts by Jordan, the US, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to reach a solution to the Suweida crisis, particularly the implementation of the Syrian-Jordanian-US roadmap.

Hourani said the National Guard had recently received weapons and ammunition from Israel, transported by military helicopters. Israeli reconnaissance aircraft had also increased their aerial coverage of the militia, particularly over areas controlled by the Syrian government.

Israeli reconnaissance flights had also covered Daraa governorate and the skies over Damascus and its countryside, he added.

Hourani said Israel's movements and support for the National Guard were part of its efforts to impose a new reality on the ground that will strengthen its hand in negotiations with the Syrian government.

Damascus, meanwhile, was relying on diplomacy and US pressure to curb Israeli violations and intervention in Syria.

He said Israel's main current objective was establishing a security buffer zone along the Syrian side of the occupied Golan Heights.

US concern over renewed escalation

The Suweida crisis returned to the forefront after al-Hijri declared on 25 August that the Unitarian Druze, were "an inseparable part of the State of Israel".

The remarks prompted objections from Druze figures and religious authorities in Syria, Lebanon and the occupied territories, and saw an increased crackdown within Suweida against voices opposing al-Hijri.

Tom Barrack, the US special envoy to Syria, expressed Washington's concern over renewed escalation in Suweida in September, when armed militias also intensified their military activities, calling on all sides to exercise restraint.

Barrack called for Suweida's reintegration in accordance with the roadmap agreed by the US, Jordan and Syria approximately a year earlier.

He urged dialogue, understanding and cooperation between the Druze, tribal communities and neighbouring countries, warning that the alternative to dialogue was not victory but another round of mourning.

He said he had signed a tripartite peace roadmap for the governorate a year earlier with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, the aim of which was to reintegrate Suweida into Syria in a dignified manner, while guaranteeing full citizenship rights and ensuring that all obligations were met.

Journalist Samer al-Miqdad told The New Arab that the danger posed by the National Guard's military movements extended beyond changes in territorial control or the spread of fighting into rural Daraa. The greater risk was a return to widespread chaos across southern Syria and the reignition of the crisis.

"People in eastern rural Daraa fear the consequences of this militia's military operations," he said. "We had reached an acceptable level of calm and de-escalation, but the militia is trying to undermine it."

He added that the group continued to marginalise opponents in Suweida who called for a resolution, even if that meant using force and repression. Any further escalation would directly harm residents, he warned, and an extension of the fighting into Daraa would be disastrous, given the militia members' threats.

The roadmap for resolving the Suweida crisis was signed on 17 September 2025, following meetings in Amman in July and August that year between the Syrian government, Jordan and the US.

It affirmed that any solution must preserve Syria's territorial unity and that Suweida's affairs could not be addressed outside the Syrian national framework. The roadmap called for the withdrawal of security forces, the establishment of local administration with security and administrative arrangements, the delivery of humanitarian aid, the release of abductees and the return of displaced residents.

It also called for an end to foreign interference alongside regional security understandings, and an investigation into the deadly events in Suweida in July 2025, when clashes erupted between Druze gunmen on one side and government forces and Bedouin fighters on the other.

Gunmen killed at least six people and wounded 28 at a church in southern Jordan on Friday, authorities said, a rare attack on Christians in the majority Sunni Muslim kingdom. 

Assailants stormed the compound of a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud in Karak governorate before opening fire, the public security directorate said in a statement.

After initially reporting seven deaths, the public security directorate later revised the toll to six killed and 28 wounded.

The gunmen got out of a vehicle and opened fire during a funeral procession, authorities said, adding that a manhunt is underway for the perpetrators.

Footage aired by state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka showed the moment of the attack.

In the video, two gunmen are seen dressed in casual clothes and brandishing pistols, with a third carrying a long gun, before they open fire on the church from an entrance on the street and charge forwards.

Minister of Government Communications Mohammed Al-Momani said security forces were investigating the attack.

An eyewitness told Al-Mamlaka the gunmen fired continuously for five minutes before fleeing the scene.

Between 150 and 200 people were in and around the church at the time, the witness said, adding that most of the victims were aged between 50 and 70.

Karak is home to a significant Christian community in the Muslim-majority kingdom, where Christians make up approximately between two and three percent of the population.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the Arab world's only Christian head of state, called the shooting at the church a "heinous terrorist attack."

He said that it "reaffirms once again that terrorism has no religion and no homeland, and its aim is to strike at coexistence and spread strife," according to a presidency statement.

Attacks on houses of worship in Jordan are rare.

In 2016 an attack in Karak targeted a security centre and police patrols, leaving ten people dead.

The victims included seven security personnel and a female tourist, before four militants who had barricaded themselves inside Karak's historic castle were killed.

The activities of the "National Guard" militia in Syria's southern province Suweida, led by Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, are increasingly coinciding with violations committed by Israeli forces occupying southern Syria and moves by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to win over Palestinian Druze voters ahead of the upcoming elections.

Militia members recently threatened to attack Umm Walad, a town in eastern rural Daraa near the administrative boundary between Daraa and Quneitra governorates, according to video recordings. The threats came as the militia carried out a drone attack early on Wednesday targeting a government-affiliated internal security checkpoint near Tal Hadid, west of Suweida.

Wael Alwan, a researcher at the Jusoor Centre, said military operations by the National Guard and affiliated armed groups in Suweida were expected.

Speaking to The New Arab, Alwan said the activities would serve Netanyahu's aim to secure votes from Druze communities in the occupied Palestinian territories. They also provided him with an opportunity to demonstrate his alleged commitment to protecting Syria's Druze, as he claims to be doing within Israel, while supporting and arming them.

Alwan said these actions by militias in the governorate, as well as calls for Israeli intervention, were primarily political and media-driven and were part of their continuing attempts to create unrest and block efforts to resolve the situation in Suweida.

Israeli arms openly supplied in Suweida

Israeli arms supplies to militias opposed to the Syrian government are no longer being concealed, according to Charles Lister, director of the Syria programme at the Middle East Institute.

On 19 October, Lister wrote on X that National Guard members had obtained US-made M16 and AR-15 rifles, suggesting Israel had supplied them. 

Rashid Hourani, a researcher specialising in security and military affairs, told The New Arab that the National Guard's escalation was linked to efforts on the ground to return the Suweida issue to square one.

These efforts had intensified followed the militia's takeover of Waqm willage in western rural Suweida on 8 October, he said—with the group seeking to expand its areas of control in the province while the Syrian government worked to restore stability and facilitate residents’ return.

Hourani also linked the developments to continuing Israeli military operations on the "Sufa 53" road project, which aims to extend a route through western rural Daraa to the Jordanian border.

He said these activities were an attempt to undermine efforts by Jordan, the US, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to reach a solution to the Suweida crisis, particularly the implementation of the Syrian-Jordanian-US roadmap.

Hourani said the National Guard had recently received weapons and ammunition from Israel, transported by military helicopters. Israeli reconnaissance aircraft had also increased their aerial coverage of the militia, particularly over areas controlled by the Syrian government.

Israeli reconnaissance flights had also covered Daraa governorate and the skies over Damascus and its countryside, he added.

Hourani said Israel's movements and support for the National Guard were part of its efforts to impose a new reality on the ground that will strengthen its hand in negotiations with the Syrian government.

Damascus, meanwhile, was relying on diplomacy and US pressure to curb Israeli violations and intervention in Syria.

He said Israel's main current objective was establishing a security buffer zone along the Syrian side of the occupied Golan Heights.

US concern over renewed escalation

The Suweida crisis returned to the forefront after al-Hijri declared on 25 August that the Unitarian Druze, were "an inseparable part of the State of Israel".

The remarks prompted objections from Druze figures and religious authorities in Syria, Lebanon and the occupied territories, and saw an increased crackdown within Suweida against voices opposing al-Hijri.

Tom Barrack, the US special envoy to Syria, expressed Washington's concern over renewed escalation in Suweida in September, when armed militias also intensified their military activities, calling on all sides to exercise restraint.

Barrack called for Suweida's reintegration in accordance with the roadmap agreed by the US, Jordan and Syria approximately a year earlier.

He urged dialogue, understanding and cooperation between the Druze, tribal communities and neighbouring countries, warning that the alternative to dialogue was not victory but another round of mourning.

He said he had signed a tripartite peace roadmap for the governorate a year earlier with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, the aim of which was to reintegrate Suweida into Syria in a dignified manner, while guaranteeing full citizenship rights and ensuring that all obligations were met.

Journalist Samer al-Miqdad told The New Arab that the danger posed by the National Guard's military movements extended beyond changes in territorial control or the spread of fighting into rural Daraa. The greater risk was a return to widespread chaos across southern Syria and the reignition of the crisis.

"People in eastern rural Daraa fear the consequences of this militia's military operations," he said. "We had reached an acceptable level of calm and de-escalation, but the militia is trying to undermine it."

He added that the group continued to marginalise opponents in Suweida who called for a resolution, even if that meant using force and repression. Any further escalation would directly harm residents, he warned, and an extension of the fighting into Daraa would be disastrous, given the militia members' threats.

The roadmap for resolving the Suweida crisis was signed on 17 September 2025, following meetings in Amman in July and August that year between the Syrian government, Jordan and the US.

It affirmed that any solution must preserve Syria's territorial unity and that Suweida's affairs could not be addressed outside the Syrian national framework. The roadmap called for the withdrawal of security forces, the establishment of local administration with security and administrative arrangements, the delivery of humanitarian aid, the release of abductees and the return of displaced residents.

It also called for an end to foreign interference alongside regional security understandings, and an investigation into the deadly events in Suweida in July 2025, when clashes erupted between Druze gunmen on one side and government forces and Bedouin fighters on the other.

At least seven people were killed in a shooting inside a church in Karak governorate in southern Jordan, a security source told state TV on Friday.

The source told the official Al-Mamlaka broadcaster that "at least seven people died in the shooting at Hammoud Church in Karak, while about 10 others were wounded, some of them critically" when two unidentified gunmen opened fire inside the church, according to authorities.

Authorities were pursuing the suspects, the television said, citing the Public Security Directorate.

The attack took place during a funeral, the state news agency said.

The gunmen fired continuously for five minutes before fleeing the scene, Al-Mamlaka TV added, citing a witness.

Amer Ghalib, the first Arab-American and Muslim elected official to endorse Donald Trump in the 2024 election, announced on Wednesday that he has been appointed to a new role as advisor to the president on Arab-American affairs.

The former mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan, said in his announcement that he was grateful to Trump for the opportunity, and that while he could not promise to solve every challenge Arab-Americans face, he would try his best to be a voice for the community in the White House.

Ghalib, who was born in Yemen, immigrated to the US in 1997 and was the first in his family to graduate from high school, made headlines in 2024 when he met with Trump and described their conversation, where they discussed various topics, from Arab American concerns to the situation in Yemen and poll updates.

The New Arab takes a closer look at who Ghalib is and some of the things he has been outspoken on.

Former mayor of Hamtramck, Kuwait ambassador

Ghalib, a physician-turned politician, was elected mayor of Hamtramck, Michigan in 2021and then was nominated in March 2025 by Trump to be the US ambassador to Kuwait.

During his time in Kuwait, he faced scathing criticism from senators such as Ted Cruz and Jeanne Shaheen for ‘liking’ social media posts that were reportedly interpreted to be antisemitic in nature—actions he distanced himself from and said were not reflective of his views.

His actions as a private citizen were also criticised by staunch pro-Israel groups, including the Israel Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and some right-wing news outlets. 

In January, Ghalib started work as senior advisor for strategic partnerships at AmeriCorps, following a consultation with Trump where they discussed him exploring different career paths.

At the time, Ghalib said he chose AmeriCorps after debating several options because he believed it closely aligned with his background in public service.

“I chose this position so I can serve as a bridge between the federal government, local communities and the White House,” Ghalib told reporters at the time.

Relationship with Trump

Ghalib has long had what appears to be a good relationship with Trump, and has met him several times over the years.

Earlier this year, he said: “My relationship with the president is strong, and I have direct communication with him and his administration”.

When Ghalib endorsed Trump, many commentators suggested that the reason could have been their shared positions when it came to culture war debates, gender identity, and gay rights. The city has been known for its social conservatism, especially after it banned the pride flag on public property in 2023.

During the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections, Ghalib accompanied Trump on some of his presidential campaign rallies.

Stance on Israel

Ghalib has been outspoken about Israel’s war on Gaza, determined to be a genocide by leading rights groups and scholars.

He has also expressed his rejection of the 2020 Abraham Accords, which saw several Arab states normalise relations with Israel, and has targeted former president Joe Biden’s support for Israel.

Hamtramck also became the first American city to adopt a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) policy against Israel. Despite criticism from pro-Israel groups, Ghalib defended the move, highlighting that the resolution had been drafted by Jewish Voice for Peace and was approved unanimously by the city council.

“It wasn’t my idea. We don’t have any companies that deal with Israel in our city,” he said at the time.

When quizzed on whether he believes Israel is a homeland for the Jewish people, he said: "I believe it can be a home for the Jewish and the Arabs and the Muslims and the Christians as well." 

However, he has also faced backlash over contradictions, with many questioning the various stances he has held.

In July, Ghalib doubled down on his support for Trump, despite him calling for Palestinians to be blocked from returning from Gaza if it is taken over and redeveloped.

“Yes, I disagree with the president on the idea of evacuating indigenous people of Gaza from their homeland,” Ghalib wrote in a Facebook post. “But I still support him for many other reasons, and I don’t regret supporting him in the election.”

Some have also called him out for supporting Trump during a time when he was pushing Islamophobic policies and introducing the travel ban on several Muslim-majority countries, including Ghalib’s birthplace of Yemen.

Egyptian authorities have suspended cargo truck crossings into Sudan, triggering severe shortages and price hikes that ordinary Sudanese are struggling to absorb.

The decision followed the killing of two Egyptian truck drivers and the injury of a third on 12 October, when a 23-year-old Sudanese gunman opened fire on them in a popular market south of Khartoum.

The incident occurred only a day after scores of artisanal miners, including Sudanese nationals, were killed by Egyptian airstrikes in the border area between Egypt and Sudan.

According to the Egyptian army, the strikes were staged inside Egypt. However, unofficial Sudanese claims to the contrary have caused anger in different parts of Sudan.

Sudanese demonstrators took to the streets, particularly in Nyala—the capital of South Darfur State and a stronghold of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces which battles the Sudanese Armed Forces for control over Sudan.

Activists also called for a boycott of Egyptian goods, planning to blockade the desert road linking Khartoum to border crossings to halt incoming freight.

Cairo framed the suspension as a protective measure to shield Egyptian drivers from targeted violence.

Regardless of Cairo's rationale, the move has dealt an immediate blow to Sudanese consumers, threatening to trigger widespread inflation at an already precarious moment.

A recent viral video captured a Sudanese shopkeeper gesturing to his fully stocked shelves. Most of the goods, he noted, were either imported directly from Egypt or relied on Egyptian raw materials.

"Do you know what the decision to suspend the entry of cargo trucks from Egypt into Sudan means?" the trader asks. "It means that the prices of all these products will shoot up in the coming days."

Lifeline severed

Egypt serves as a vital gateway for Sudan's access to global markets, particularly as international sanctions continue to cripple Sudanese businesses.

Sudan's civil war, which has been grinding on since April 2023, has also put the brakes on a sizeable portion of the country's industrial and agricultural production, making it more dependent on imports for the needs of its people.

In 2025, bilateral trade reached $1.19 billion, with Egyptian exports accounting for $933.3 million.

In the first half of this year, bilateral trade reached $759 million, up from $570 million in the corresponding period of the previous year, according to the Egyptian government. Egyptian exports amounted to $595 million, almost 40% up from the export figure recorded in the first half of 2025, the government says.

Trade between the two countries partly owes its activity to their ability to develop a barter-style system that helps them avoid stringent international sanctions on Sudanese businesses and foreign currency shortages on both sides, specialists said.

However, cutting off Egyptian goods leaves the war-ravaged nation deeply vulnerable, forcing consumers to endure sudden supply bottlenecks alongside skyrocketing prices, Sudanese specialists said.

"This suspension is having far-reaching economic and human consequences," Sudanese political analyst Osman al-Merghani said.

Speaking to The New Arab, he added that the market has been paralyzed in almost all Sudanese states due to the dramatic rise that happened in commodity prices.

"Some commodities, including sugar and rice, have also completely disappeared, which is causing a lot of suffering to ordinary consumers," al-Merghani said.

 

Online hostility vs. diplomatic containment

The current disruption to bilateral trade comes at a time when a social media war is raging on between the Egyptians and the Sudanese against the background of the 11 October strikes.

Sudanese nationals commenting on the incident slam Egypt for killing what they describe as "innocent" artisanal miners and allegedly infringing on Sudanese territories, throwing light on growing anti-Egypt sentiments in some parts of the southern neighbouring country.

Egyptian social media users counter by defending their national army, and accusing the Sudanese of mining for gold inside Egypt, hence stealing the country's mineral resources.

The surge in anti-Egyptian rhetoric has heightened anxiety among the estimated 1,000 Egyptian nationals still remaining in Sudan.

Before the war erupted in April 2023, between 10,000 and 15,000 Egyptians lived in Sudan, mostly those married to Sudanese, working in Sudan or investing in the country.

An Egyptian national has recently posted a video where he implored Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to help him and others return safely to Egypt.

"The Sudanese are lying in wait for us on the road between Khartoum and the Egyptian border," the man said in the video which appeared on social media on October 14.

Most Egyptian nationals present in Sudan are reportedly concentrated in coastal areas under the control of the Sudanese Armed Force, especially Port Sudan where the Egyptian Consulate operates and business activities remain comparatively stable.

The governments of the two countries keep working, meanwhile, to contain fallout from the 11 October strikes.

On 16 October, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Sudanese Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim rejected attempts to harm their countries' bilateral relations, noting that those relations are based on shared respect and good neighbourliness.

Meeting the Sudanese minister on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Washington DC, the Egyptian foreign minister reaffirmed Cairo's unwavering support for Sudan's unity and territorial integrity.

This meeting came four days after the foreign ministers of the two countries underscored the importance of respecting each other's country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and borders.

Analysts in Cairo view these diplomatic containment efforts as proof of the high strategic value both nations place on bilateral ties.

They call for managing those relations wisely, especially in the presence of persistent attempts by some parties to sabotage them.

"It is clear that some parties work to widen the gap between the two countries and cause a rupture in their relations," Egyptian political analyst Islam Mansi said.

"These parties do their best to incite the Sudanese people against Egypt, a country bound by historical ties and a shared destiny with Sudan," he told TNA.

The war-torn coastal enclave may go hungry again as Israeli restrictions on the entry of commercial goods deepen shortages, drive up food prices and threaten to shut down remaining operational bakeries.

Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, head of the Bakery Owners Association in Gaza, warned on Thursday that the seven remaining operational bakeries could close within 48 hours as flour stocks run low.

Speaking to The New Arab, he said several other bakeries that had operated in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and received fuel support had already closed in Gaza City, central Gaza and the south.

Although the Kerem Shalom crossing reopened after several days of closure, no flour shipments had entered Gaza by Thursday, al-Ajrami said. Efforts to secure essential supplies had also yielded no response by late Wednesday.

Commercial shipments have been blocked since mid-October amid disruptions linked to an Israeli festival. Trucks expected to enter Gaza on Thursday were reportedly prevented from doing so by Israeli settlers, further worsening shortages in local markets.

In a press statement, Gaza's Ministry of Social Development warned that the closure of bakeries and restrictions on flour and other essential food supplies could have catastrophic humanitarian consequences.

The ministry said the shortages threatened to worsen malnutrition, particularly among children, sick people and older residents.

It called on the international community to pressure Israel to open the crossings and allow humanitarian aid and commercial goods to enter.

Soaring prices

The disruption to commercial supplies has already driven up prices and made basic goods increasingly difficult for residents to afford.

Radi Kamal, a resident of al-Zawaida refugee camp in central Gaza, told TNA that a 250-gram packet of coffee now costs $10, up from $6. A kilogram of tomatoes costs around $6, potatoes $4 and frozen red meat about US$20. Eggs and fruit have also become scarce.

"Almost everything has become more expensive, and we can no longer buy as much as we used to," Kamal said. "Even when goods are available in the market, many families cannot afford them. We have to choose what we need most and go without other things because we do not have enough money."

He said families feared the situation would deteriorate further if commercial trucks continued to be blocked.

"If supplies do not arrive, prices could rise further, and some goods may disappear from the markets," he said. "Families are already struggling to buy food. If bread also becomes unavailable, feeding our children will become even harder."

Um Mohammed, a 42-year-old mother of five from Gaza City, told TNA that rising prices had forced her to cut back on household purchases to ensure her children had enough to eat. "When I go to the market, I buy only what we need most, but even these things have become expensive," she said. "I put my children's needs first and give up other things so I can provide food for them."

In Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, Abu Ahmed, 51, who supports a family of six, said many households could no longer afford the goods available in local markets.

"We have to buy less and put other needs aside because prices keep rising," he told TNA. "If the bakeries close, things will become much worse because bread is a basic food that we depend on every day."

While Israeli restrictions on the entry of goods remain a major obstacle to supplies reaching Gaza, a apparent dispute over commercial imports and alleged financial demands on merchants has added another layer to the crisis.

Before Israel's genocidal war, around 1,500 merchants and importers operated in Gaza. Commercial-sector sources say Israel has since restricted the coordination of commercial shipments to just eight merchants, leaving supplies vulnerable to disruptions when disagreements arise.

Merchants have accused Hamas of imposing fees of up to 10,000 shekels (around US$3,300) per truck. Disagreements have also emerged over the proportion of sales that merchants must collect in cash rather than through bank transfers.

Hamas and Gaza's Government Media Office have denied imposing mandatory fees on goods. The Ministry of Economy has said the proposed contribution is voluntary and intended to support a national fund providing social assistance, including help for orphans, widows and displaced families.

Riyad al-Sawafiri, head of the Economic Committee at the Gaza Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told TNA that the chamber opposed imposing additional fees or taxes on merchants.

Some traders said they were required to pay 30 per cent of their sales in cash, while Nahed Shuhiber, head of the Private Transport Association in Gaza, put the figure at 25 per cent.

Shuhiber told TNA that the dispute was linked to measures taken against one of the eight merchants authorised to coordinate commercial shipments into Gaza following disagreements over sales procedures.

The situation is further complicated by a cash shortage. Merchants struggle to obtain money for transactions, while residents face difficulties withdrawing their savings.

Despite these internal disputes, the entry of commercial trucks remains subject to Israeli approval and border procedures, leaving the flow of essential goods vulnerable to restrictions and interruptions.

Food insecurity

Political analyst Mustafa Ibrahim told TNA that the suspension of commercial shipments could not be understood solely as a dispute over import procedures or financial contributions.

"Restrictions on the entry of goods have direct and severe consequences for the lives of Gaza's population," he said. "Disruptions to supplies worsen the food crisis, drive up prices and make it harder for people to secure their basic needs."

He added that low-income families and displaced people were bearing the heaviest burden, particularly as bakeries warned of closure and flour stocks dwindled.

"Even if disagreements exist between merchants and local authorities, resolving them should not come at the expense of the population or leave people without access to food," Ibrahim said.

He also questioned the gap between images of trucks at the crossings and the shortages in Gaza's markets, arguing that the presence of vehicles at the border did not guarantee that goods would reach consumers.

With commercial supplies blocked by Israel, food prices soaring and bakeries warning they may soon run out of flour, Gaza's residents face mounting difficulties in securing basic necessities.

Israel’s military said its soldiers shot and killed two Palestinians at a checkpoint near the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning, during a shootout.

At least six Israeli soldiers were wounded in the exchange of fire, including at least two critically.

Two Palestinian men in their 20s had gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, one was unconscious and seriously injured, the responders said, while the Israeli troops sealed off the area.

Subsequently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his Likud party to cancel all political events on Friday morning after the alleged attack in the occupied West Bank, the party said, days before national elections.

Likud said in a statement that "Netanyahu gave the instruction to cancel all political events planned by Likud this morning following the grave attack at the [occupied West Bank]".

Moreover, Israel's far-right national security minister called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority in light of the incident.

"We have to act before it's too late. The Palestinian Authority must be dismantled and demilitarised, and its terror infrastructure wiped out completely," Itamar Ben-Gvir said in a statement.

There was no immediate indication of any Palestinian Authority involvement in the incident.

This live blog has now ended. Make sure to follow us for the latest news on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Here were the key updates: 

• US President Donald Trump suggested possible further military action against Iran, claiming that the US has knocked the "hell out" of it
   
• European and Middle Eastern foreign ministers gather in Turkey's Istanbul for security talks on the Strait of Hormuz and various conflicts in the region
   
• Yemen's Taiz faces severe food and water shortages, with the UN warning that aid delivery has halted for about 800,000 residents. Meanwhile, fighting rages between the Iran-backed Houthis and the internationally recognised Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces
   
• Israeli attacks continue on Gaza, occupied West Bank, south Lebanon, and southern Syria despite any claims of a ceasefire

Libya's central bank on Thursday said unidentified individuals raided its headquarters in Tripoli, hours after parliament said it had accepted a request from its governor to resign.

The incident comes more than two months after bank governor Naji Issa first announced his resignation, which the parliament rejected at the time.

Beset by instability since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is divided between a UN-recognised government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.

Earlier this month, a new speaker took the helm of parliament, which sits in the eastern city of Benghazi under Haftar control.

The legislature said on Thursday it had belatedly accepted Issa's resignation "in principle" and appointed central bank board member Fauzi Abokhzam to be interim governor pending a final decision.

The central bank said the raid on its headquarters took place while Issa was away, adding that it held responsible for the incident "all parties that participated in this act".

It singled out "the defence ministry, which is tasked with protecting the bank's headquarters", without providing further details on its involvement.

The government in Tripoli did not issue a comment on the reported raid.

Issa's 2024 appointment by parliament as central bank chief had followed a political standoff that saw a halt in oil production amid a deep financial crisis.

It remains unclear why he had presented his resignation in August of this year.