Gaza mediator Qatar bows out, source says, in sign of impasse

In Ankara, Turkey's Central Bank lowered interest rates by 250 basis points to 47.5%, aiming to ease monetary tightening policies and combat inflation. This decision follows a period of aggressive rate hikes since June 2023, with annual inflation beginning to decline. The rate cut coincided with a 30% increase in the country's minimum wage, falling short of demands by workers unions and remaining just above the hunger threshold. Full Article

Syria's new authorities have detained Mohammed Kanjo Hassan, a military justice official responsible for issuing death sentences at Saydnaya prison under Assad's regime. Following Assad's ousting, deadly clashes erupted in Tartus as gunmen tried to protect him. With the challenge of restoring security and seeking justice for victims of abuse, Syria's new leaders from HTS face the monumental task of safeguarding the country from further collapse and addressing sectarian tensions. Full Article

A Palestinian TV channel linked to a militant group reported that five of its journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on their vehicle in Gaza, with Israel's military stating it targeted a "terrorist cell". The journalists, affiliated with Islamic Jihad, were identified as Faisal Abu Al-Qumsan, Ayman Al-Jadi, Ibrahim Al-Sheikh Khalil, Fadi Hassouna, and Mohammed Al-Lada'a. The incident sparked condemnation from press freedom organizations, with the Committee to Protect Journalists expressing devastation over the...

The quiet resumption of operations at a desalination plant in the Gaza Strip last month marked a small but significant step toward restoring public services in the war-torn territory, involving Israeli and Palestinian stakeholders. Reconnected to Israel's electricity grid, the plant now produces 16,000 cubic metres of water per day, serving over 600,000 residents, yet still faces challenges due to immense needs and damaged infrastructure. The reopening of the plant represents a tentative roadmap for...

Hamas and Israel exchanged accusations over delays in finalizing a ceasefire and hostage release deal, with both reporting progress in recent Gaza truce talks mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged for a deal to be reached as fighting continued in Gaza, where at least 20 people were killed in Israeli strikes. Efforts to reach an agreement have been hindered by new conditions and obstacles from both sides, with...

A key Syrian rescue group and activist discovered a likely mass grave outside Damascus for detainees under former president Bashar al-Assad and fighters from the civil war, with bags of bones and a human skull found at the site. The area near the Baghdad Bridge contained numerous graves covered with cement slabs, some of which had been opened revealing bones with names and numbers. The White Helmets rescue group and Association of Detainees and Missing...