Hamas leadership operating behind veil of secrecy

Lebanon's authorities have banned Disney's live-action adaptation of "Snow White" due to Israeli actress Gal Gadot's casting, as she is on the country's boycott list. The ban was enacted by Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar following recommendations from the media censorship committee, citing Gadot's military service in Israel and her support for Israel during recent conflicts. Lebanon has previously prohibited screenings of other films featuring Gadot, highlighting ongoing tensions due to the country's laws against cultural...

As the humanitarian crisis intensifies in the Gaza Strip due to an Israeli siege, Israeli leaders assert that adequate food exists, while UN agencies report severe shortages of essentials amid escalating attacks. Israeli officials openly state their strategy of using starvation as leverage against Hamas, refusing to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, while a ceasefire proposal demands disarmament of Palestinian factions without Israeli commitments to withdraw or cease hostilities. The Palestinian resistance, led by Hamas,...

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that the country's uranium enrichment is "non-negotiable" after US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff called for its cessation. The remarks precede their upcoming meeting in Oman, following talks aimed at reviving the nuclear deal abandoned by the Trump administration in 2018. While both sides view the discussions as constructive, Araghchi emphasized the need for consistent US positions to avoid complications, and noted Iran's commitment to engaging with allies like Russia...

In southern Gaza, a mobile bakery, the last operational one in the region, is being towed by a tractor due to Israeli evacuation orders amid intensified military operations. The bakery, run by World Central Kitchen (WCK), produces only 25,000 loaves daily—one-third of its capacity—due to flour shortages caused by the Israeli blockade. With 2 million Gazans reliant on food aid, the humanitarian crisis has worsened since the World Food Programme had to close its bakeries,...

Israel announced it will continue blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, which is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis amid ongoing military offensives that have turned the territory into a "mass grave," according to medical charity Doctors Without Borders. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that this blockade is a pressure tactic against Hamas, while the UN warned that the situation is the worst it has been in 18 months, with essential supplies critically low. As hostilities resumed...

Hamas gunmen abducted Keith Siegel and over 250 others during their October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, subjecting them to dire conditions and brutal treatment in captivity. After 484 days, Siegel was released on February 1, 2025, as part of a cease-fire, but he witnessed horrific events, including the torture of a female hostage he was forced to assist. Since his return, Siegel has been vocal about the plight of remaining hostages, sharing his traumatic...