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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
❗️The Media Committee in Jenin Camp, occupied West Bank:
○ “The Israeli occupation’s aggression continues on Jenin and its camp for the 51st consecutive day, with widespread destruction and arrests."
○ “The Israeli occupation forces continue their escalating aggression on Jenin and its camp for the 51st consecutive day, amidst destruction and bulldozing operations in Qabatia, incursions in Arraba, and widespread arrests throughout Jenin."
○ “Early this morning, the occupation forces destroyed the infrastructure in Qabatia town, south of Jenin, affecting the town’s streets up to the Jerusalem roundabout, the café street, and the main water supply line to the town, in addition to bulldozing several vendors’ stalls."
○ “The occupation sent military reinforcements to Qabatia town, raided the homes of several citizens, and searched them, amidst clashes."
○ “The town of Arraba, southwest of Jenin, witnessed a large-scale incursion by the occupation forces, during which they carried out mass arrests and field interrogations. The arrests also affected dozens of young men across all areas of Jenin."
○ “Simultaneously with the Israeli aggression, the Palestinian Authority's security forces besieged a house in the town of Sila al-Dahr in Jenin, pursued a group of resistance fighters, and arrested two of them."
○ “On the 12th day of the blessed month of Ramadan, about 20,000 displaced people from Jenin Camp are sheltering in temporary centers or outside their homes in difficult humanitarian conditions."
○ “Since the beginning of the ongoing aggression on Jenin and its camp 51 days ago, 36 citizens have been martyred, two of whom were killed by the Palestinian Authority’s security forces."
❗️Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on X:
"The anti-Israel circus known as the UN 'Human Rights Council' has long been revealed as an antisemitic, rotten and irrelevant organization that supports terrorism. For good reason Israel decided to quit it approximately one month ago.
Instead of focusing on the crimes against humanity and the war crimes that were perpetrated by the Hamas terrorist organization in the worst massacre carried out against the Jewish People since the Holocaust.
The UN has again chosen to attack the State of Israel with false accusations, including baseless accusations of sexual violence.
This is not a human rights council; it is a blood rights council."
❗️Hamas:
○ “The UN investigation committee's report confirms the atrocity of the crime that the occupying government continues to commit."
○ “The report also highlights the international community's disregard and denial of the crimes against our people, which requires a serious international stance."
❗️Al Manar correspondent Ali Shoeib in south Lebanon:
○ “Israeli occupation soldiers fired bursts of machine gunfire from Al-Asi position opposite to Mays al-Jabal towards the outskirts of the town near the border."
○ “Enemy forces fired bursts of machine gunfire from their position on the Hamames Hill towards the orchards of Al-Wazzani, adjacent to the Lebanese Army checkpoint."
❗️The Chargé d'Affaires of the Qatari embassy in Syria, Khalifa Abdullah al-Mahmoud al-Sharif:
"A proposal to provide approved natural gas supplies to Syria via Jordanian territory for a specific period, with the goal of contributing to generating electrical power starting from 400 megawatts and gradually increasing, presented by the Qatar Fund for Development."
❗️Israeli occupation forces arrest a young Palestinian man during a raid on Al-Fawwar camp, south of Hebron, occupied West Bank.
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⭕️ Turkish sources inform The Cradle that the accounts of prominent journalists and influencers speaking up about the targeted massacres of Alawites and other minorities on Syria's coast—perpetrated by Turkish-backed, HTS-led Syrian government forces—are being censored in Turkiye. Several accounts have been "withheld" based on local laws, following legal demands.
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❗️Israeli War Minister Israel Katz claims responsibility for the bombing of Damascus and threatens self-appointed Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa that Israel will attack "terrorist targets" everywhere.
"Islamic terrorism will not have immunity in Damascus nor anywhere else."
❗️Gaza Ministry of Health:
○ “9 martyrs (7 recovered martyrs, 2 new martyrs) and 14 injuries arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals during the past 24 hours."
○ “A number of victims are still under the rubble and on the streets, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them."
○ “The death toll from the Israeli aggression has risen to 48,524 martyrs and 111,955 wounded since 7 October 2023."
Gaza facing ‘humanitarian disaster’ due to Israeli blockade, power cuts
Ninety percent of Gaza’s population has no access to clean drinking water due to Israel cutting off the flow of electricity to the strip
❗️During US President Donald Trump's meeting with Irish PM Micheál Martin, Trump said that US Senator Chuck Schumer "used to be Jewish" and calls him Palestinian as if it is a derogatory term.
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Lebanon, Israel move forward with 'indirect talks' to resolve border dispute: Report
Reports in Israeli media claimed the new US-sponsored negotiations aim to pave the way for normalization between Beirut and Tel Aviv
❗️According to two sources who spoke to Reuters, Qatar will start supplying Syria with gas via Jordan following US approval.
The Qatar-Turkiye natural gas pipeline project, previously opposed by former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since 2009, aims to transport Qatari gas to Turkiye and then Europe.
⚠️Warning: Distressing footage
Video shows the bodies of Alawites dumped in the orchards of the village of Bsmaqa in Tartous countryside, filmed 12 March 2025, according to the Syrian Coast Observatory.
According to the man filming the video and other eyewitnesses, the HTS-led General Security forces are responsible for the massacres—a security checkpoint was established at the Dreikish junction in Bsamaqa, but they did not answer calls for help. They also detained the young man Mohammad Melhem from the village of Ain Baluj. His body was later found on 12 March.
❗️Director of the information and press department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova:
○ “Russian airbase in Hmeimim has sheltered around 9,000 Syrian civilians, mostly women and children, fleeing violence in coastal areas."
○ “Russia is deeply shocked by the tragic events in Syria and strongly condemns civilian massacres, calling for accountability."
○ “The Russian military provided refuge to thousands seeking safety, recognizing the situation as a matter of life and death."
○ “Moscow acknowledges the Syrian authorities' responsibility to protect all citizens, regardless of religious affiliation, and is closely monitoring their efforts to restore security."
○ “Syria's leadership reaffirmed its commitment to national unity and launched an investigation to hold perpetrators accountable."
Qatar to 'revitalize' Syria's energy sector in US-backed initiative
The plan comes as Syria faces a severe economic crisis and will involve delivering gas into the country via Jordanian territory
⭕️ Adam Boehler, the President's envoy for hostage negotiations, has been removed by the Trump administration from handling the Gaza hostage situation. This decision follows Boehler's remarks during a CNN interview, where he referred to Hamas as "pretty nice guys," sparking criticism from Israeli officials and Republican Party members.
Boehler later clarified his stance on Twitter, emphasizing that Hamas is a "terrorist organization" responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people.
(Israel National News, Channel 7)
❗️Israeli warplanes flew over the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, creating a figure in the sky.
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❗️Spiritual leader of the Druze community in Syria, Hikmat al-Hijri:
○ “There is no agreement or harmony with the authorities in Damascus."
○ “We work for the benefit of our sect."
○ “We are at a stage of either existing or not existing."
○ “We will move in a direction that is suitable for the sect."
⭕️ Chinese company Tianjin Dredging Company (TDC) is actively dredging the quay wall, port basin, and navigation channel at Iraq's Grand Faw Port. This port serves as the starting point for Iraq's ambitious $17 billion Development Road project.
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Israel strikes Damascus, vows further attacks on ‘terror targets everywhere’
The attack on an alleged PIJ site in the Syrian capital follows a recent string of heavy Israeli airstrikes on the country’s south
⭕️ An Israeli soldier who spoke to Haaretz in August stated that Israeli senior army officials are well aware that Palestinians are used as human shields saying "It's done with the knowledge of the brigade commander, at the least." He said that soldiers were told, "Our lives are more important than their lives."
One soldier recounted an incident in which two civilians were brought to his unit. When another soldier questioned this, the commander responded, "Don't you agree that the lives of your comrades are far more important than their lives?"
According to another soldier, some of these Palestinians are used by the army for extended periods, transferred between units. They sleep in stairwells of military buildings, are guarded by soldiers, rarely receive food, and are made to carry heavy loads for the troops.
❗️Hamas spokesman Jihad Taha to Al-Araby al-Jadeed:
○ “We appreciate the efforts and endeavors of the mediators, which emphasize the necessity of the occupation's commitment to moving to the second phase of the agreement.
○ “We are committed to the agreement and its implementation and remain open to all issues that serve our people and their rights."
○ “We hope that the outcomes of the negotiations in Cairo and Doha will facilitate the implementation of the agreement and compel the occupation to adhere to the agreed terms."
○ “Hamas's principles remain the necessity of withdrawal, a ceasefire, efforts toward reconstruction, and addressing the consequences of the aggression."
UPDATE | Israeli Channel 14's Hallel Bitton Rosen reports that the Israeli army targeted a site belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Damascus, Syria.
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BREAKING | Israel bombs Damascus. Details are not yet clear.
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'No one is expelling anyone from Gaza': Trump backpedals from ethnic cleansing plan
Trump's recent remarks arrive as Tel Aviv officials have expressed outrage over Washington's direct ceasefire discussions with Hamas
❗️Safa (Palestinian Press Agency) correspondent:
"191 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards this morning."
❗️Hazem Qassem, Hamas spokesman:
○ “If US President Trump's statements indicate a retreat from any idea of displacing the people of the Gaza Strip, then they are welcome."
○ “We call for completing this position by obligating the occupation to implement all ceasefire agreements."
○ “We call on the US President not to align with the vision of the extreme Zionist right."
❗️Spokesman for Hamas, Dr. Abdul Latif al-Qanou:
○ “In the coming days, there will be a shortage of essential materials and food items in the Gaza Strip, which will increase the suffering of the population and exacerbate their crisis.”
○ “The people of the Gaza Strip are suffering from a severe blockade for the second week, with the occupation preventing the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and essential materials in a new act of starvation.”
○ “If the international community does not take responsibility for the Gaza Strip, its residents will face famine again during the holy month of Ramadan.”
○ “We call on mediators to exert more pressure on the occupation to open the crossings, allow the flow of humanitarian aid, and stop the policy of collective punishment against our people.”