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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
❗️Several parked vehicles with Palestinian license plates were torched this morning by Israeli settler militias near the Ariel settlement in the occupied West Bank.
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⭕️ HTS administration in Damascus and DP World have signed an $800 million memorandum of understanding to develop Syria’s Tartous port:
– DP World is a logistics company owned by the UAE’s Dubai World investment firm.
– The agreement includes joint efforts to develop, manage, and operate a multi-purpose terminal in Tartous, along with the creation of industrial and free trade zones.
– The signing follows President Trump’s announcement during his Gulf tour, including a stop in the UAE, that he intends to lift sanctions on Syria.
❗️The spokesperson for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza tells Al Jazeera:
– The situation in Gaza is catastrophic in every sense.
– Israeli forces are targeting ambulances across the Strip.
- Most of the wounded arriving at the hospital have suffered limb amputations.
WATCH | Footage of scenes from the Qassam Brigades' "Lions of Al-Muntar" ambushes that targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the Shujaiya neighborhood in Gaza City on 25 April.
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⭕️ Israel & Syria discuss Abraham Accords in secret UAE-brokered meeting (Israel's Channel 12):
Israel's Channel 12 reported this evening that Israel has held secret talks with Syrian officials in recent days, which included discussions about the possibility of the new Syrian government joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing relations with Israel.
This comes one day after US President Donald Trump called on the new Syrian President, Ahmad al-Sharaa, to join the accords.
The channel added that the United Arab Emirates is playing the role of mediator in these talks, alongside broader regional movements whose nature has not been specified.
According to the report, one of the meetings was recently held in Azerbaijan, where Israel was represented by the Head of Operations Directorate in the Israeli army, Major General Oded Basiuk, in the presence of representatives of the new Syrian government.
Representatives from Turkiye also participated in the meeting.
WATCH | The truth about Iran’s nuclear Program – it’s not what you think.
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Julani in a suit: How France turned a pariah into a partner
Syria's interim President Ahmad Sharaa’s rise is less a redemption arc than a calculated western project – with France seeking to outmaneuver Russia and reclaim its colonial stake in Syria.
Turkiye 'expects' US-backed Kurds to integrate into new Syrian army
US proxy militias in northeast Syria have stated they will not disarm in response to the dissolution of the PKK in Turkiye
❗️Armed Israeli settler blocks the Deir Sharaf checkpoint west of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, preventing hundreds of vehicles from passing and assaulting their owners.
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❗️Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated during today's NATO talks that Turkiye expects the YPG to be integrated into Syria's military structure.
"In order for stability to be achieved in Syria, there must be a comprehensive government, a single legitimate armed force," he said.
Israel to use facial recognition tech to 'screen' Palestinians in need of aid
The threat of total famine looms over the entirety of Gaza as a result of a months-long blockade imposed by Israel
⭕️ "Today we have an Islamist extremist who is now in charge of Syria."
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard criticized Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, while President Donald Trump called him a "young, attractive guy."
❗️Excerpt from Hamas's latest statement:
"The criminal Netanyahu has proven, with his obsessive thoughts of murder and destruction, that he poses a danger not only to our people – but also to the region and the entire world."
❗️15 Palestinians, including 11 children and a woman, killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a prayer hall in Jabalia camp, north of the Gaza Strip.
(Al Jazeera)
❗️SMEX accuses Samsung of covertly installing spyware-linked app on devices in West Asia and North Africa
Digital rights group SMEX has accused Samsung Electronics of pre-installing the “AppCloud” application—described as malware—on A and M series devices across West Asia and North Africa without user consent or the ability to remove it. The app’s privacy policy, SMEX revealed, is tied to the controversial Israeli firm IronSource, now owned by US-based Unity Technologies, raising serious concerns about surveillance and data exploitation in a heavily targeted region.
SMEX is demanding full transparency from Samsung regarding the app’s data practices, a guaranteed opt-out and uninstall option that does not void device warranties, and a review of Samsung’s regional pre-installation policy. The group has also requested a direct meeting with Samsung’s regional teams to address what it calls a breach of user privacy and digital sovereignty. The full open letter is available via SMEX’s official channels.
❗️Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital spokesperson to Al Jazeera:
– Brain, nerve, and chest surgeries have been suspended due to the collapse of the healthcare system.
– Most of the wounded arriving at the hospital have suffered amputations or severe burns.
– Medical staff are unable to provide care due to extreme shortages in supplies and medication.
– Gaza’s hospitals are overwhelmed, and 300,000 patients with chronic illnesses have no access to necessary treatment.
– The continued closure of crossings is exacerbating the crisis.
– Hospital officials are urgently calling on the international community to pressure Israel to open humanitarian corridors.
❗️Israeli Broadcasting Authority, citing former Mossad chief Ephraim Halevy:
– “Israel does not prioritize the hostages.”
– “Israel’s strategic position has suffered a severe blow.”
❗️Spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense, Mahmoud Basal, told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces are abducting civilians from shelters in northern Gaza following a night of intense bombardment and continuous assaults. Details about those taken remain unclear, as the targeted areas are largely inaccessible due to ongoing attacks.
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Trump says he wants cheap drones like Iran’s—low-cost and in large numbers.
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Trump's Persian Gulf bonanza: Planes, cash, and an extremist named Julani
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❗️BREAKING | Sirens sound in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and their surroundings.
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HRW reveals Syrian security forces continue 'extorting, mistreating' civilians
Syria’s security and military forces are made up of numerous extremist factions with a track record of war crimes and violent sectarianism
The Nakba was not a moment in history, nor was it an Israeli 'war of independence.'
It was a method of expulsion, theft, and erasure that began before 1948 and continues into 2025 across the entirety of Palestine.
US Treasury 'surprised, confused' by Trump's order to lift Syria sanctions
Washington’s sanctions have targeted Syria for around 14 years, decimating the country’s economy and the daily lives of ordinary Syrians
BREAKING | US President Donald Trump arrives in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
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UPDATE | Five Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupations forces after raiding the town of Tamoun, West Bank, today:
– Saher Jadallah Bsharat
– Reda Farhoud Bani Odeh
– Ibrahim Rafea Bani Odeh
– Wadie Iyad Bani Odeh
– Islam Azmi Bani Odeh
UPDATE | Israel has killed at least 103 Palestinians in strikes across the Gaza Strip since dawn today.
(Medical sources to Al Jazeera)
⭕️ Satellite imagery by Planet Labs PBC reveals ongoing construction in southern Gaza, where Israeli forces are building so-called “aid hubs” as part of a new distribution plan near military bases and outposts.
At least four centers are expected in the south, with one positioned beyond the Israeli-controlled Netzarim Corridor in the north, effectively bisecting Gaza and pressuring Palestinians to relocate southward.
❗️US President Donald Trump reveals that Qatar plans to invest $10 billion over the next few years into Al-Udeid Air Base, located southwest of Doha, which serves as the largest US military base in West Asia.
Speaking to US troops stationed at the base during his visit to the Gulf, Trump also announced that Qatar had finalized defense procurement agreements valued at $42 billion on Wednesday.
❗️Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Ankara today to hold talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, as Russian and Ukrainian officials were also set to begin separate peace negotiations in Istanbul.
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