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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
❗️The United States plans to name Thomas Barrack, President Donald Trump’s longtime advisor and the current US ambassador to Turkiye, as special envoy for Syria.
(Reuters)
❗️Three UK ministers have been summoned by Parliament’s export oversight committee to explain potential loopholes in the arms export rules to Israel.
Committee chair Liam Byrne is demanding urgent clarification from the trade, foreign, and defense ministers amid concerns that companies may be exploiting a partial arms ban to continue supplying weapons for use in Gaza.
This follows new data showing the UK approved £127.6 ($171.2) million in arms exports to Israel in late 2024, more than the total approved between 2020 and 2023.
(The Guardian)
⭕️ Twenty Palestinians detained in latest West Bank raids
Israeli forces have rounded up 20 people in raids throughout the occupied West Bank since last night, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society. Among those detained are three women and numerous former prisoners, it said.
Since October 7, Israeli forces have made about 17,000 arrests in the West Bank, according to the group’s tally, holding many without formal charge.
⭕️ "Every child, every baby in Gaza is an enemy. The enemy is not Hamas."
Spoken by former Israeli Knesset member Moshe Feiglin in a live interview aired on Channel 14 on 20 May 2025.
His call to "conquer Gaza and not leave a single Gazan child" is part of a broader pattern of Israeli political rhetoric that embraces the logic of total erasure.
It echoes the Old Testament concept of 'ḥerem' — the divinely sanctioned annihilation of entire populations — now repurposed to justify mass violence and ethnic cleansing in Palestine.
❗️The mayor of Yater in south Lebanon announces the death of a citizen, Ali Hassan Sweidan, as a result of an Israeli attack on his bulldozer while he was removing the rubble from his home.
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❗️Gaza Ministry of Health:
– “82 martyrs and 262 injuries were admitted to Gaza Strip hospitals in the past 24 hours.”
– “The death toll and injuries since March 18, 2025 has reached 3,509 martyrs, 9,909 injuries.”
EU to review cooperation deal with Israel over ‘catastrophic’ situation in Gaza
The UK, France, and Canada said this week that Israel will face ‘concrete actions’ if it does not halt its new Gaza operation, amid mounting international pressure on Tel Aviv
❗️Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas lands at Beirut airport today for official meetings with Lebanese officials, reportedly focused on the disarmament of Palestinian resistance fighters based in Lebanon’s refugee camps.
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❗️Israel blocks Gaza aid for third day amid deepening starvation policy
Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that Israeli authorities have prevented the entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip for the third consecutive day. The office condemned the blockade as part of Israel’s ongoing policy of deliberate starvation, targeting over 2.4 million Palestinians already enduring catastrophic humanitarian conditions.
❗️Scabies outbreak, starvation tactics, and assaults reported in Israel’s Gilboa Prison
The Palestinian Prisoners' Media Office reports a scabies outbreak among Palestinian detainees in Gilboa Prison, particularly in sections 1 and 2, amid total medical neglect. Detainees are reportedly receiving just one combined meal per day, insufficient and served in filthy plastic containers, forcing them to eat it all at once out of hunger. The office also documented the violent assault of four prisoners, who suffered head injuries and bleeding during forced transfers, alongside repeated cell raids involving tear gas and batons.
EU sanctions red. media in latest attack on anti-genocide voices
European nations have escalated their crackdown on criticism of Israel, raiding journalists' homes and arresting several under 'terrorism' accusations
Iranian parliament ratifies strategic partnership pact with Russia
The 20-year agreement aims to deepen bilateral ties, particularly in defense cooperation as well as trade, energy, and financ
⭕️ Iran, Belarus discuss expanding military cooperation in Tehran
Iran’s army chief Mohammad Hossein Bagheri received the deputy chief of staff of the Belarusian armed forces in Tehran, where both sides discussed strengthening bilateral interactions and cooperation across various fields. According to an official Iranian statement, the talks covered military education, experience-sharing, and the development of broader defense and military ties.
⭕️ Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan agreed in a trilateral meeting in Beijing to formally extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, strengthening regional connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative.
The foreign ministers emphasized deeper cooperation in trade, infrastructure, and security, reaffirming their commitment to counterterrorism and regional stability.
The next trilateral meeting will be held in Kabul. The talks took place during Deputy PM Ishaq Dar’s visit to China, which also addressed the recent Pakistan-India tensions and reaffirmed the strong China-Pakistan partnership.
❗️Gaza Health Ministry:
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza warns that Israeli forces are deliberately targeting electric generators to disable hospitals and worsen the already catastrophic health crisis. In a statement, the ministry said three generators and fuel tanks were bombed at the Indonesian Hospital, rendering it out of service and deepening the collapse of care in northern Gaza. All hospitals across the Strip are suffering from severe shortages of fuel and spare parts, threatening their ability to provide emergency care. The ministry renewed its urgent appeal for international pressure to allow fuel and generator access into Gaza.
US-sponsored ceasefire falls apart in north Syria as clashes reignite between SDF, govt forces
There are key disagreements between the SDF and Damascus over a recent deal to integrate the Kurdish group into the Syrian army
❗️Pope Leo XIV says the situation in Gaza has become "increasingly worrying and painful," and calls on Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into the Strip.
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⭕️ Doctors forced to prioritise amid Israeli attacks, blockade
Speaking from Nasser Hospital, Palestinian physician Ahmed al-Farra says medical staff at the health facility are consistently forced to choose which patient’s life to prioritise amid the ongoing Israeli attacks and lack of resources.
“My doctor in the paediatric ICU asked me what to do in this situation. I told her, please try to prioritise those with the best chance of survival,” he noted. “If someone can survive, we try to help them. For others, we simply can’t do anything.”
❗️Joint Lebanese-PA statement – Key points:
– Lebanon and Palestine reaffirmed their strong bilateral ties and called for a just "peace" based on international resolutions. They condemned Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza and urged the international community to act swiftly to protect Palestinian civilians.
– Both sides stressed their rejection of resettlement or displacement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, reaffirming the right of return under UN Resolution 194. They called for continued support to UNRWA and agreed to form a joint committee to improve camp conditions while respecting Lebanese sovereignty.
– The two presidents emphasized that weapons must be exclusively in the hands of the Lebanese state and declared that the era of arms outside state authority must end. They pledged to coordinate on camp security, prevent extremism, and ensure Palestinian factions do not use Lebanon for military activity:
"The Palestinian side affirmed its commitment not to use Lebanese territory as a launchpad for any military operations, and to respect Lebanon’s stated policy of non-intervention in other countries’ affairs and its position of avoiding regional conflicts.
Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in countering terrorism and extremism, and to ensure that Palestinian camps do not become safe havens for extremist groups."
❗️An Israeli warplane targeted an unarmed Palestinian civilian while walking from Shujaiya, eastern Gaza City, this morning.
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❗️Israeli forces opened fire toward a European Union diplomatic delegation at the eastern entrance of Jenin refugee camp, which has been under a strict Israeli siege since 19 January, according to a QNN correspondent. No injuries were reported, but the incident marks a serious escalation against international presence in the occupied West Bank.
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❗️Al-Awda Hospital in Tal al-Zaatar, northern Gaza Strip, reported that Israeli artillery directly targeted the third floor of its Building B.
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❗️Al-Arabi TV reporter Abdul Qader Abdul Halim says Israel is routing aid through areas prone to looting, exacerbating chaos in Gaza
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"Despite Israel's portrayal of its necessity to allow aid into Gaza to 'prevent starvation,' the Israeli army continues to route the very limited aid through paths susceptible to looting by gangs affiliated with the occupation. These groups played a significant role in seizing much of the aid before the crossings were closed, under the army's protection—a fact previously acknowledged in a Haaretz investigation, which was already known within Gaza.
Even when Israel permits aid entry, it is not genuinely concerned with ensuring it reaches Palestinians in need. Instead, it aims to exacerbate chaos and hunger as tools of political pressure. If it could maintain a complete closure without embarrassment, it would do so unhesitatingly. However, this stance has become increasingly difficult to justify to its allied nations, as evidenced by Smotrich's remarks following the announcement of aid entry."
⭕️ Iraq declares US energy deals with Kurdistan “null and void,” deepening dispute over resource control
Iraq’s Oil Ministry has declared recent multi-billion dollar energy agreements between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and US firms HKN Energy and WesternZagros legally invalid. The $110 billion deals, announced by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Washington and aimed at developing the Miran and Topkhana-Kurdamir gas fields, were signed without Baghdad’s consent. The ministry emphasized that Iraq’s natural resources belong to all its citizens and must be managed through federal channels. The move follows a 2022 Iraqi court ruling that deemed the Kurdish oil and gas law unconstitutional, and comes as efforts to restart halted oil exports through Turkiye remain stalled.
⭕️ Spain’s parliament passed a non-binding resolution on Tuesday calling for a full arms embargo on Israel, citing its actions in Gaza as genocide. The motion, approved by a slim majority of 176 to 171, urges the government to halt all military-related exports—including protective gear and dual-use items like fuel.
“Spain cannot cooperate with a state that commits genocide or war crimes,” the motion states. The vote follows Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s call to bar Israel from international events such as Eurovision over its ongoing assault on Gaza.
EU lifts Syria sanctions as Washington claims 'full-scale civil war' looms
Over 90 percent of Syria's population fell below the poverty line and 12 million people confronted food insecurity as a result of extensive sanctions imposed by the west
⭕️ Jersey City raises Palestinian flag for first time since 2022 in show of solidarity
Jersey City held its third annual Palestine flag raising ceremony on 16 May, marking the city’s first such event since December 2022. The ceremony, held a day after Nakba Day, honored the Palestinian community and reignited calls for justice. In an op-ed, activist Cameron Orr linked the event to broader US complicity in Israeli occupation, highlighting Washington’s continued military aid to Israel and refusal to recognize Palestinian statehood despite decades of displacement, apartheid, and violence.
❗️ 3 Palestinian families wiped from Gaza civil registry overnight in Israeli strike on Khan Yunis
An Israeli airstrike at dawn targeted the home of the Abu Salah family in Abasan al-Kabira, Khan Yunis, erasing three branches of the family from the civil registry. Most of the victims were women and children. Bodies were recovered and transported to Nasser Medical Complex in civilian vehicles. Al-Hadath reports that at least 25 homes were bombed across the area overnight.
⭕️ Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris says a majority of EU member states support reviewing the EU–Israel Association Agreement due to Israel’s human rights violations in Gaza.
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⭕️ Iran Foreign Minister: Future of West Asia must be shaped by its own people, not foreign powers
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote in an op-ed that the future of West Asia must be shaped by its own people, not foreign powers. He called for a regional order based on mutual respect, dialogue, and shared responsibility—rejecting externally imposed security models that ignore local realities and deepen conflict.
He reaffirmed Iran’s longstanding support for regional initiatives like HOPE, WAVE, and the recent GCC 2024 security vision, while warning that Israel remains a structural obstacle to collective security. Araqchi accused Israel of nuclear ambiguity, systematic violations of international law, and fostering regional instability from Gaza to Lebanon and Syria. He stressed that true stability cannot include a regime built on impunity, and that the future of West Asia must be written by its own peoples through frameworks reflecting their history, culture, and collective will.