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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
❗️The US-Israeli “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” announced that its aid distribution hubs will remain closed Wednesday morning after being overrun the day before by desperate, starving civilians. Many had walked over 15 kilometers to reach the site, only to be met with barbed wire enclosures resembling cages.
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⭕️ Pope Leo XIV appealed on Wednesday for a ceasefire in Gaza, and called for complete respect of international humanitarian law.
"In the Gaza Strip, the intense cries are reaching Heaven more and more from mothers and fathers who hold tightly to the bodies of their dead children," he said during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.
❗️Gaza Ministry of Health:
– “28 martyrs (including 5 recovered martyr) and 179 injuries arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals over the past 24 hours.”
– “The death toll and injuries since March 18, 2025 has reached 3,924 martyrs and 11,267 injuries.”
❗️British surgeon Waseem Saeed voiced alarm over the severe lack of both medical resources and adequate nutrition in Gaza, stressing that recovery is impossible without proper food. “Nutrition is the most vital medical supply,” he said, explaining that surgical efforts become futile when patients are too malnourished to heal. “People have been surviving on extremely poor diets for over a year and a half now — there’s little nutritional value in what they’re eating.”
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⭕️ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that Syria’s new Foreign Minister, Assad al-Shaibani, has a standing invitation to visit Russia. Lavrov noted the invitation follows a meeting in April in Antalya and reflects ongoing dialogue with Syria’s new leadership.
Lavrov added that Russian President Vladimir Putin previously spoke with Syrian President Ahmad Sharaa and sent a message outlining future bilateral cooperation. A Russian delegation also visited Damascus in January for talks with Sharaa.
(TASS)
❗️Heavy clashes erupted near Aleppo International Airport on Tuesday between Damascus-affiliated General Security forces and unidentified armed groups, coinciding with a visit by self-appointed Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to the Aleppo Citadel.
The groups involved reportedly belong to factions that refused to dissolve or join the Syrian Defense Ministry, despite a 17 May ultimatum that expired on 27 May without any formal response. The incident follows growing security tensions in Aleppo, including earlier confrontations in Al-Jazmati neighborhood involving former members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
(ANHA)
⭕️ Hamas condemns US-Israeli aid scheme as “trap” to control Gaza, calls for urgent international intervention
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"The scenes of thousands of our people surging into the center designated for implementing the occupation’s aid distribution mechanism—accompanied by live gunfire on civilians who had gathered there under the pressure of hunger and siege—leave no doubt about the utter failure of this suspicious mechanism, which has become a trap endangering civilian lives and a tool for enforcing security control over the Gaza Strip under the guise of 'aid.'
This plan was specifically designed to sideline the United Nations and its agencies and aims to advance the political and military objectives of the occupation, focusing on control rather than assistance. This constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
What is referred to as 'safe distribution sites,' set up in so-called buffer zones, are nothing but coercive models of rigged 'humanitarian corridors,' deliberately humiliating the afflicted and turning aid into a tool of blackmail—part of a systematic scheme of starvation and subjugation. All of this continues alongside the total ban on aid entry through official crossings, in clear violation of international legitimacy.
We call on the international community, the United Nations, and the Arab and Islamic nations to act urgently to stop this dangerous scheme, and to pressure the occupation to open the crossings and allow the entry of aid through the United Nations and its internationally recognized humanitarian agencies."
❗️Israeli Defense Minister: ‘whoever harms us will be harmed sevenfold’
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has confirmed that the air force hit the Yemeni airport in the capital, Sanaa.
“This is a clear message and a direct continuation of the policy we have established: whoever fires at the State of Israel will pay heavy prices,” Katz said, adding that the retaliation was part of a military operation dubbed “Golden Jewel”.
⭕️ Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Esalmi stated that Tehran may reconsider its acceptance of US-driven inspections through the IAEA if a new agreement is reached, urging the agency to act professionally and reduce Zionist influence. Speaking on ongoing nuclear transparency, Islami emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program is strictly peaceful, fully supervised by the IAEA, and vital to producing radiopharmaceuticals—highlighting uranium enrichment as a red line tied to national sovereignty.
He criticized the disproportionate scrutiny Iran faces, noting that while its nuclear capacity constitutes less than 3% of global capability, it accounts for 25% of IAEA inspections. “No other country has endured such pressure,” he said, adding that Iran has received no formal proposal regarding joint enrichment.
❗️Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, is willing to recognize and open diplomatic relations with Israel if an independent Palestinian state is recognised by Tel Aviv, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has said.
Standing alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Prabowo said Israel’s security needed to be guaranteed, and that France would also continue to support steps towards independence for a Palestinian state.
⭕️ In a historic Baghdad neighborhood, members of Iraq’s Jewish community have begun restoring the tomb of 7th-century Rabbi Isaac Gaon, once left in ruins and buried under garbage. The $150,000 project, backed by the Jewish community with permission from Iraqi authorities, marks a rare effort to reclaim the country’s lost Jewish heritage. Khalida Eliyahu, head of the community, says the shrine is part of Iraq’s cultural fabric, not just Jewish memory.
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❗️At least eight people have been killed in an Israeli attack on the home of Gaza journalist Osama al-Arbid in northern Gaza, with at least 15 deaths across the Strip since dawn.
(Al Jazeera)
BREAKING | Israeli warplanes bomb Sanaa International Airport in Yemen.
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“Yes, we are committing war crimes.” These are the words of Israel’s former prime minister, not its critics.
After months of denying the reality of what Israel is doing in Gaza, Ehud Olmert calls it what it is: a war of annihilation.
US delivers 90,000 tons of weapons to Israel in 600 days of genocide
Washington remains the leading provider of the bombs used to ethnically cleanse Gaza, followed by Germany and Italy
❗️A well-informed Palestinian source tells Al-Araby al-Jadeed that preparations are underway to facilitate a visit by a delegation of foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries to Ramallah in June.
The delegation, expected to include representatives from six Arab and Islamic states, is anticipated to meet in Ramallah as a step to announce their political support for the Palestinian Authority (PA).
❗️The Israeli army has said it “confiscated” more than 7 million shekels ($2 million) during raids on money exchange shops in the West Bank yesterday, which killed at least one Palestinian and wounded more than 30.
It added that 30 individuals had been arrested during the military operation.
❗️Footage shows the aftermath of the recent Israeli attack on Sanaa International Airport in Yemen’s capital, which reportedly destroyed the last functioning aircraft at the facility.
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⭕️ While the Trump administration seeks to negotiate a nuclear agreement with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues threatening to derail the talks by launching an attack on Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment sites.
(NYT)
❗️Two separate clashes broke out on Wednesday between residents of the southern Lebanese towns of Yater and Froun and UNIFIL soldiers, after peacekeepers attempted to enter the towns without a Lebanese Army escort.
The situation escalated to the point where UNIFIL personnel brandished their weapons, prompting the Lebanese Army to intervene, request reinforcements, and eventually restore calm.
Local media reported rising public resentment toward UNIFIL, fueled by a BBC report showing peacekeepers escorting a journalist to a former Hezbollah site.
These incidents follow similar tensions in May, including confrontations in Jmaijmeh and Shebaa, where residents objected to UNIFIL patrols operating without Lebanese army coordination.
Separately, UNIFIL has accused the Israeli army of firing near its positions along the Blue Line and issued protests over these violations, calling on all parties to respect the safety of UN personnel and property.
Israeli warplanes launch new strikes on Yemen’s main airport
A Yemenia Airways plane was hit by the Israeli strikes on Sanaa Airport, which was disabled by Tel Aviv’s bombardment earlier this month
❗️Syrian senior security official publicly denies direct talks with Israel
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In a statement, senior security official and governor of the southern Syrian province of Quneitra, Ahmad al-Dalati dismissed claims of engagement with the Israeli side, describing them as "baseless and lack even the slightest degree of accuracy and credibility," and said that the Syrian state's stance on the matter is "firm, clear, and not open to interpretation."
He further stated that the Syrian leadership remains committed to taking all necessary steps to "protect the Syrian people and defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity," underscoring "Syria's absolute commitment to its national principles and national constants."
⭕️ Students at Senegal’s largest university expelled Israeli ambassador Yuval Waks from campus on Tuesday amid loud protests denouncing Israel’s war on Gaza. Waks had been invited to speak at a conference on international relations at Sheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, but his appearance was swiftly met with resistance.
Dozens of students rallied outside the venue, chanting “Free Palestine,” “Free Gaza,” and “Israel is a war criminal,” forcing the ambassador to leave the premises.
⭕️ Israel secretly approves 22 new illegal settlements in occupied West Bank
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Israel’s Security Cabinet has secretly approved the construction of 22 new illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank, according to a report by Yedioth Ahronoth. The move includes the re-establishment of settlements dismantled under the 2005 disengagement plan, and was proposed by War Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The Cabinet also approved resuming land registration in Area C, which makes up 61% of the West Bank and is under full Israeli control.
The move comes despite a July 2024 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declaring Israel’s presence in the occupied territories unlawful. Since October 2023, nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in West Bank attacks by Israeli forces and settlers.
⭕️ French President Emmanuel Macron reiterates support for 'Two-State Solution'
"Only a political solution will make it possible to restore peace and build for the long term," Macron said.
"Together with Saudi Arabia, we will soon be organizing a conference on Gaza in New York to give fresh impetus to the recognition of a Palestinian state and the recognition of the State of Israel and its right to live in peace and security in this region," he added.
Macron made his remarks while in Indonesia.
❗️Israel bombs Yemen’s Sanaa airport
The Israeli Air Force has hit Ansarallah targets at Sanaa International Airport in Yemen, the army has said in a post on X. Yemeni media is also reporting strikes on the capital’s airport.
‼️Israel’s Channel 12 reports that over 10 warplanes participated in the bombing of Sanaa International Airport.
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UAE’s sub-imperial project: Erecting a covert empire across the Red Sea
From Sudan to Socotra, the UAE fuses soft power with militarized control to dominate trade routes, fuel proxy wars, and entrench Israeli–Emirati security interests across the Horn of Africa and Yemen.
By Mawadda Iskandar
Malaysia hosts first ever ASEAN-GCC-China summit under shadow of US tariffs
Beijing and members of the Southeast Asian bloc suggested including Persian Gulf nations in a regional trade pact and called to uphold 'open regionalism and true multilateralism'
⭕️ The US-Israeli "Gaza Humanitarian Fund" announced that approximately 8,000 aid boxes, equivalent to around 462,000 meals, were distributed.
It claimed, as did Israeli media, that delays in distribution were due to checkpoints allegedly set up by Hamas.
In response, Palestinian analyst Azzam Abu al-Adas wrote:
“The level of foolishness and pettiness that the Hebrew media has reached is unbelievable. The Hebrew media claims that ‘checkpoints’ erected by Hamas have prevented people from reaching the distribution centers. Israel has bombed everything—even teachers, doctors, and nurses—yet somehow allows Hamas members to set up checkpoints and search people?”
The entire experience has been widely described as dehumanizing, with harrowing images of Palestinians herded into isolated ghetto-style "buffer zones" to receive limited aid. Meanwhile, thousands of aid trucks are held up at the border.