43030
The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
BREAKING | Ongoing 'security incident' in Gaza's Shujaiya neighborhood has resulted in Israeli military casualties.
Читать полностью…
From aid sites turned death traps to looting gangs operating under Israeli drone cover, this is not humanitarian relief. It’s a weaponized system of control for Gaza.
Watch on Youtube
Canada conducts 'war crimes probe' into Israel's ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza
As Canada stays silent on Israel’s Gaza assault, its police quietly probe war crimes amid outrage over a US-Israeli aid scheme accused of staging civilian massacres
⭕️ The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has terminated its contract with the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and withdrawn its team from Tel Aviv, reports the Washington Post, raising doubts about the initiative’s survival.
BCG was instrumental in establishing the foundation, which has been accused of enabling Israeli military control over aid and turning distribution sites into deadly traps.
According to the report, the GHF will not be able to continue its work due to this development.
❗️Al-Mayadeen correspondent:
An Israeli airstrike targeted the Al-Katiba neighborhood north of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
❗️Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani meets with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha, Qatar.
Читать полностью…
❗️Press Statement by the Ministry of Health in Gaza:
– “Operating rooms, intensive care units, and emergency departments are facing catastrophic conditions as the number of critical injuries continues to rise."
– “A severe shortage of life-saving medications, medical supplies, and diagnostic imaging equipment is preventing urgent surgical interventions for the wounded."
– “Medical teams are working under complex conditions and extended hours in efforts to treat the injured and save lives."
– “Community calls for blood donations have become ineffective due to worsening malnutrition among the population."
– “Electric generators are running on limited fuel reserves to supply vital hospital departments with electricity."
– “The Ministry of Health renews its urgent appeal to relevant authorities to save the healthcare system, as the remaining hospitals struggle against catastrophic conditions that threaten their collapse."
US army continues drawdown of Syria occupation bases
Washington’s ambassador to Turkiye said in an interview that the US will reduce its presence from eight bases to just one
⭕️ Israeli forces have killed at least 102 Palestinians and wounded nearly 500 at US-Israeli-run aid sites operated by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since its launch on 27 May, according to the Gaza Government Media Office.
UN officials and rights groups have increasingly described these areas as “death traps,” with scenes resembling starving civilians being herded “like animals in pens.”
The aid distribution points, set up without independent oversight, have been criticized for turning humanitarian assistance into a mechanism for mass killing.
❗️Most Germans support suspending arms exports to Israel amid Gaza war: Poll
A new survey shows that 58 percent of Germans support a temporary suspension of arms exports to Israel due to its ongoing war on Gaza.
The poll, conducted by INSA for the Avaaz campaign group between 28 and 30 May, surveyed 1,001 respondents. Only 22 percent opposed the measure, while 19 percent were undecided or did not respond.
BREAKING | Five Palestinians were killed and several others wounded after an Israeli airstrike hit a tent housing displaced civilians in the Remal neighborhood, west of Gaza City, according to medical sources at Al-Shifa Hospital cited by Al Jazeera.
At least 40 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip have been killed in the past 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.
❗️Footage shows the extent of the destruction in the Tal al-Zaatar neighborhood, east of Jabalia camp, north of Gaza.
Читать полностью…
⭕️ The UN human rights office stated today that deliberately blocking civilians in Gaza from accessing food and humanitarian aid could amount to a war crime, condemning the targeting of people seeking aid as unacceptable.
"For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the 'Gaza Humanitarian Foundation'," said Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
❗️Israeli settlement minister and Cabinet member Orit Strook:
"Iran's continued uranium enrichment poses a danger to the free world and to Israel and Trump must offer it an agreement that prevents it from enriching uranium."
❗️Lebanese President Joseph Aoun after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:
– “Lebanon is looking to strengthen state-to-state relations with Iran."
– “Internal dialogue is the key to resolving disputed issues, as is dialogue between countries, away from violence."
– “Rebuilding what was destroyed by the Israeli war on Lebanon is among the priorities we are working on with the government, in cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries, in accordance with applicable laws."
US pressures London, Paris against recognizing Palestinian state: Report
Washington’s intervention highlights growing Western rifts over Gaza and the push for Palestinian statehood
A new Asian triad: ASEAN, China, and the Persian Gulf align
As western trade wars squeeze the Global South, the first ASEAN–GCC–China summit signals a new economic realignment built on shared development goals and strategic autonomy.
By Suleyman Karan
Iranian FM backs Lebanese efforts to ‘expel Israeli occupiers’ during Beirut visit
Araghchi met with several top officials including Lebanon’s president and foreign minister, offering Tehran’s support for reconstruction in the country
❗️Madrid halts Israeli missile contract, seeks Raytheon & Lockheed Martin as alternative
The Spanish Defense Ministry has suspended an Israeli missile production license, effectively terminating a €285 million ($310 million) deal for the delivery of 168 Spike LR2 anti-tank systems intended for the Spanish Army and Marine Corps, in response to Israel's brutal war on Gaza.
The office of Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles also canceled the contract, originally granted in October 2023 to Pap Tecnos, the Spanish branch of Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
The original agreement included 168 launchers, 1,680 Spike LR2 missiles, and complete logistical support. Spain is now considering the US-made FGM-148F Javelin system, developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, as a possible replacement.
(EFE)
⭕️ “Masafer Yatta is taking its last breaths.”
—
A cry of desperation and urgent call for action from Sheikh Ragheb Dababseh on behalf of the residents of Khallet al-Dabaa in Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank, where Israel is escalating its campaign of ethnic cleansing and forcible transfer.
On 1 June, Israeli forces declared the village a closed military zone, expelled residents, journalists, and international supporters, and demanded a list of all local inhabitants. The move follows weeks of violence, including large-scale demolitions in early May, after which settlers began systematically seizing residential caves, vandalizing property, and grazing livestock across Palestinian farmland, all under military protection.
Since the escalated demolitions, residents have been forced to live in tents and caves, while Jewish Israeli settlers roam freely with dogs, rifles, and sheep, harassing families and even assaulting a pregnant woman, who remains hospitalized.
Israeli police and occupation forces have done nothing to remove the settlers. Instead, they detained the Palestinian victims, claiming the land is state-owned and dismissing the caves as “abandoned.”
This latest escalation comes amid a wider Israeli strategy in Masafer Yatta, where photographing homes, population surveys, and banning foreign observers aim to silence documentation and clear the way for Jewish settlement expansion.
Legal appeals to remove the settlers have been rejected by Israeli courts, while new outposts and permanent infrastructure are being established. The village is located in Firing Zone 918, and in 2022, Israel’s High Court approved the eviction of its residents—a ruling now being violently enforced on the ground.
Israel officially designated Masafer Yatta as a closed military training zone in the 1980s. Israel claims Palestinian residents are ‘squatters’ who settled there illegally after the area was designated for military use.
Human rights groups and local residents warn that what is happening in Khallet al-Dabaa is part of a deliberate, state-backed campaign to Judaize the South Hebron Hills, mirroring similar expulsions elsewhere in the West Bank.
Israel has been trying to drive Palestinians out of Masafer Yatta for at least 40 years.
⭕️ Cybercrime in Germany reached an all-time high last year
The crimes were largely fueled by hacker activity linked to pro-Russian and anti-Israeli groups, the German Federal Crime Office (BKA) reported today.
“Cybercrime is an increasing threat to our security,” said German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. “It is getting more aggressive, but our counter-strategies are also becoming more professional.”
The BKA report states that Germany recorded 131,391 cybercrime incidents within its borders last year, along with another 201,877 cases originating from abroad or from unidentified locations.
❗️Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa is set to participate in the UN General Assembly in New York this September, according to Sky News Arabia.
Читать полностью…
❗️Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after meeting with Lebanese Speaker Parliament Nabih Berri:
– “Relations between Lebanon and the Islamic Republic of Iran have always been very strong, both at the government and popular levels."
– “The Islamic Republic of Iran fully supports Lebanon’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity."
– “We look forward to establishing relations based on mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs."
– “We condemn the occupation of parts of Lebanese territory and support Lebanon’s efforts to expel the occupier."
– “Lebanon can count on Iran in its efforts to liberate its land and in reconstruction."
– “Iranian companies are ready to take part in reconstruction efforts if the Lebanese government is willing."
– “We support dialogue and national unity, and we back any decision reached by the Lebanese sects."
❗️Bulgarian hotel manager tells Israeli couple: ‘I wish you would burn in hell’
An Israeli couple staying at a small hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria, alleged that they received a “hate-filled message” from the hotel manager after complaining about poor service, including being denied toilet paper.
After returning to Israel, the couple received a WhatsApp message from the hotel owner reading: “Damn you, I wish you would burn in hell. You don’t need toilet paper, you are the most disgusting animals on the planet.” They reported the incident to the Bulgarian embassy and local police, but no action has been taken.
❗️Gaza Ministry of Health:
– “40 martyrs, including 1 martyr who was recovered and 208 injuries arrived at Gaza Strip hospitals during the past 24 hours."
– “The death toll and injuries since 18 March 2025 has reached 4,240 martyrs and 12,860 injuries."
WATCH | The moment Israeli tanks opened direct fire on civilians seeking aid west of Rafah.
Читать полностью…
⭕ Iran launches trade policy council to boost investment in Iraq
Iran formally launched a Trade Policy Council for Iraq on 2 June, aiming to cut the trade imbalance by half and deepen private sector engagement. This follows Iran’s growing interest in expanding its footprint across 14 Iraqi provinces.
Officials said the council will streamline joint ventures, transport, and customs operations while addressing investor concerns around ownership, banking, and guarantees. Iraq's ambassador to Iran highlighted $70bn in potential projects, with energy, housing, and industry topping the list.
(Tehran Times)
❗️WATCH | Two children rescued from rubble after Israeli strike on Gaza City
A five-year-old boy, his infant brother, and their mother were pulled out alive after spending hours trapped beneath the rubble of their home, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City late Monday. Rescue workers managed to extract the family despite widespread devastation in the area.
Trump says ‘no enrichment allowed’ in any nuclear deal with Iran
Reports from this week say Iran is planning to reject a new US proposal for a nuclear agreement
⭕️ Turkiye’s inflation drops to 35.4%, lowest since late 2021
Turkey’s annual inflation fell to 35.4 percent in May, its lowest level since November 2021, according to official data released Tuesday, continuing a year-long trend of easing price pressures and raising prospects for a central bank rate cut.
The Turkish central bank had hiked interest rates to 46 percent in April amid political tensions and currency volatility. But with inflation declining for the 12th consecutive month, some analysts now expect monetary easing to resume as early as June.
The ENAG group of independent economists disputes the official figure, estimating May’s inflation at a much higher 71.2 percent.