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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
Spain’s high court probes steelmaker over dealings with Israeli arms company
The Spanish parliament approved a ban on trading arms with Israel earlier this month
❗️A survey by Israel's Channel 12 reports that 52% of Israelis oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's candidacy in the upcoming elections, while 41% support him.
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⭕️ Crude extends gains, set for weekly rise amid fresh US sanctions on Russia
Oil prices rose slightly on Friday, building on Thursday’s sharp gains and heading toward a weekly increase after US sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies over the war in Ukraine raised concerns about supply disruptions.
Brent crude futures climbed 50 cents, or 0.76%, to $66.49 by 16:33 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 30 cents, or 0.49%, to $62.09.
"It's the sanctions," said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group, noting that a resolution to the situation did not appear likely anytime soon.
❗️Israel's Channel 12 reports that at least 60% of Hamas's tunnels have not been destroyed.
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Cypriot court sentences Israeli developer to jail for illegally selling land
Nearly 10 percent of non-European property buyers in Cyprus are Israeli, with the island’s Jewish population rising to around 15,000
BREAKING | Israeli drone attack kills two Palestinians near Al-Qastal towers east of Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip.
Artillery shelling is also targeting the area.
Hungary scrambles to bypass US sanctions on Russian oil majors
Despite the war in Ukraine, Hungary has until now imported large amounts of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline
China scales back purchases of Russian oil following new US sanctions: Report
The move comes after the US Treasury imposed sanctions on Russia's two largest oil firms, Rosneft and Lukoil
Rubio declares Gaza task force must include states 'acceptable to Israel' as concerns grow over 2nd phase of ceasefire
Arab states are said to be conditioning their continued support for the ceasefire plan on the PA playing a role in post-war efforts
❗️Statement issued following the meeting of Palestinian factions in Cairo on 23–24 October 2025 (2/2):
"The participants agreed on the following:
1) Supporting and continuing to implement the ceasefire agreement, including the withdrawal of the occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, the complete lifting of the siege imposed on it, the opening of all crossings, including the Rafah crossing, the entry of all humanitarian and medical needs, and the start of a comprehensive reconstruction process that restores normal life to the Strip and ends the suffering of the population.
2) Handing over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a temporary Palestinian committee made up of independent “technocrats” from the Strip, which will manage daily life and essential services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions, on the basis of transparency and national accountability. An international committee will be established to oversee the funding and implementation of the reconstruction of the Strip, while affirming the unity of the Palestinian political system and the independent national decision.
3) Taking all necessary measures to maintain security and stability throughout the Strip, and emphasizing the importance of issuing a UN resolution regarding the temporary international forces to be formed to monitor the ceasefire.
4) Calling for an end to all forms of torture and violations against prisoners in the occupation’s prisons, and the need to compel the occupation to abide by relevant international laws and conventions, stressing that the prisoners’ cause will remain at the top of our priorities until they achieve their freedom.
5) Continuing joint work to unify visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause, including the call to convene an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy and to activate the Palestine Liberation Organization — the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people — to include all components and active forces of our people."
The factions stressed the urgency of the moment and pledged to make the Cairo meeting a turning point toward true national unity. They reaffirmed their commitment to defending Palestinian rights, including self-determination, statehood with Jerusalem as its capital, and the right of return. They also thanked Egypt and the mediators for their support of the Palestinian cause.
❗️Israel announces that it assassinated Abbas Hassan Karaki, a senior Hezbollah logistics official, from the town of Harouf, in its strike on Toul in Nabatieh, south Lebanon, today. Several others were injured.
Under international humanitarian law, targeting Hezbollah members who are not directly participating in hostilities at the time of the attack is prohibited, regardless of their affiliation.
Saudi Arabia's path to normalization with Israel threatens a regional rupture
The kingdom's possible accession to the Abraham Accords could catalyze a new regional security order – but at great political, ideological, and moral cost.
By Fouad Ibrahim
❗️Colombia urges US to halt strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats
The Colombian government has formally condemned the US military’s recent strikes on vessels off the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, accusing Washington of violating international law and describing the operations as an act of murder.
At least five people were killed in the latest attacks announced by US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, and since early September a total of nine operations have been reported, with 37 killed, according to US admissions.
On 8 October, Colombian President Gustavo Petro described these attacks as part of a new war front, saying in part that this is "a war for oil" that is targeting all of Latin America and the Caribbean, one that must be stopped by the world.
Trump declares Netanyahu 'must accept' Gaza ceasefire
Israel has violated the Gaza ceasefire agreement dozens of times since Trump made the comments to TIME magazine
❗️Gaza's 'International Stabilization Force' will only include countries 'Israel comfortable with,' says Rubio
Speaking from the building housing the US–Israel ceasefire coordination centre in Kiryat Gat, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that Hamas “cannot be involved in governing Gaza in the future” and ruled out any role for UNRWA, calling it a “subsidiary of Hamas.”
Rubio said the planned international stabilization force must be composed of countries “Israel is comfortable with,” after reports Netanyahu opposed Turkish participation. He added that more countries are ready to normalize relations with Israel but are waiting for “a broader regional agreement” and a sustained end to the war.
“We haven’t formed that force yet, so there’s still work going on,” he told reporters, noting that “a lot of countries have offered to do it.” The force is intended to 'control security' inside Gaza as part of the US ceasefire framework.
Large-scale Israeli war on Lebanon 'a matter of time': Report
Israel has escalated its attacks on Lebanon in violation of a US-backed ceasefire, killing at least seven people in the past two days alone
❗️South Korea urges Trump to meet Kim Jong Un during Asia visit
South Korea’s Unification Minister on Friday urged US President Donald Trump to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his upcoming trip to Asia, describing the meeting as a vital opportunity for peace, according to Yonhap news agency.
Minister Chung Dong-young, Seoul’s top official overseeing inter-Korean relations, said Trump’s visit to South Korea represented an "opportunity from the heavens" that could enhance North Korea’s international image and strengthen its economy.
"The leaders of North Korea and the US must not miss this chance," Chung told South Korean media, according to Yonhap. "They need to make a bold decision."
❗️Amazon accused of enabling Israel’s cloud-based war machine via weapons makers
The Intercept reports that Israel’s two largest weapons manufacturers, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), both of whom are required to use cloud services from Amazon under the Israeli government contract known as Project Nimbus, were sold cloud services by Amazon at the height of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
According to government procurement documents, the Nimbus framework mandates that Israeli state-owned companies and ministries adopt these cloud services. Requests to use other providers must be approved by a government committee. Rafael, which produces missiles and drones used by the Israeli military, has already begun transferring some of its “unclassified” workloads to Amazon Web Services.
Documents reviewed by The Intercept also show that Amazon provided cloud-computing services to Israel’s nuclear program and to government offices overseeing the occupied West Bank, where Israel’s military rule, settlement expansion, and population displacement are widely regarded as violations of international law.
❗️Castelion wins US army contracts to integrate Blackbeard hypersonic weapon
US Defense startup Castelion announced today hat it has secured contracts to integrate its Blackbeard hypersonic strike weapon with existing US Army systems.
Castelion will collaborate with the army to mount the Blackbeard weapon system onto platforms such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a launcher that gained global recognition after being used in the war in Ukraine.
Several US defense firms, including Castelion, Stratolaunch, Raytheon (a unit of RTX), and Lockheed Martin, are competing to advance hypersonic technology, which could yield lucrative government contracts.
Castelion did not disclose the terms of its integration contracts with the Army and Navy. US President Donald Trump’s 2026 budget proposal, still pending congressional approval, allocates $25 million for similar future integration efforts.
(Reuters)
❗️According to Israel's Channel 12 correspondent and Axios reporter Barak Ravid, a US official told Channel 12:
"Netanyahu is walking a fine line with President Trump. If he keeps going, he’ll f**k up the Gaza deal. And if he f**ks up the deal, Donald Trump will f**k him.”
❗️Spain’s high court probes steelmaker Sidenor over alleged arms deal with Israel
Spain's High Court has launched an investigation into the privately-owned steel producer Sidenor over allegations that it sold steel to an Israeli company for use in weapons manufacturing, marking one of the first potential legal outcomes following Spain’s ban on such transactions.
The probe targets Sidenor’s CEO Jose Gomez and two other executives on charges of smuggling and complicity in crimes against humanity or genocide, according to the court statement.
The executives have been summoned to testify on 12 November.
According to the court, Sidenor sold steel to Israel Military Industries, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems, in a deal reportedly carried out without government approval or registration.
The High Court said the executives "went ahead with the deal with full knowledge that [the firm] was a manufacturer of both heavy and light weapons, and that the material sold was to be used for the manufacture of weapons."
BREAKING | Israeli drone bombs a vehicle near Zawtar al-Gharbieh, south Lebanon, assassinating one person and injuring two others.
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IOC bars Indonesia from hosting global events after Israeli athletes visa ban
The Olympic Committee has also frozen Indonesia’s 2036 Olympic Games bid until it can guarantee that athletes from all nations can compete
British rights group seeks prosecution of citizens serving in Israeli army
A growing wave of universal jurisdiction cases is targeting individuals implicated in Israel’s genocide in Gaza
❗️Statement issued following the meeting of Palestinian factions in Cairo on 23–24 October 2025 (1/2)
——
"At the invitation of the Arab Republic of Egypt and under the generous patronage of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and as a continuation of the efforts of the mediators in Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye to stop the war on Gaza and address its consequences — most recently the outcomes of the “Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit” in October 2025 — a number of Palestinian factions held a meeting in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to discuss developments in the Palestinian cause and the second phase of President Trump’s plan to end the war on the Gaza Strip, within the framework of preparing for a comprehensive national dialogue to safeguard the national project and restore national unity.
The participants began their meeting by saluting the Palestinian people in the homeland and the diaspora, especially our people in Gaza, as well as the martyrs, prisoners, and the wounded, in appreciation of their steadfastness and sacrifices, and stressing the need to continue all efforts to end their suffering and achieve a better future for our people and national cause.
The participants also renewed their appreciation for the Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, including those of President Trump, to stop the war on Gaza.
The Palestinian forces affirmed that the current stage requires a unified national position and a national political vision based on unity of word and destiny, and the rejection of all forms of annexation and displacement in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem.
They condemned the Knesset’s preliminary approval of the “application of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank” law, considering it a dangerous aggression against Palestinian identity and existence, and praised President Trump’s decision to stop this move and his promise not to allow it to be repeated. They stressed that national unity is the decisive response to these policies and that all necessary steps must be taken to achieve it."
❗️An Israeli drone dropped a flash grenade on the outskirts of the town of Khiam, in southern Lebanon.
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New opinion poll shows Netanyahu's party remains most popular in Israel
Israelis remain united in their hostility to Palestinians suffering from the genocide in Gaza
ISIS stages comeback in Syria following Assad's fall, US drawdown: Report
The US military provided covert support to ISIS during the period of its greatest expansion, ultimately benefiting the Kurds in Syria and Iraq
❗️European sources warn: Extensive Israeli attack on Lebanon imminent
European sources have indicated that a significant Israeli military operation against Lebanon is likely imminent. This warning comes in the midst of Israeli attacks on south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, which killed 6 Lebanese citizens over a span of just two days. In a recent interview with the Arabic-language Sky News channel, these sources stated that such an attack is "just a matter of time."
'Unmapped minefield': Experts warn removing unexploded bombs from Gaza can take 30 years
Unexploded ordnance has killed and injured dozens of Palestinians returning home after the ceasefire announcement