Recent events in the Middle East have drawn global attention, with new updates from Gaza, Syria, and the West Bank. A devastating Israeli air strike has killed and injured several Palestinians at a school in Gaza, while Israel has faced accusations of mocking students in the region. In Syria, the death toll from recent attacks continues to rise.
Meanwhile, the Jordan-West Bank border is set to reopen after a temporary closure, and Israeli forces have launched new raids across the West Bank.
Middle East Tensions Latest Updates
1. Israeli Air Strike On Gaza School Kills 4, Injures 20
An Israeli air strike targeted the Amr Ibn Al-As School in northern Gaza, killing four Palestinians and injuring 20 others, including children. The school, located in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, was sheltering displaced Palestinians. Witnesses reported that Israeli warplanes hit a prayer area within the school. Gaza’s Civil Defense Agency stated that multiple civilians were killed or injured, further increasing the casualties from the ongoing conflict.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen. With over 40,900 Palestinians dead and nearly 94,700 injured due to the conflict, local authorities are urging international intervention. Gaza remains under a severe blockade, causing shortages of essential resources like food and medicine. The International Court of Justice is currently examining Israel’s actions in Gaza, with allegations of genocide.
2. Jordan-West Bank Crossing To Reopen For Passengers
The King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank is set to reopen on Monday, allowing passenger traffic. Cargo trucks, however, will not be permitted to pass. This development follows a brief closure after a shooting incident involving a Jordanian driver, Maher Ziab Hussein al-Jazi, who killed three Israelis.
Jordanian authorities are now coordinating with Israel to repatriate al-Jazi's body for burial in Jordan. Thousands of Palestinian travellers were stranded during the closure, and the reopening aims to restore some normalcy to the flow of people between the two regions.
3. Death Toll Rises In Syria Following Israeli Air Strikes
In Syria, the number of casualties from Israeli air strikes near Hama has risen. Syrian state media, SANA, reported that five people were killed, and 19 were critically injured in the attack. Damage was also reported to local infrastructure, including the Masyaf-Wadi al-Uyun highway, and fires broke out in the area.
Israel has frequently targeted sites in Syria throughout the country's civil war, mainly focusing on Iranian-linked groups. However, the Israeli military rarely comments on these operations.
4. Israeli Soldiers Accused Of Mocking Gaza Students
The Palestinian Ministry of Education has condemned Israeli soldiers for allegedly mocking Palestinian students in the Gaza Strip. The ministry shared a photo on social media, showing soldiers sitting behind desks in one of the few undamaged schools left in the region. The ministry called the act a “mockery” of Palestinians’ right to education.
The photo has drawn widespread criticism, with claims that Israeli forces are deliberately targeting civilians and schools in Gaza, further deepening the educational crisis in the territory.
5. Israeli Forces Launch Raids In The West Bank
Israeli forces have carried out a series of raids in the West Bank, using tear gas and live rounds against Palestinians. Among the locations targeted were the refugee camps in Tulkarem and Balata, as well as the village of Einabus, south of Nablus.
Reports indicate that Israeli soldiers fired tear gas at Palestinians waiting to cross a checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley. In other raids, they arrested a man from the Qalandiya camp, shot another man in the town of Al Ubeidhiya, and fired live rounds at Palestinian workers near Bethlehem.
These raids are part of an escalating conflict in the West Bank, further intensifying the unrest in the region.
