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Israel Steps Up Killings to Tighten Security Control in Gaza

A Palestinian woman holds her crying niece during the funeral of the child’s mother, killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza on Thursday (EPA)
A Palestinian woman holds her crying niece during the funeral of the child’s mother, killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza on Thursday (EPA)
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Israel Steps Up Killings to Tighten Security Control in Gaza

A Palestinian woman holds her crying niece during the funeral of the child’s mother, killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza on Thursday (EPA)
A Palestinian woman holds her crying niece during the funeral of the child’s mother, killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza on Thursday (EPA)

Israel has tightened its security grip on the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, intensifying a campaign of intermittent assassinations that has escalated over recent days and weeks.

Israel has repeatedly cited security incidents it claims occurred, particularly in Rafah in southern Gaza, which it has fully controlled for many months. In other cases it has carried out assassinations using armed members of its special forces or Palestinian collaborators from local armed groups to kill resistance activists.

Israeli troops killed about 30 Palestinians in a series of strikes late on Wednesday, including at least two commanders from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.

The Israeli military said the operations were carried out in response to gunfire from Palestinian militants in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, although no Israeli soldiers were wounded.

Channel 12 reported that Israel had decided to adopt new measures to intensify the pursuit of Hamas operatives, even if attacks from Gaza do not cause casualties among its forces.

Israeli Army Radio said the Shin Bet internal security service had obtained precise intelligence on a meeting of al-Qassam commanders in the Zeitoun district.

At least two were killed in a strike, including the commander of the Zeitoun battalion and another commander in the naval force.

Reports on the fate of the commanders present at the site were conflicting. Hamas sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that two senior officials had escaped the attempted assassination in Zeitoun because the strike occurred after they had left the area, while a field commander was successfully targeted in Khan Younis.

The sources said Israel’s claim that its forces had come under fire was false, adding that Israel launched a rolling operation that began with an afternoon strike on a group of civilians in the Shejaiya district east of Gaza City.

Soon after, it claimed it had been targeted by gunfire in Khan Younis, but it continued its operation in Gaza City with two strikes on a shelter and on civilians. That was followed by three attacks in Khan Younis, only one of which targeted a field commander, while the other two did not hit any fighters.

Field sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that, before issuing these claims, Israel had attempted to assassinate a senior commander in the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, who survived the attack while at home with his family in an apartment east of Gaza City.

The sources said an Israeli quadcopter drone dropped several small bombs on the apartment, followed by an explosive drone that crashed into the location and detonated, wounding several members of his family.

The operation came days after an Israeli special forces unit used two armed men to kill Wasim Abdel Hadi, an activist from the Al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, in central Gaza.

It was the second assassination by special forces targeting activists this month. In another incident, a Qassam operative was abducted in the Al-Nasr district of Gaza City by a special unit operating with an ambulance.

The escalation coincides with continued Israeli ground movements inside the Gaza Strip, along with persistent air and artillery strikes and gunfire east and west of the “yellow line” and its surrounding areas, which are referenced in the ceasefire agreement.

According to field sources, Israeli ground forces withdrew from the Shejaiya district early on Thursday after advancing roughly 300 meters. They expanded the yellow line in their favor by taking more land, pushing residents from newly exposed residential blocks toward western Shejaiya as artillery fire intensified on Wednesday afternoon.

The Government Media Office said Israeli forces expanded their control over the streets of Al-Shaaf, Al-Nazzaz and Baghdad, and trapped dozens of families who were unable to flee after tanks advanced unexpectedly. The fate of many residents remained unknown during the bombardment.

These ongoing crimes show clear contempt for the ceasefire decision, and add to nearly 400 violations documented since it took effect, resulting in the deaths of more than 300 Palestinians and hundreds of wounded, worsening the catastrophic conditions facing our people in the small remaining area of Gaza, the office said.

The Gaza Health Ministry said 33 Palestinians were killed over the past 24 hours, including 32 in Israeli air strikes, while the body of another person killed earlier in the war was recovered. Another 88 people were wounded. The ministry said 12 children and 8 women were among those killed, representing 66 percent of the total.

It said 312 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, and 760 have been wounded, while 572 bodies have been recovered. The figures do not include a Palestinian who was shot dead by Israeli forces on Thursday morning east of Khan Younis.

The overall death toll from Israel’s aggression has risen to 69,546, with 170,833 wounded since October 7, 2023.

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Arab World

Lebanon: Four Former Army Generals Questioned as Defendants in Beirut Port Blast Probe

Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ambassadors from several countries commemorate the sixth anniversary of the blast (File photo: AFP). 
Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ambassadors from several countries commemorate the sixth anniversary of the blast (File photo: AFP). 
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Lebanon: Four Former Army Generals Questioned as Defendants in Beirut Port Blast Probe

Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ambassadors from several countries commemorate the sixth anniversary of the blast (File photo: AFP). 
Families of victims of the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ambassadors from several countries commemorate the sixth anniversary of the blast (File photo: AFP). 

The investigation into the Beirut port explosion took a new turn on Wednesday as judicial investigator Judge Tarek Bitar questioned four former Lebanese Army generals as defendants, expanding the scope of legal proceedings ahead of an indictment expected before the end of the year.

The hearing also marked the first attendance of a representative of the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Cassation, Judge Mohammad Saab.

Those questioned during the lengthy session were former Lebanese Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Walid Salman, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Equipment Brig. Gen. Manuel Karjian, former head of the Ammunition Department Brig. Gen. Georges Moussa, and former director of the Equipment Directorate Brig. Gen. Munir Abou Zeid.

Their defense lawyers, lawyers representing the civil claimants and Cassation Advocate General Judge Mohammad Saab attended the hearing.

A judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the officers had been summoned based on a substantive submission prepared by Saab, in which he brought allegations against them over suspicions that they had prior knowledge of the presence of ammonium nitrate at Beirut port.

The source explained that the questioning focused on “the suspicions outlined in the submission, in preparation for further investigation and a determination of the judicial position regarding each defendant, without the allegations necessarily establishing responsibility.”

Judicial Cooperation

Saab’s attendance marked the first time a representative of the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Cassation had participated in an investigative hearing before Bitar in the case.

It also signaled cooperation between the judicial investigator and the prosecutor’s office, which had previously boycotted Bitar and suspended cooperation with him when Judge Ghassan Oueidat headed the office.

The questioning ended without any decision on whether the four officers would be detained or released, leaving their legal status unresolved.

“Bitar did not issue an arrest warrant against any of them, nor did he decide to release them or require them to sign a residence undertaking, leaving the matter unresolved,” the judicial source explained.

The source did not disclose the content of the officers’ statements or their responses to the allegations.

Previously Questioned Defendants to Be Summoned Again

Bitar’s next steps will extend beyond the four former officers.

According to the same judicial source, the investigator is preparing to summon all those he previously questioned without issuing decisions concerning their cases.

They include former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk, former General Security Director-General Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and former State Security Director-General Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba, as well as judges and senior officials.

The move will bring previously deferred decisions back before Bitar as he continues investigating the allegations against the four officers.

The upcoming summonses will involve individuals whose procedural status remains unresolved, making the next round a crucial step in determining the measures to be taken before the indictment is finalized.

Those facing allegations will remain in a state of uncertainty over the judicial measures that await them.

Indictment Expected Before Year-End

Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Court of Cassation will prepare a supplementary substantive submission concerning the four officers and forward it to Bitar as soon as possible, according to the judicial source.

The supplementary submission will be added to the case file Bitar is reviewing as he prepares his indictment, taking into account the latest questioning sessions and the statements obtained.

The source stressed that Bitar “is committed to issuing the indictment before the end of this year,” adding that he would soon devote his attention to reviewing the case file and drafting the indictment.

Arab World

Iraqi Investigation Accuses Armed Factions of Manipulating Airport Contracts

 Baghdad International Airport (Archive – Reuters) 
 Baghdad International Airport (Archive – Reuters) 
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Iraqi Investigation Accuses Armed Factions of Manipulating Airport Contracts

 Baghdad International Airport (Archive – Reuters) 
 Baghdad International Airport (Archive – Reuters) 

An Iraqi official source has disclosed suspected irregularities in airport contracts that may have benefited armed groups operating outside the law.

Separately, Kataib Hezbollah accused authorities in Baghdad of selling oil at discounted prices, while an informed source said Iraq had been forced to do so because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its lack of an oil tanker fleet.

The official source told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Wednesday that the Federal Commission of Integrity was scrutinizing contracts involving the Ministry of Transport and airports and had detected suspected manipulation linked to the financing of armed groups.

Some contracts had been manipulated “for the economic benefit of armed groups operating outside the law,” the source added.

The official did not identify the groups involved, explain the nature of the alleged manipulation or specify how much money was suspected of being directed to them.

The investigation comes amid growing questions about the relationship between the political influence of armed factions and their economic interests, as pressure continues on the Iraqi government to bring all weapons under state control.

The controversy over transport and airport contracts in Iraq recalls the experience of Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, where Hezbollah’s influence within the airport’s security and administrative institutions has raised questions about the state’s ability to maintain effective oversight of vital facilities.

In Iraq, the influence of armed factions extends beyond their military presence. Groups linked to them hold political roles and positions within state institutions, while investigations into government contracts have raised questions about the extent to which these factions benefit from state resources and public spending.

Escalation Over State Control of Weapons

The disclosure of the investigation came amid escalating tensions between Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah and the government and the Coordination Framework. The group is demanding the release of a draft agreement that it says the so-called “Islamic Resistance” reached with a Framework committee on placing weapons under state control.

An account on X under the name Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, whose holder identifies himself as a security official in Kataib Hezbollah, said the armed factions were still awaiting a copy of the agreement. He added that they had suspended all military operations inside Iraq until further notice.

Baghdad authorities had not previously announced receiving a copy of any agreement concluded by the factions. However, spokespeople for Shiite parties had disclosed that the groups were negotiating with a four-member committee from the Coordination Framework to reach an agreement on their weapons.

Al-Assaf criticized the government’s performance, accusing it of making promises it had failed to fulfill.

He also questioned oil sales contracts with a regional company, asking whether Coordination Framework members approved of selling oil at discounted prices and sharing the profits.

He claimed the profits exceeded 4.5 trillion Iraqi dinars a month, without providing details or evidence to support the figure. No comment could be obtained from the country’s relevant energy authorities.

An informed political source, however, explained that Iraq was selling oil shipments at discounted prices because of “the shipping crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, the transport and transit risks borne by buyers, and the pressure facing the country because it does not have its own tanker fleet.”

The escalation followed the failure to convene a regular Coordination Framework meeting on Sunday evening because several members were absent, amid continuing disagreements over the allocation of positions and ministerial portfolios in PM Ali al-Zaidi’s government.

Political researcher Falah al-Mishal attributed Kataib Hezbollah’s escalation to several factors, including the Coordination Framework’s approval of measures to close border crossings with Iran, pressure to bring factional weapons under state control, and objections to certain government foreign policy measures.

Al-Mishal told Asharq Al-Awsat that Iraq’s efforts to develop relations with Syria and Jordan, expand ties with the Arab world and honor its agreements with the United States had led Kataib Hezbollah to feel that the Coordination Framework, once its ally, had abandoned its previous commitments and pledges.

Divisions Within the Shiite Camp

Tensions have not been confined to Kataib Hezbollah. Asaib Ahl al-Haq, led by Qais al-Khazali, also criticized armed factions refusing to surrender their weapons, without naming them.

Ahmed al-Moussawi, a senior Asaib Ahl al-Haq figure and member of parliament, told the movement’s Al-Ahd television channel that these factions would produce nothing more than “a resistance with 10 rockets.”

Al-Moussawi questioned whom the factions were resisting, adding that those refusing to surrender their weapons were attacking Asaib Ahl al-Haq but were, in his words, “not worth responding to.”

The exchange of criticism reflects widening divisions within the Shiite political camp, at a time when the Coordination Framework had been expected to consolidate its position following the completion of the government formation process.

Instead, competition over positions and ministerial portfolios, coupled with conflicting interests among its members, has reignited disputes within the alliance and raised questions about its ability to coordinate the positions of armed factions.

Despite the escalating exchanges, security and political affairs expert Fadel Abu Ragheef does not necessarily believe efforts to bring weapons under state control are losing momentum.

Abu Ragheef told Asharq Al-Awsat that the issue “remains on the table as long as there is a final deadline extending into next year.”

He added that “US statements on bringing weapons under state control are increasing pressure on the Iraqi public and putting the government in a difficult position.”

Abu Ragheef also pointed to “cooperation from some factions on this issue, including parties that had previously refused to cooperate,” but warned that the outbreak of a regional war could change the situation.

Arab World

Charity Kitchen Closures Threaten Thousands of Families with Hunger in Khartoum

Women line up ahead of a food distribution (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
Women line up ahead of a food distribution (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
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Charity Kitchen Closures Threaten Thousands of Families with Hunger in Khartoum

Women line up ahead of a food distribution (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
Women line up ahead of a food distribution (Asharq Al-Awsat). 

Thousands of displaced people in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, are struggling to secure a daily meal as dozens of charity kitchens have closed or scaled back operations because of funding shortages, leaving growing numbers of families at risk of hunger.

Al-Sadiq Siddiq, who supervises a charity kitchen in Omdurman, said dwindling donations had forced organizers to reduce the number of meals provided to families.

“We are facing growing difficulties because of a shortage of financial support from donors and benefactors,” he said, warning that conditions were deteriorating as hunger spread among poor and vulnerable communities.

The scramble for food had reached distressing levels, he added, with some people resorting to physical fights over portions of beans or lentils.

“These conditions are pushing more families into hunger and leaving them unable to secure even the minimum amount of food they need,” he stated.

One Meal a Day

Abbas Mahjoub, a supervisor at a charity kitchen in the East Nile area, noted that the facility had served more than 800 families before it closed. Many residents now survive on a single meal a day, unable to meet their basic food needs.

Al-Bukhari Ishaq, who supervised a kitchen in eastern Al-Jarif, said it had shut down more than eight months ago after funding from the East Nile Emergency Response Room, which provided grants to charity kitchens, declined.

Ishaq told Asharq Al-Awsat that dwindling donations and reduced contributions from aid organizations, including the World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), had severely undermined the kitchen’s operations.

The facility had provided daily meals to around 400 families, he explained, and its closure deprived hundreds of households of an essential source of food amid worsening living conditions.

Altouma al-Jak, who supports a family of nine, told Asharq Al-Awsat that her grandchildren had dropped out of school because she could no longer afford breakfast, transportation or school supplies, including clothes, shoes, books and notebooks.

“Sometimes days go by when my children don’t have enough to eat,” she said sadly.

Her family had depended on a charity kitchen for food, and its closure amounted to “a slow death,” she explained, particularly as soaring prices had put basic food supplies beyond the reach of many households.

She expressed hope that the war would end and peace would return to Sudan, allowing people to live with dignity.

Hunger Deepens

Salwa Abdullah Adam lost her husband during the war when he was struck by a shell, leaving her solely responsible for seven children, the youngest a nine-month-old baby.

Standing in a long line outside a charity kitchen to collect a simple meal for her children, she described the mounting hardship.

“Life is getting harder day by day,” she remarked.

Her children go to school without spending money and return home to eat whatever corn porridge is available, while the family struggles to meet their daily needs.

Healthcare is another challenge. Adam said charitable doctors sometimes help her obtain medicines for her children from pharmacies, but when adults fall ill, they have little choice but to endure their illnesses and take painkillers.

A Lifeline for Families

Ali Abdullah Youssef faces similar difficulties to other families relying on charity kitchens, locally known as takaya, for their only daily meal.

“Conditions are extremely difficult. Without this charity kitchen, we wouldn’t be able to get food,” he said.

He warned that the closure of such kitchens would leave his family in a desperate situation, with no source of income and living costs continuing to rise.

Accounts from beneficiaries illustrate the hardship caused by the closures, particularly among families that have lost their livelihoods and now depend on meals distributed by charitable initiatives.

The struggle to obtain food comes amid mounting international warnings over Sudan’s worsening food crisis.

On October 26, dozens of countries, including the United States and major European nations, expressed concern over the continued deterioration of food security in Sudan and called on both parties to the conflict to remove all obstacles to humanitarian aid deliveries.

In June, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that approximately 5.1 million people in Sudan were facing acute hunger.

The crisis has been compounded by the war that erupted in 2023, which has damaged the agricultural sector and hampered farmers’ ability to harvest their crops, alongside a recent drought.