KHAN YOUNIS: At a hospital in Gaza, wards are filled with patients fearing they will be left without care if Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is forced out under an Israeli ban due to take effect in March. Last month, Israel announced it would prevent 37 aid organizations, including MSF, from operating in Gaza from March 1 for failing to provide detailed information on their Palestinian staff. &quot;They stood by us throughout the war,&quot; said 10-year-old Adam Asfour, his left arm pinned with metal rods after he was wounded by shrapnel in a bombing in September. &quot;When I heard it was possible they would stop providing services, it made me very sad,&quot; he added from his bed at Gaza&#39;s Nasser Hospital. Israel&#39;s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, which oversees NGO registrations, has accused two MSF employees of links to Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, allegations MSF vehemently denies. The ministry&#39;s decision triggered international condemnation, with aid groups warning it would severely disrupt food and medical supplies to Gaza, where relief items are already scarce after more than two years of war. Inside the packed Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, one of the few medical facilities still functioning in the territory, MSF staff were still tending to children with burns, shrapnel wounds and chronic illnesses, an AFP journalist reported. But their presence may end soon. The prospect was unthinkable for Fayrouz Barhoum, whose grandson is being treated at the facility. &quot;Say bye to the lady, blow her a kiss,&quot; she told her 18-month-old grandson, Joud, as MSF official Claire Nicolet left the room. Joud&#39;s head was wrapped in bandages covering burns on his cheek after boiling water spilled on him when strong winds battered the family&#39;s makeshift shelter. &quot;At first his condition was very serious, but then it improved considerably,&quot; Barhoum said. &quot;The scarring on his face has largely diminished. We need continuity of care,&quot; she said. &#39;We will continue working&#39;&nbsp;AFP spoke with patients and relatives at Nasser Hospital, all of whom expressed the same fear: that without MSF, there would be nowhere left to turn. MSF says it currently provides at least 20 percent of hospital beds in Gaza and operates around 20 health centres. In 2025 alone, it carried out more than 800,000 medical consultations and over 10,000 deliveries. &quot;It&#39;s almost impossible to find an organisation that will come here and be able to replace all that we are doing currently in Gaza,&quot; Nicolet told AFP, noting that MSF not only provides medical care but also distributes drinking water to a population worn down by a prolonged war. &quot;So this is not really realistic.&quot; Since the start of the war in October 2023, triggered by Hamas&#39;s deadly attack on southern Israel, Israeli officials and the military have repeatedly accused Hamas of using Gaza&#39;s medical facilities as command centres. Many have been damaged by two years of bombardments or overcrowded by casualties, while electricity, water and fuel supplies remain unreliable. Aid groups warn that without international support, critical services such as emergency care, maternal health, and paediatric treatment could collapse entirely, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without basic medical care. Humanitarian sources say at least three international NGO employees whose files were rejected by Israeli authorities have already been prevented from entering Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing. &quot;For now, we will continue working as long as we can,&quot; said Kelsie Meaden, an MSF logistics manager at Nasser Hospital, adding that constraints were already mounting. &quot;We can&#39;t have any more international staff enter into Gaza, as well as supplies... we will run into shortages.&quot;

A Palestinian man walks on his crutches to the Doctors Without Borders or Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) clinic, in the al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City on new year's Eve, December 31, 2025. (AFP)

Middle East

Wards are filled with patients fearing they will be left without care if Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is forced out under an Israeli ban due to take effect in March.

Patients cling to medical organization in Gaza hospital as Israel orders it out

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Israel and Syria have resumed diplomatic talks with US support, according to a statement from Israel&rsquo;s Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office on Tuesday. The dialogue is part of what Israel described as a US initiative to promote peace in the Middle East. &ldquo;During the talks, Israel emphasized the importance of protecting its citizens and preventing cross-border threats,&rdquo; the statement said. Israel reaffirmed its commitment to regional stability and security, highlighting the potential for economic cooperation and the protection of Syria&rsquo;s Druze minority.&nbsp; Officials said the dialogue would continue to advance shared goals and address security concerns. A joint statement on the Trilateral meeting between the governments of the United States of America, the State of Israel, and the Syrian Arab Republic was shared by the US State Department on X on Tuesday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 665px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2008609639441854572&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=1f47463563661dc86ac6b6e51315a5a78e9350ca&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2008609639441854572"></iframe></div></div>&quot;Non-negotiable national rights&quot; Syria&rsquo;s state news agency, SANA, reported that the Syrian delegation was led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and intelligence chief Hussein al-Salama. Damascus framed the resumption of talks as an effort to reclaim what it called its non-negotiable national rights. The discussions reportedly focus on reviving the 1974 disengagement agreement, which established a UN-monitored buffer zone along the Israel-Syria border following the 1973 Middle East war. Tensions escalated after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was toppled on December 8, 2024, by forces led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, prompting deeper Israeli troop movements along the border. Israel has also cited missions to protect the Druze minority in southwestern Syria. Syria is calling for Israel to return to pre-2024 positions and seeks a reciprocal security framework to safeguard its sovereignty and prevent foreign interference in its internal affairs.&nbsp;

Israel and Syria have resumed US-backed diplomatic talks focusing on regional stability, border security, revival of the 1974 disengagement agreement, protection of civilians, and addressing cross-border threats amid heightened tensions

Israel, Syria resume US-backed talks to advance regional stability

MOGADISHU: The Israeli foreign minister arrived in Somaliland on Tuesday in a high-profile visit, condemned by Somalia as an &quot;unauthorised incursion&quot;, after Israel recognised the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa.&nbsp;Israel announced last month it was officially recognising Somaliland, a first for the self-proclaimed republic since it declared independence from Somalia in 1991.&nbsp;Somaliland enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own currency, passport and army, but has struggled to win international recognition, amid fears of provoking Somalia and encouraging other separatist movements in Africa.&nbsp;Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, whose delegation was welcomed at the airport by senior government officials, said recognising Somaliland had been &quot;the moral thing to do&quot;.&nbsp;Somaliland President Abdirahman Abdullahi Mohamed praised Israel&#39;s &quot;courageous&quot; decision, and said it would open up economic and development opportunities.&nbsp;&quot;It promotes the strategic interest partnership of the two countries,&quot; he said in a joint press conference.&nbsp;Somalia reacted furiously to news of the visit, labelling it an &quot;illegal&quot; and &quot;unauthorised incursion&quot;.&nbsp;In a statement, Somalia&#39;s foreign ministry said it &quot;reserves the right to take all appropriate diplomatic and legal measures... to safeguard its sovereignty, national unity, and territorial integrity&quot;.&nbsp;A special meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on Tuesday condemned &quot;in the strongest terms&quot; the recognition by Israel and called for its &quot;immediate revocation&quot;.&nbsp;The Arab League said in a statement that &quot;any official or quasi-official dealings&quot; with officials in Somaliland treated as separate from Somalia was a &quot;flagrant violation of Somalia&#39;s unity and sovereignty&quot;.&nbsp;The move would &quot;undermine regional peace and security and exacerbate political tensions in Somalia, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa&quot;, the League added.&nbsp;Following Israel&#39;s recognition, Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab, which has fought the Somali government for around two decades, said they would fight any attempt by Israel to use Somaliland as a base.&nbsp;&#39;Threat&#39; to stability Analysts say the deal with Somaliland could provide Israel with better access to the Red Sea, enabling it to hit Houthi rebels in Yemen.&nbsp;Somaliland&#39;s location alongside one of the world&#39;s busiest shipping lanes has made it a key partner for foreign countries.&nbsp;Israel&#39;s recognition was supported by the United States, but criticised by Egypt, Turkey, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The European Union insisted Somalia&#39;s sovereignty should be respected.&nbsp;Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called the Israeli decision a &quot;threat&quot; to stability in the already volatile Horn of Africa.&nbsp;In an interview with Al Jazeera, he said Somaliland had accepted three conditions from Israel: the resettlement of Palestinians, the establishment of a military base on the Gulf of Aden, and joining the Abraham Accords to normalise ties with Israel.&nbsp;Somaliland&#39;s foreign ministry denied the first two conditions.&nbsp;The region has experienced greater stability than the rest of insurgency-hit Somalia.&nbsp;It was briefly a recognised state in June 1960 when it gained independence from Britain, but voluntarily united with Italian-administered Somalia days later.&nbsp;Somaliland&#39;s leaders say that union was never formally ratified and became void when the Somali state effectively collapsed in 1991.

Africa

Israel’s foreign minister visited Somaliland after Israel became the first nation to recognise the breakaway region, prompting condemnation from Somalia, African Union and Arab League amid warnings the move could destabilise the Horn of Africa.

Somalia calls Israeli FM visit to Somaliland an 'incursion'

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would not allow arch-foe Iran to restore its ballistic missile programme, just days after US President Donald Trump issued a similar threat.&nbsp;&quot;We will not allow Iran to restore its ballistic missile industry, and certainly we will not allow it renew the nuclear programme that we significantly damaged,&quot; Netanyahu told lawmakers.&nbsp;&quot;If we are attacked, the consequences for Iran will be very severe,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Netanyahu&#39;s threat comes days after Trump threatened to &quot;eradicate&quot; Iran&#39;s nuclear and ballistic missile programme, after the two leaders met in Washington last week.&nbsp;Israeli officials and media have expressed concern in recent months that Iran is rebuilding its ballistic missile arsenal after it was adamaged during the 12-day war with Israel in June.&nbsp;Trump said Iran &quot;may be behaving badly&quot; and was looking at new nuclear sites to replace those targeted by US strikes during the same conflict, as well as restoring its missile stockpiles.&nbsp;&quot;I hope they&#39;re not trying to build up again because if they are, we&#39;re going have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that buildup,&quot; Trump said, adding that the US response &quot;may be more powerful than the last time.&quot;&nbsp;But Trump said he believed Iran was still interested in a deal with Washington on its nuclear and missile programmes. Tehran denies that it is seeking nuclear weapons.&nbsp;Netanyahu, meanwhile, said the protests in Iran had &quot;expanded greatly&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;It is very possible that we are at a decisive moment -- a moment when the Iranian people will take their destiny into their own hands,&quot; he said in parliament.&nbsp;Protests erupted in Iran on December 28 when shopkeepers in the capital Tehran staged a strike over high prices and economic stagnation.&nbsp;They have since spread to other cities and expanded to include political demands.&nbsp;On Sunday, Netanyahu said that Israel stood in solidarity with the Iranian people during the ongoing demonstrations.&nbsp;&quot;We stand in solidarity with the struggle of the Iranian people and with their aspirations for freedom, liberty and justice,&quot; Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting.

Netanyahu warns Iran against rebuilding ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities, citing severe consequences, and voices support for ongoing Iranian protests demanding economic and political reforms.

Netanyahu says Israel won't let Iran restore ballistic missile programme

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reaffirmed its &ldquo;complete support&rdquo; for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia on Thursday and strongly condemned the announcement by Israel recognizing Somaliland, said Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi in his weekly briefing. The spokesperson, Andrabi, was addressing the foreign office media weekly briefing in Islamabad. &ldquo;[Pakistan] rejects the announcement made by Israel recognizing the independence of the so-called Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia,&rdquo; he said. The spokesperson mentioned the joint statement issued earlier this week by the foreign ministers from 21 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and T&uuml;rkiye, among others. The statement declared an &ldquo;unequivocal rejection of Israel&rsquo;s recognition of the &lsquo;Somaliland&rsquo; region&rdquo; in the Federal Republic of Somalia. It said that the move was rejected by all signatories without exception. He added that recognizing parts of a sovereign state sets a dangerous precedent, as per the statement.&nbsp; &ldquo;Such actions threaten international peace and security and violate the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter,&rdquo; he noted. The spokesman also highlighted that Foreign Minister Dar received a call from the Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali.&nbsp; &ldquo;The Somali Foreign Minister thanked the DPM/FM for standing by Somalia and for Pakistan&#39;s continued and sustained support,&quot; added the statement. Andrabi also said that the Somali foreign minister sought Pakistan&rsquo;s assistance in raising Somalia&rsquo;s concerns at the UNSC. The spokesperson said Pakistan would continue to support Somalia and Palestine at all international forums.

Pakistan condemns Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, reaffirms full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, cites a 21-nation joint statement, and vows continued backing for Somalia and Palestine at international forums.

Pakistan backs Somalia’s unity, condemns Israel’s Somaliland recognition

ISLAMABAD: In 2025, Israel launched an unprecedented series of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/the-bitter-relationship-between-israel-and-arab-states" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military attacks across six countries in the Middle East</a>, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).&nbsp; The data analysis group&rsquo;s report, &ldquo;Israel recalibrates its military campaigns in a region still on edge,&rdquo; highlights the growing scope and intensity of Israel&rsquo;s actions in the region. ACLED, an independent global conflict monitor, reported that Israel launched military attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen throughout the year, marking the widest geographic reach of any military worldwide in 2025. &ldquo;In 2025, Israel launched attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen,&rdquo; ACLED states, noting that between January 1 and November 28 alone, Israel &ldquo;undertook more than 12,500 military actions across the Middle East.&rdquo; Deadliest zone: Palestine (Gaza Strip and West Bank)ACLED identified the Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, as the deadliest theater of Israel&rsquo;s military activity in 2025. &ldquo;Gaza remained the deadliest arena; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/gaza-civil-defense-says-7-killed-in-israeli-strikes" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">IDF killed thousands</a>&nbsp;&mdash; the majority civilians &mdash; in strikes,&rdquo; the report details. Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) strikes reportedly killed over 16,100 Palestinians in Gaza. The report further stated that Israel broke a ceasefire in January and, by October, had &ldquo;confined Palestinians in Gaza to less than 25% of the enclave and was pushing to establish full control over Gaza City.&rdquo; In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/14-countries-condemn-israels-expansion-of-west-bank-settlements" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">West Bank</a>, ACLED documented intensified Israeli military operations: &ldquo;The IDF conducted its largest operations in decades, displacing tens of thousands from the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur al-Shams camps.&rdquo; Lebanon: ongoing air and artillery strikesDespite a ceasefire, ACLED recorded that Israel continued to carry out air and artillery strikes in Lebanon. &ldquo;The IDF conducted nearly 1,600 air- and artillery strikes, as well as shooting attacks, in Lebanon,&rdquo; the report said. Israeli forces withdrew ground troops in February but continued &ldquo;hundreds of near-daily strikes, mainly in the south but also in the Bekaa Valley and Beirut,&rdquo; killing hundreds of Hezbollah fighters, including nearly 25 commanders. Iran: strategic campaignACLED describes Israel&rsquo;s campaign in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-says-missile-programme-defensive-nonnegotiable" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran</a>&nbsp;as the most strategically consequential foreign operation of 2025. &ldquo;Israel launched a 12-day military campaign consisting of over 350 airstrikes across 27 provinces, including in the capital Tehran,&rdquo; the report notes. Targets included missile sites, military bases, nuclear facilities, and government buildings, with assassinations of senior military leaders and nuclear scientists. Syria: expanded presence and strikesIsrael maintained and expanded its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/three-wounded-in-southern-syria-after-israeli-incursion-state-media" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military presence in Syria</a>, according to ACLED. &ldquo;In Syria, the IDF targeted Syrian military assets despite al-Assad&rsquo;s ouster,&rdquo; the report says, noting that Israel &ldquo;established six additional outposts in the demilitarized buffer zone, deploying up to 15 kilometers inside Syria.&rdquo; Yemen: targeted operations against HouthisIn Yemen, Israel escalated its military campaign against Houthi forces. &ldquo;The IDF conducted operations on 16 separate days in 2025, killing over 120 people,&rdquo; ACLED states, highlighting strikes that decimated the Houthi de facto government and killed the military chief of staff. Qatar: Rare but significant targetACLED points out Israel&rsquo;s rare&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/qatar-says-us-claims-of-warnings-prior-to-doha-attack-are-%E2%80%98baseless%E2%80%99" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military action in Qatar</a>, related to its pursuit of Hamas leaders. &ldquo;From Palestine to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and even Qatar, the Israel Defense Forces projected military power across the region in 2025,&rdquo; the report says. The strike in Qatar marked a diplomatic turning point affecting regional relations later in the year. ACLED concludes that Israel&rsquo;s 2025 military posture shifted from a status quo power to a more revisionist one, noting: &ldquo;Israel established or expanded buffer zones and military outposts in three countries.&rdquo; This data underscores the complex and far-reaching nature of Israel&rsquo;s military campaigns in the Middle East throughout 2025, marking one of the most active and geographically expansive years in recent regional history.

ACLED says Israel launched military attacks in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen throughout the year.

Israel attacked six Muslim countries in 2025: Report

KHAN YUNIS: It only took a matter of minutes after the heavy overnight rain first began to fall for Jamil al-Sharafi&#39;s tent in southern Gaza to flood, drenching his food and leaving his blankets sopping wet.&nbsp;The winter rains have made an already precarious life worse for people like Sharafi, who is among the hundreds of thousands in the Palestinian territory displaced by the war, many of whom now survive on aid provided by humanitarian organisations.&nbsp;&quot;My children are shivering from cold and fear... The tent was completely flooded within minutes,&quot; Sharafi, 47, said on Sunday.&nbsp;&quot;We lost our blankets, and all the food is soaked,&quot; added the father of six, who lives in a makeshift shelter with his children in the coastal area of Al-Mawasi.&nbsp;A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in place since October 10, following two years of devastating fighting.&nbsp;But despite the truce, Gazans still face a severe humanitarian crisis, and most of those displaced by the war have been left with little or nothing.&nbsp;Families are crowded into camps of tents hastily erected from tarpaulins, which are often surrounded by mud and standing water when it rains.&nbsp;&quot;As an elderly woman, I cannot live in tents. Living in tents means we die from the cold in the rain and from the heat in the summer,&quot; said Umm Rami Bulbul.&nbsp;&quot;We don&#39;t want reconstruction right now, just provide us and our children with mobile homes.&quot;&nbsp;Nighttime temperatures in Gaza have ranged between eight and 12 degrees Celsius in recent days.&nbsp;Insufficient aidNearly 80 percent of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged by the war, according to United Nations data.&nbsp;And about 1.5 million of Gaza&#39;s 2.2 million residents have lost their homes, said Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza.&nbsp;Of more than 300,000 tents requested to shelter displaced people, &quot;we have received only 60,000&quot;, Shawa told AFP, pointing to Israeli restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid into the territory.&nbsp;The UN refugee agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, said the harsh weather had compounded the misery of Gazans.&nbsp;&quot;People in Gaza are surviving in flimsy, waterlogged tents &amp; among ruins,&quot; UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X.&nbsp;&quot;There is nothing inevitable about this. Aid supplies are not being allowed in at the scale required.&quot;&nbsp;COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, said in mid-December that &quot;close to 310,000 tents and tarpaulins entered the Gaza Strip recently&quot; as part of an increase in aid under the ceasefire.&nbsp;Earlier this month, Gaza experienced a similar spell of heavy rain and cold.&nbsp;The weather caused at least 18 deaths due to the collapse of war-damaged buildings or exposure to cold, according to Gaza&#39;s civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas authority.&nbsp;On December 18, the UN&#39;s humanitarian office said that 17 buildings collapsed during the storm, while 42,000 tents and makeshift shelters were fully or partially damaged.&nbsp;&quot;Look at the state of my children and the tent,&quot; said Samia Abu Jabba.&nbsp;&quot;I sleep in the cold, and water floods us and my children&#39;s clothes. I have no clothes for them to wear. They are freezing,&quot; she said.&nbsp;&quot;What did the people of Gaza and their children do to deserve this?&quot;<figure class="fr-media"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic"> </figcaption></figure>

Winter rains in Gaza flood tents of displaced families, compounding the humanitarian crisis. Limited aid, destroyed homes, and freezing temperatures leave hundreds of thousands struggling for shelter, food, and basic survival.

'Shivering from cold and fear': winter rains batter displaced Gazans

MOGADISHU, Somalia: Israel&#39;s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland &quot;is (a) threat to the security and stability of the world and the region,&quot; Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told an emergency parliamentary session Sunday.&nbsp;Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s Friday announcement, making his country the first to recognise Somaliland, &quot;is tantamount to a blunt aggression against the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and the unity of the people of the Somali Republic,&quot; Mohamud said.&nbsp;Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has for decades pushed for international recognition.&nbsp;A self-proclaimed republic, it enjoys a strategic position on the Gulf of Aden and has its own money, passports and army.&nbsp;But it has been diplomatically isolated since its unilateral declaration of independence.&nbsp;Somalia&#39;s government and the African Union reacted angrily Friday after Israel&#39;s announcement.&nbsp;Mogadishu denounced a &quot;deliberate attack&quot; on its sovereignty, while Egypt, Turkey, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation all condemned the decision.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Israel’s recognition of Somaliland threatens regional and global stability, calling it an act of aggression against Somalia’s sovereignty, as African Union members and key regional states condemned the move.

Israel's recognition of Somaliland 'threat' to regional stability: Somali president

ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and 21 nations, including Pakistan, strongly rejected Israel&rsquo;s recognition of Somalia&rsquo;s northern &#39;Somaliland&#39; region as a sovereign state, citing violations of sovereignty, international law, and regional stability. Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its social media account on X Sunday shared a joint statement by the foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye, Yemen, and the OIC. According to the statement, the foreign ministers and the OIC underscored the following: 1- Their unequivocal rejection of Israel&rsquo;s recognition of the &ldquo;Somaliland&rdquo; region of the Federal Republic of Somalia on 26 December 2025, given the serious repercussions of such unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole, which also reflects Israel&rsquo;s full and blatant disregard to international law. 2- Their condemnation in the strongest terms of such recognition, which constitutes a grave violation of the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, which explicitly stipulates the imperative of protecting the sovereignty of states and their territorial integrity, and reflects Israel&rsquo;s expansionist aims. 3- &nbsp;Full support of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and the unequivocal rejection of any measures that undermine the unity of Somalia, its territorial integrity, or its sovereignty over its entire territory. 4- The recognition of parts of states constitutes a serious precedent and threatens international peace and security, and violates the cardinal principles of international law and the United Nations Charter. 5- The full rejection of any potential link between such a measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people from their land, which is unequivocally rejected in any form as a matter of principle.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 971px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2005144577460797853&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=f0c00d3cc015e0e089bc3a969b1a91b18167742b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> OIC statement&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation shared the following statement on X on Saturday:&nbsp; &ldquo;The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed its strong condemnation and categorical rejection of Israel&rsquo;s recognition, as the occupying power, of the &#39;Somaliland&#39; region as an independent state, considering it a violation of the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia, its national unity, and its territorial integrity.&rdquo; It further said: &ldquo;The General Secretariat reaffirmed its full solidarity with the Federal Republic of Somalia and its unwavering support for its sovereignty and territorial unity, as well as its unequivocal support for its legitimate institutions.&rdquo; &ldquo;It also underscored the necessity of adhering to the principles of the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Charter of the United Nations, and international law, all of which stipulate respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States,&rdquo; it added. The statement said: &ldquo;The Organization emphasized the need to preserve security, peace, and stability in the Horn of Africa region, and rejected any actions that could undermine regional stability.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2004921379599339775&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=f0c00d3cc015e0e089bc3a969b1a91b18167742b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>

Foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye, Yemen, and the OIC issue a joint statement.

OIC, 21 nations condemn Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s 'Somaliland' region

ISLAMABAD: An Israeli reservist soldier ran over a Palestinian man while he was praying by the roadside, according to footage broadcast by CNN.&nbsp;The incident, which has been widely reported by international media citing Reuters, shows the man being struck as he prayed, sparking condemnation and raising questions over the conduct of Israeli security personnel in the occupied territories.&nbsp;In a statement, the Israeli military said it had received footage showing an armed individual running over a Palestinian man, adding that the driver was a reservist whose military service had since been terminated.&nbsp;The military said the reservist acted in severe violation of his authority and that his weapon had been confiscated.&nbsp;Israeli media reported that the reservist was placed under house arrest following the incident.&nbsp;The Palestinian man was taken to hospital for medical checks after the incident, as per media reports.&nbsp;In a separate incident, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli forces on Friday fatally shot a Palestinian man east of Gaza City. The victim, identified as Uday al-Maqadma, was reportedly sitting near the entrance of a school when Israeli forces opened fire. He was taken to hospital in critical condition and later died of his injuries.&nbsp;Wafa said the killing comes amid continued Israeli military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces have carried out near-daily raids, arrests and use of live fire since the start of the war.&nbsp;Palestinian health officials say dozens of Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank during these operations, which Israeli authorities describe as security measures targeting militants.&nbsp;The agency also reported that two Palestinians were shot dead earlier this week in Gaza City&rsquo;s Shujaiya neighborhood during Israeli military activity in the area.

The footage, shared by CNN, shows the man being struck as he prayed, sparking condemnation and raising questions over the conduct of Israeli security personnel in the occupied territories.

Articles tagged with "Israel"

Patients cling to medical organization in Gaza hospital as Israel orders it out

Israel, Syria resume US-backed talks to advance regional stability

Somalia calls Israeli FM visit to Somaliland an 'incursion'

Netanyahu says Israel won't let Iran restore ballistic missile programme

Pakistan backs Somalia’s unity, condemns Israel’s Somaliland recognition

Israel attacked six Muslim countries in 2025: Report

'Shivering from cold and fear': winter rains batter displaced Gazans

Israel's recognition of Somaliland 'threat' to regional stability: Somali president

OIC, 21 nations condemn Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s 'Somaliland' region

Israeli reservist rams vehicle into praying Palestinian man

Patients cling to medical organization in Gaza hospital as Israel orders it out