Middle East

Testimonies collected by IHCR and other rights groups have described a range of alleged abuses against Palestinian prisoners during detention that the organisation characterises as severe violations of dignity and, in some cases, sexual torture.

Internet monitoring group Netblocks similarly reported signs of partial restoration but cautioned that it was unclear whether the recovery would continue.

During the phone conversation, Abdelatty stressed the importance of prioritising diplomacy as the sole option to resolve outstanding issues and protect the region from the risks of an expanding conflict.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that a deal to end the war with Iran has been "largely negotiated."

He further explained that the actions by the Israeli Minister amount to incitement to hatred and violence against Palestinians and called on the European Union to also impose sanctions on the Israeli official. 

The war has disrupted energy markets and supply chains, contributing to higher fuel costs, increased transport and production expenses, and added pressure on already fragile fiscal positions in several developing economies.

At least 430 activists were detained and moved to Israel on Monday after Israeli forces intercepted several boats carrying humanitarian aid bound for Gaza off the coast of Cyprus.

The video, published on Ben Gvir's X account with the caption "That's how we welcome the terrorism supporters. Welcome to Israel," shows the activists on the deck of a military boat while the Israeli national anthem plays. The video then shows the activists in detention in Israel, where Ben Gvir is seen waving an Israeli flag.

Under the new arrangement, pilgrims travelling for Hajj will be allowed to send their luggage directly from their home countries to their accommodation facilities in Saudi Arabia before they arrive in the Kingdom.

The World Health Organisation said that since March 2,169 attacks on health care resulted in 116 deaths and 263 injuries, including 23 attacks and 18 deaths since the ceasefire was first announced, further undermining access to life-saving services.

The fallout is being felt far beyond the Middle East, with UN agencies warning that rising fuel prices, disrupted shipping routes and growing financial uncertainty are placing mounting pressure on economies, labour markets and vulnerable households across Asia and other developing regions

"Nakba" means "catastrophe" in Arabic and marks the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli war, which led to the establishment of the state of Israel.

Meanwhile, Fars quoted a senior official of the Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps as saying that 30 vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Wednesday night.

The United States, which has imposed its own naval blockade of Iranian ports, has claimed to have severely degraded Iran's military capabilities and effectively destroyed its navy.

The statement comes after Netanyahu's office said he had held a secret meeting with the UAE president, where Israel claimed the two countries had reached a "historic breakthrough" in relations.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez warns that prolonged disputes are leaving seafarers stranded aboard ships in high-risk Gulf waters, threatening global trade and maritime safety.

Prices have reacted sharply to the disruption. North Sea crude rose by about $16.50 (Sh2,130) in April, reaching an average of $120.36 per barrel (Sh15,544).

If the ceasefire collapses, the UAE is expected to remain a potential target for Iranian missile and drone attacks, after previously being struck during earlier phases of the conflict.

The source said the conditions were intended solely to establish a minimum level of trust needed to resume dialogue.

Some 70 children have been killed since January 2025 – at least one on average every week – and a further 850 injured, mostly by live ammunition, UNICEF says.

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said that 93 per cent of the fatalities were attributed to Israeli forces, with most cases involving live ammunition.

Mohammadi was recently transferred from prison to Pars Hospital in Tehran after reportedly experiencing a sudden medical emergency on May 10.

In another post several hours later, Mohammad said there was "no alternative" but for Washington to accept Iran's 14-point peace proposal.

Long blocked by Hungary's former government, the punitive EU measures are aimed at "extremist" Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. Israel has denounced the move as "arbitrary and political."

Human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been released on bail and transferred to Tehran, her foundation said, amid alarm about her health.

Iran insists its new peace proposal to the United States seeks only “legitimate rights” as tensions escalate over the Strait of Hormuz, stalled negotiations, and disputed claims of maritime and regional security actions.

Hamas has rejected Israeli allegations of rebuilding its military strength in Gaza, reaffirming commitment to the ceasefire as tensions persist, casualties rise, and disputes over aid and truce enforcement continue.

Washington had floated the initiative in an effort to restart stalled negotiations aimed at ending the 10-week conflict and easing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran military commander presents readiness report to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, warning of swift retaliation against any US or Israeli aggression while outlining heightened defence measures.

Two paramedics have been killed and five injured in Israeli airstrikes on medical response centers in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire.

Egypt and Qatar urge the US and Iran to prioritise diplomacy and restraint as tensions and regional clashes escalate.

The HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer previously stationed in the eastern Mediterranean near Cyprus, will be positioned in the region to remain on standby for potential deployment once operational conditions allow.

"From now on, the Americans should know that Iran will safeguard its sovereignty over territorial and extraterritorial waters for its ships' security," said the legislator.

According to the US State Department, the upcoming discussions are expected to focus on key issues including border delineation, security arrangements, the restoration of Lebanese sovereignty and potential humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Lebanon.

The comments came a day after both Tehran and Washington accused each other of carrying out attacks near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.

Shireen, a longtime correspondent for Al Jazeera, was shot dead on May 11, 2022, while covering an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. She was wearing a helmet and a clearly marked press vest at the time.

The UN Human Rights Office urged Israel to immediately release Saif Abukeshek and Thiago de Avila, detained after a Gaza-bound aid flotilla was intercepted in international waters off Greece. The UN cited no formal charges and called for investigations into mistreatment.

While stressing that American forces remain fully prepared for any contingency, Rubio said the current phase of active strikes has come to an end, signalling a possible pause in confrontation.

Axios reports the US and Iran are closing in on a one-page memo to end their war. A potential framework includes Iran’s nuclear enrichment moratorium, US sanctions relief, and shared steps on Strait of Hormuz transit restrictions.

The article argues Iran has repeatedly resisted outside aggressors, citing ancient Persian interactions with Greece and Rome and later pressures, including the 1953 US-backed ouster of Mohammad Mossadegh.

Earlier, on March 6, Kuwait announced a “precautionary” reduction in crude oil production and refining operations following what it described as repeated attacks from Iran.

The cards, issued through a Saudi-based service provider contracted by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, are expected to play a central role in managing access to services during the pilgrimage.

With the Strait of Hormuz largely shut after the war began, tanker traffic remains well below pre-war levels. Gulf exporters are relying on Saudi Arabia’s Petroline and the UAE’s Adcop, but pipeline capacity and attacks constrain rerouting.

Iran submitted a 14-point counterproposal to the United States through Pakistani intermediaries, Tasnim reported. Tehran calls for a permanent end to hostilities, full withdrawal of US forces, and related economic steps. Talks are pending a US response.

Europeans may have to reconsider their summer travel plans, as a jet fuel shortage triggered by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could lead airlines to set higher ticket prices.

Responding to the sanctions, Kabila's office said he learned with astonishment of the decision taken by the United States government against him, a decision he considers "profoundly unjustified, politically motivated, and based on unsubstantiated accusations”.

The United Arab Emirates is leaving OPEC to pump more oil on its own terms. The break strips Saudi Arabia of a key partner and adds to growing uncertainty over the cartel's future.

Imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was taken to a local hospital in Zanjan after reportedly losing consciousness twice in a day in custody. Her foundation cites dangerous blood pressure, nausea, and worsening heart-related conditions.

Iran has submitted a fresh proposal to restart negotiations with the US, delivered to Pakistani mediators before being sent to Washington, Reuters reports. The move comes as Strait of Hormuz disruptions affect oil and gas and prices rise.

UNHCR reports aid deliveries to conflict and displacement zones are slowing and becoming more expensive as instability linked to the Middle East disrupts shipping routes and humanitarian logistics, increasing freight and inland transport costs.

The UAE announced it will withdraw from OPEC and OPEC+ on May 1, following an April 28 decision. The move weakens the oil groupings and reflects long-running differences between Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia.