Hello from The National in Abu Dhabi. Here's your morning newsletter with all the top stories from the Mena region.
GAZA/ISRAEL
The Hamas and Israeli delegations involved in the Gaza truce negotiations have left Egypt, signalling the failure of efforts by mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar to get the warring parties to agree on a deal to pause the war. Hamas said the "ball is now completely" in Israel's court. The UN General Assembly is expected to hold a vote today on a resolution that would grant new rights and privileges to Palestine. Follow the latest developments here.
An all-out assault on Rafah will not help Israel destroy Hamas in Gaza, the White House said on Thursday, as Republicans suggested President Joe Biden should be impeached for withholding bombs from its ally.
Israel began bombarding Gaza's Al Zeitoun neighbourhood yesterday, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians and forcing thousands to flee their homes, residents told The National.
At least 49 bodies have been found buried near Al Shifa Hospital in the latest discovery of a mass grave within a medical compound in the Gaza Strip.
LEBANON
At least four people were killed in an Israeli strike on a car in the southern Lebanese village of Baflieh, the latest in a string of attacks on either side of the border this week. Hezbollah acknowledged the death of two fighters who were killed “in defence of south Lebanon, in an Israeli drone strike in the rear".
SYRIA
The Israeli Air Force struck and destroyed a building in south Damascus belonging to one of the strongest pro-Iranian militias in the Middle East, pro-Iranian sources said. The attack, on the Iraqi Al Nujaba militia base in the Sayda Zeinab district, is the fourth known Israeli raid against targets linked to Tehran in Syria since the two countries came close to direct war three weeks ago.
IRAN
With negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme taking a back seat during the Gaza crisis, former US deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes acknowledged that a second-term approach by President Joe Biden would have to be “conflict resolution rather than conflict avoidance”.
Prominent Iranian film director Mohammad Rasoulof has been sentenced to eight years in prison and flogging for national security crimes. His film The Seed of the Sacred Fig is due to be shown in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival this month.
SUDAN
Sudanese army commander Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan said there will be no peace in Sudan until the military defeats the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that it has been fighting for more than a year, throwing a planned resumption of ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia into doubt.
UAE
President Sheikh Mohamed and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during talks in Abu Dhabi.
Funeral prayers were held in Abu Dhabi for Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan bin Zayed.
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PLUS …
Mukesh Kapila argues that foreign aid shouldn't come with strings attached.
Abu Dhabi has hosted trials for passenger-carrying drones that can travel more than 25km.
Al Ain take on Yokohama F Marinos of Japan in the first of a two-legged final tomorrow to determine the winners of football's 2023/24 Asian Champions League.
AND …
Grammy Award winning dance-hall singer Shaggy speaks to The National about his time spent as a marine deployed in Kuwait during the Gulf War.
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