Good morning everyone. Thank you for tuning in today. We know how valuable
your time is, so I'll aim to provide a concise, yet insightful rundown
of several pressing updates across the Middle East for you. Whether the ongoing tragedy
in Gaza, escalating air strikes in Yemen, or emerging diplomatic visions for the
region. These developments impact global security and economic stability for anyone. Following the
hostage crisis still gripping families. We have a revealing interview with a mother newly
freed in Gaza. I'll summarize the latest verified details around key areas, from
conditions for aid workers and civilians in Gaza to deadly West Bank raids by Israeli
forces overnight. My goal is to equip listeners with up to date coverage on
events shaping the Middle East crisis. I believe you will find plenty here that
enhances your awareness and understanding. Now, without further ado, let's dive into
these vital stories. Multiple aid organizations working inside Gaza are reporting extremely dangerous condition
as the communication blackout continues into its seventh day. Juliet Tuma, a spokesperson
for the UN Relief and Works Agency stated it is nearly impossible to carry out
critical humanitarian operations without phones or Internet. Civilians have no way to call for
emergency services, Ambulances cannot respond to incidents quickly, and families separated between Gaza
and the West Bank have no means of verifying if loved ones are alive or
dead. Israel has previously faced accusations of deliberately cutting off Gaza's connectivity. While
the specific causes remain unconfirmed, initial statements from Telecom Company or Redu suggested the
main fiber optic lines into Gaza have suffered physical damage on multiple occasions. The
current blackout is the longest single outage since the war began in October. An
Israeli military spokesperson reminded that Gaza remains an active conflict zone with only partial control
of infrastructure. In additional strike on Yemen this week, the US targeted a
small number healthy anti ship missiles preparing to launch at international shipping lanes. The
attack marked the fifth US operation against the Iran backed rebels in the past seven
days, beginning with coordinated US and UK strikes on approximately thirty sites last week.
So far, President Biden says the strikes have removed offensive capabilities, but
not clearly deterred continued hoothy aggression in the region. A new report from the
Committee to Protect Journalists reveals Israel now jails the sixth most reporters in the world,
tied with Iran at seventeen incarcerated journalists each. The tally dates from December
first, twenty twenty two. China imprisoned the most at forty four, followed
by Mayanmar and Belarus. The organization stated this marks Israel's highest number of Palestinian
media arrests since CPJ began keeping records in nineteen ninety two. Most of those
detained by Israeli authorities remain in administration detention indefinitely without public charges. In operations
across the occupied West Bank overnight, Israeli security forces killed at least eleven Palestinians,
according to officials. The israel Defense Forces said fighters engaged armed terrorists in
exchanges of fire, including a clash at the Tolkarmbe refugee camp, resulting in
eight militant deaths. However, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society stated two medical personnel
were wounded in an Israeli drone strike on their ambulance. Local organizations also claim
multiple civilian arrests and beatings during the raids on West Bank towns and camps.
As the Gaza war continues, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington reinforced urgent calls for
a ceasefire and cautioned that further escalation risks plunging the region into utter turmoil.
Princess Rima bent Bandar al Saoud questioned openly how many more children need to die
before the violence stops. She firmly reiterated that any Israeli confidence building require hires
tangible progress on Palestinian rights and conditions. The ambassador described the Middle East as
a hot and volatile area that will regress dramatically if stray attacks spiral into worsening
retaliations. In discussions at the World Economic Forum summit, Israel's President Isaac Herzog
promoted a vision for Gaza reconstruction involving regional allies. He expressed willingness to rebuild
the territory in a way that protects Israel's security while also benefiting Palestinians. Herzog
also characterized normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia as a potential game changer to enable
broader Middle East advancement after the war ends. He described the diplomatic process as
delicate and gradual, but worthwhile for the future. As the youngest Israeli hostage
in Gaza reaches one year old in captivity, his family will hold a public
birthday commemoration in Tel Aviv appealing for his release. Little b was abducted as
an infant alongside his parents and older brother when Palestinian militants attacked their kibbutz.
While the Israel Defense Forces continue investigating Hamas claims that Kfeir has died, the
militant group provided no evidence to verify the allegation of his death by airstrike in
November. Recently freed Israeli mother Sharon Alonei Cunio, still desperately misses her husband,
who remains a hostage in Gaza. In her first American interview since release,
she described debilitating depression while struggling to independently parent the couple's three year old
twin daughters. Alone Cunio recounted being hidden by captors with other hostages inside Gaza
hospitals. She alleges three rooms at Nasser Hospital each sheltered ten to twelve prisoners
attended by a single nurse periodically. If true, her account lends credibility to
previous US and Israeli government suspicions that medical facilities illegally harbored hostages. And that
concludes our briefing on the latest development spanning the turbulent Middle East region, from
the communications blackouts impairing Gaza AID operations to Israel's expanded air campaign targeting Yemen rebels.
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