United News of Bangladesh

Israel on Wednesday gave final approval to a long-planned settlement project in the occupied West Bank’s E1 area, a move Palestinians and rights groups say could block hopes for a future Palestinian state. The E1 tract, east of Jerusalem, has been under discussion for over two decades but was previously frozen under U.S. pressure. The international community considers West Bank settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a former settler leader, framed the approval as a message to Western nations announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state. “Every settlement, every neighborhood, every housing unit is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea,” he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes a Palestinian state alongside Israel and has pledged to maintain open-ended control over the West Bank, east Jerusalem, and Gaza — territories Israel captured in 1967. Settlement expansion has coincided with heightened settler attacks on Palestinians, evictions, military operations, and movement restrictions, alongside some Palestinian attacks on Israelis. E1’s location is critical, linking the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem. Currently, Palestinians must take long detours through checkpoints, but the area could serve as a direct link in a future Palestinian state. Peace Now said the settlement aims solely to sabotage political solutions. Israel prepares for expanded military campaign in Gaza city amid ceasefire efforts Plans call for around 3,500 homes in E1 next to Maale Adumim, with construction potentially starting within a year. Approval also includes 350 homes for the Ashael settlement near Hebron. While Israel could theoretically remove the settlements in the future, strong government and public support make that unlikely. The project is backed by religious and ultranationalist politicians, with Smotrich wielding Cabinet-level authority over settlements and promising to double the West Bank settler population.

A record 383 aid workers were killed worldwide in 2024, nearly half of them in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war, the U.N. said Tuesday, marking World Humanitarian Day with a grim warning about rising risks for those delivering lifesaving help. U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the surge in killings must serve as a “wake-up call” to protect civilians and those working to assist them.“Attacks on this scale, with zero accountability, are a shameful indictment of international inaction and apathy,” Fletcher said. “We call on leaders to protect civilians and aid workers, and to hold perpetrators accountable.” According to the Aid Worker Security Database, fatalities rose from 293 in 2023 to 383 in 2024 — including more than 180 in Gaza. Most victims were national staff serving their own communities, often killed at work or in their homes, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported. The database recorded 599 major attacks on aid workers last year, up sharply from 420 in 2023. Those incidents also left 308 wounded, 125 kidnapped, and 45 detained. Already in 2025, 245 major attacks have been logged, with 265 deaths. One of the deadliest incidents came on March 23 in Rafah, southern Gaza, when Israeli troops reportedly fired on medics and rescue workers in marked vehicles, killing 15 and later bulldozing the bodies into a mass grave. Gaza death toll rises above 62,000, says Palestinian health authorities Sudan was the second-deadliest country after Gaza and the West Bank, with 60 aid workers killed in 2024, more than double the previous year. Other hotspots included Lebanon (20 deaths, up from none in 2023), Ethiopia and Syria (14 each), and Ukraine (13, compared with 6 the year before). “Even one attack on a humanitarian colleague is an attack on all of us,” Fletcher stressed. “Violence against aid workers is not inevitable — it must end.” Source: Agency 

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported Monday that more than 62,000 Palestinians have died in the 22-month conflict in Gaza. At least 60 people were killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, to 62,004. Another 156,230 people have been wounded. The ministry said 1,965 people have died while seeking aid or near distribution sites, including at least seven on Monday morning. The figures, widely regarded as the most reliable by the UN, do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Bangladesh has been a great support to Palestine: Ambassador Meanwhile, Egypt’s top diplomat condemned Israel’s plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians from Gaza and said efforts, along with Qatar, are underway to revive a U.S. proposal for a 60-day ceasefire.   Source: Agency

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed a baby girl and her parents on Saturday, according to Nasser hospital officials and witnesses, as families of hostages in Israel called for a “nationwide day of stoppage” to protest the handling of the war that has dragged on for 22 months. The bodies of the baby, wrapped in blue, and her parents, Motasem al-Batta and his wife, were laid together as Palestinians held funeral prayers in the crowded Muwasi area, where the family was killed in their tent. “Two and a half months, what has she done?” asked neighbor Fathi Shubeir, pointing out that the victims were civilians in an area designated as safe. Temperatures in the devastated enclave soared above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius). The Israeli military said its operations are aimed at dismantling Hamas’ capabilities and that it seeks to avoid civilian casualties, but could not comment specifically on Saturday’s strike without further details. Muwasi is among the heavily populated zones of Gaza where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to expand military operations. The mobilization is expected to take weeks, with analysts suggesting the threat may also be intended to pressure Hamas to release more of the hostages it seized during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. Families of hostages, however, fear that a new offensive could put the remaining captives at greater risk. Of about 50 still held in Gaza, only 20 are believed to be alive. Anguish deepened recently when videos emerged showing emaciated hostages speaking under duress and pleading for food and help. A group representing the families called on Israelis to take to the streets Sunday. “Across the country, hundreds of citizen-led initiatives will pause daily life and join the most just and moral struggle: the struggle to bring all 50 hostages home,” it said in a statement. Meanwhile, the United Nations warned that hunger and malnutrition in Gaza have reached their highest levels since the war began. Many Palestinians are forced to drink contaminated water as diseases spread, while some Israeli leaders continue to openly discuss the mass relocation of people from the territory. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 11 additional malnutrition-related deaths in the past 24 hours, including one child, raising the total to 251 during the war. Humanitarian access remains severely constrained. The U.N. and aid groups say delivering supplies to Gaza’s 2 million people and ensuring safe distribution is extremely difficult due to Israeli restrictions and desperate crowds. Two decades after Gaza withdrawal, Israel remains deeply entangled The U.N. human rights office said at least 1,760 people have been killed while trying to obtain aid since May 27. Among them, 766 died along supply convoy routes, while 994 were killed near “non-U.N. militarized sites” — a reference to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by Israel and the U.S., which has been the primary aid distributor since May. The war erupted after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people in Israel. In response, Israel’s offensive has killed 61,897 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which says roughly half of the dead are women and children. Though Israel disputes those figures, it has not provided alternative numbers. The Health Ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-led government but staffed by medical professionals, and the U.N. along with independent experts consider its data the most reliable source of casualty figures.   Source: Agency

A video circulating widely on Friday shows Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir berating prominent Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti inside a prison, vowing that Israel will confront and “wipe out” anyone acting against the country. Barghouti, in his mid-60s, is serving five life sentences over his role in attacks during the Palestinian uprising, or intifada, in the early 2000s. Polls have consistently ranked him as the most popular Palestinian leader, and he has rarely been seen since his arrest more than two decades ago. Aid Organizations Urge Israel to Stop ‘Politicizing’ Humanitarian Assistance in Gaza It was unclear when the footage was recorded. In it, Ben-Gvir, known for provocative encounters with Palestinians, tells Barghouti he “will not win.” He repeated the remarks in a post on X sharing the video. His spokesman confirmed the visit and its authenticity, denying any threat was made. Barghouti’s wife, Fadwa, said in a Facebook post that her husband appeared frail but remained connected to the Palestinian people. Israeli authorities say Palestinian inmates are held under the bare minimum conditions allowed by law.

Turkey on Wednesday reaffirmed its support for Syria’s new government, warning Israel and Kurdish fighters to stop actions threatening Damascus’ stability, and signed a military training and advisory cooperation agreement with Syria. At a joint news conference in Ankara with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan accused Israel and the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of undermining Syria’s recovery after over a decade of civil war. Fidan warned that Israeli security “cannot be achieved through destabilizing neighbors” and accused the SDF of exploiting instability for its own gain. Turkey says Israel, Kurdish fighters should stop destabilizing Syria Meanwhile, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Syria’s Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra signed a memorandum on joint training and advisory cooperation. Ankara has pledged support including training, consultancy and technical assistance following sectarian violence in Syria. Al-Shibani criticized Israel for actions that “undermine the security of our citizens” and opposed foreign efforts aimed at dividing Syria along ideological or ethnic lines.   Source: Agency

At least 184 Palestinian journalists have died since the conflict in Gaza started, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The victims include both men and women, freelancers and staff reporters, experienced journalists and newcomers on early assignments. Some were killed alongside their families at home, others while reporting in vehicles marked “PRESS,” near hospitals, or covering scenes of violence. Many endured hunger, displacement, and grief like the people they reported on. Among those killed are: Ayat Khadoura, 27, a graduate of Al Quds University, known for highlighting the struggles of families in northern Gaza. She was killed in an Israeli strike in November 2023, shortly after residents were ordered to evacuate. Hamza Dahdouh, 27, son of Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, died in a drone strike in January 2024 after reporting on an earlier attack. He was the fifth member of his family to be killed. Fatima Hassouna, 25, a photojournalist killed in an Israeli airstrike in April 2025, a day after her documentary about life in Gaza was accepted at Cannes Film Festival. Hossam Shabat, 23, a freelancer from northern Gaza, killed in March 2025 while reporting for Al Jazeera. He had hoped to start a media company or work in his family’s restaurants. Al-Jazeera blames Israel for death of reporter in West Bank Anas al-Sharif, 28, a father of two, died in an Israeli strike near Shifa hospital. His death, along with five other journalists, drew widespread condemnation from press freedom groups and foreign officials. Israel has accused some of the deceased journalists of links to militant groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, claims rejected by journalists and their media outlets. The Israeli military did not respond to AP’s request for comment on the CPJ’s figures.   CPJ said it carefully investigates each death to confirm circumstances and rule out involvement in militant activities.   Source: Agency

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel intends to expand its offensive beyond Gaza City to the last areas not under Israeli control, where most of Gaza’s 2 million residents have taken shelter as the territory faces worsening famine. The mobilization is expected to take weeks, and some analysts suggest the threat of a wider operation could be aimed at pressuring Hamas to release more hostages or surrender after 22 months of war triggered by its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Any expansion is expected to bring further destruction to Gaza, where about 75% of the territory is already heavily damaged and under Israeli control. It could also worsen displacement and hinder aid deliveries during the severe hunger crisis. The plan has caused debate in Israel, with hostage families fearing their loved ones could be endangered, and some former senior security officials questioning the military value. Netanyahu said the offensive will move into Gaza’s “central camps” — Nuseirat and Bureij — and beyond, referring to them as Hamas strongholds alongside Gaza City, Muwasi, and the city of Deir al-Balah. These are among the few areas not yet devastated in earlier operations and are suspected to contain hostages in hidden locations. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, said the operation will not begin immediately and will require significant mobilization, potentially including thousands of reservists. The official noted that the announcement was partly intended to increase political and military pressure. Israel assassinates Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif in deadly Gaza strike as journalist casualties soar Netanyahu promised civilians could flee to “designated safe zones” with food, water, and medical care, without specifying the locations. Muwasi was earlier designated a humanitarian area but quickly became overcrowded with tents and lacking basic services, and Israel has conducted airstrikes there. Some Israeli officials have floated relocating Gaza’s population to a “humanitarian city” in Rafah or encouraging “voluntary emigration” abroad — proposals Palestinians and much of the international community consider forced displacement. Netanyahu has said the war will end if Hamas gives up power, surrenders its weapons, and releases the remaining 50 hostages, about 20 of whom are believed alive. He said Israel would maintain long-term security control over Gaza, with administration by Arab forces friendly to Israel — though none have agreed to take on the role. Hamas has offered to release the hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, saying it is willing to hand power to other Palestinians but will not disarm while Israel occupies land sought for a future Palestinian state. The group is unlikely to give up hostages if it believes Israel would resume the war to eliminate Hamas and depopulate Gaza. Israel broke off a ceasefire in March that had enabled the release of 25 hostages and the remains of eight others. Since then, it has tightened its blockade, carried out daily airstrikes, expanded its buffer zone, and ordered mass evacuations. Hamas has released only one hostage since, as a gesture to the United States. The 2023 Hamas-led attack killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages. More than half have been freed through ceasefires or other deals. Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israel’s offensive has killed around 61,500 Palestinians, with women and children making up roughly half of the dead. The U.N. and independent experts view the ministry’s figures as credible, though Israel disputes them and has not provided its own count. Source: Agency

Anas al-Sharif, a prominent 28-year-old Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who reported extensively from northern Gaza, was killed along with four colleagues in a targeted Israeli strike on a tent used by journalists in Gaza City. In a final message written on April 6 to be released if he died, al-Sharif said, “lived the pain in all its details” and “tasted grief and loss repeatedly.” He wrote, “Not even the mangled bodies of our children and women moved their hearts or stopped the massacre that our people have been subjected to for over a year and a half.” He added, “Despite that, I never hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or misrepresentation, hoping that God would witness those who remained silent, those who accepted our killing, and those who suffocated our very breaths.” Five Al Jazeera journalists killed in Gaza The attack late Sunday evening on the tent outside Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital gate killed seven people in total, including fellow Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa. Shortly before his death, al-Sharif posted on X that Israel had launched intense, focused bombardment, known as “fire belts,” on eastern and southern Gaza City. In his last video, the sounds of heavy Israeli missile strikes are audible while the night sky flashes with orange light. He described the scene: “Nonstop bombing… For the past two hours, the Israeli aggression on Gaza City has intensified.” Source: Al Jazeera

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday defended a new, broader military offensive in Gaza, saying Israel “has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas.” The expanded operation targets Hamas strongholds not only in Gaza City but also in the heavily populated “central camps” and Muwasi areas, officials said. The camps, sheltering over half a million displaced people, were not included in the initial announcement last Friday. Netanyahu said the offensive would include “safe zones,” though similar areas have been bombed before. Heavy bombardment continued in Gaza City late Sunday. Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif and three other journalists were killed in a strike near Shifa Hospital. Israel’s military accused al-Sharif of posing as a journalist and alleged ties to Hamas, which he denied. Netanyahu spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump, thanking him for “steadfast support.” He rejected accusations of starving Gaza’s population and said Israel plans to increase aid distribution sites. He reaffirmed Israel’s goal to demilitarize Gaza, maintain security control, and establish a non-Israeli civilian administration. Israel faces widening international criticism over Gaza military expansion The United States defended Israel’s right to self-defense during a UN Security Council meeting, while China and Russia condemned collective punishment and warned against escalating violence. Meanwhile, at least 31 Palestinians were killed while seeking aid in Gaza, with witnesses accusing Israeli forces of firing on crowds near food distribution points. The humanitarian crisis worsens, with two children dying from malnutrition Saturday, bringing the hunger death toll among children to 100 since the war began. The Gaza Health Ministry reports a total of 61,400 Palestinians killed in the conflict, half of them women and children.