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The United Nations on Monday expressed deep concern over the recent arrest of Afghan women and girls by the Taliban for allegedly violating the group’s strict dress code regulations. In May 2022, the Taliban authorities issued a decree mandating that women cover their bodies fully, showing only their eyes, and recommended the wearing of the full-body burqa. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have increasingly enforced restrictions on women’s appearance and public behavior through so-called morality laws that prohibit women from revealing their faces outside the home. According to the UN mission in Afghanistan, “numerous” women and girls were arrested in Kabul between July 16 and 19 for allegedly failing to adhere to hijab rules. “These incidents serve to further isolate women and girls, contribute to a climate of fear, and erode public trust,” the mission said, without disclosing the number of arrests, the ages of those detained, or their current whereabouts. Syrian forces returning to Sweida after deadly Druze-Bedouin clashes The mission also called on the Taliban government to “rescind policies and practices” that restrict the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls, particularly the ongoing ban on female education beyond sixth grade. A Taliban representative was not immediately available for comment. In January 2024, Afghanistan’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice reported that women had been arrested in Kabul for wearing “bad hijab.” Ministry spokesman Abdul Ghafar Farooq did not clarify how many women were detained or what specifically constituted a “bad” hijab. At the time, the UN said it was investigating allegations of mistreatment and extortion related to the women’s detention and release. The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces. Since then, the administration has pursued international recognition while enforcing its interpretation of Islamic law. In July, Russia became the only country to grant formal recognition to the Taliban government.

At least 32 Palestinians were killed on Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire near food distribution centers in southern Gaza, according to hospital authorities and eyewitnesses. The deadly incidents took place near aid hubs operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group supported by both the U.S. and Israel. These centers were established in May to provide food assistance, with the aim of replacing the traditional U.N.-led aid system, which both countries allege is compromised by Hamas — a claim the U.N. denies. While GHF reports distributing millions of meals, local health officials and witnesses claim Israeli gunfire has repeatedly led to deaths near these facilities, which are located within military-controlled zones. The Israeli military, which does not have troops directly at the sites but maintains a perimeter, confirmed it had fired warning shots near Rafah after individuals approached military personnel and ignored warnings. The army said the shooting occurred at night when the site was closed. GHF, meanwhile, reported no incidents near its distribution centers and reiterated that it has repeatedly warned civilians not to approach during nighttime or early morning hours. Eyewitnesses Report Heavy GunfireMost of Saturday’s casualties occurred about three kilometers from a GHF hub near Khan Younis. Witnesses described chaotic scenes as people moved toward the area seeking food. Mahmoud Mokeimar, who was part of the crowd, said Israeli forces fired without warning. “The occupation fired indiscriminately,” he said, adding that he saw multiple bodies and many injured people fleeing. Another witness, Akram Aker, said troops used mounted machine guns and drones to fire on the crowd between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., describing the situation as an ambush. “They surrounded us and started shooting directly,” he said. Sanaa al-Jaberi, who also sought food aid, said gunfire erupted after people began running toward the site. “Is this food or death? They don’t speak to us — only shoot,” she said, holding an empty bag. According to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, 25 bodies were brought in, while seven more, including a woman, were reported killed near Rafah. The hospital also treated 70 injured individuals, most of whom suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest. “We lack medical supplies, and the situation is tragic,” said Dr. Mohamed Saker, head of the hospital’s nursing department, noting that some victims were treated on the floor. Airstrikes Across GazaIn a separate incident, two people were killed in Gaza City after an airstrike hit a tent sheltering displaced families, said Fares Awad of the Health Ministry’s emergency services. Twelve others were killed in central Gaza by an airstrike, including a police officer and five women, relatives of the official. Two children, including an infant, also died. Other strikes were reported in Bureij, Sheikh Radwan, and Tal al-Hawa, killing at least 10 more people. The Israeli military did not comment on specific strikes but stated it targeted around 90 locations across Gaza in the last 24 hours. Mounting Humanitarian CrisisGaza’s humanitarian conditions continue to worsen, with over 2 million people facing extreme hardship. Scenes at GHF distribution sites are described as chaotic, with people scrambling for supplies, according to videos and accounts from witnesses. The ongoing conflict was sparked when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Fifty remain captive, though fewer than half are believed to be alive. Israel’s military response has since killed over 58,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry — a figure that includes many women and children. While the ministry is under Hamas authority, international organizations continue to rely on it for casualty figures. Ceasefire negotiations continue in Qatar, but no significant progress has been reported. At a rally in Tel Aviv, families of hostages urged leaders to finalize a deal. “It’s time to bring the hostages home and end this war,” said Efrat Machikawa, a relative of a freed hostage. Attack on West Bank Church CondemnedIn the occupied West Bank, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited Taybeh village following an arson attack on the Church of St. George allegedly carried out by Israeli settlers. Huckabee, known for his pro-Israel stance, condemned the attack. “This is a crime and an act of terror. A place of worship should never be desecrated,” he said. Violence by Israeli settlers has surged in the West Bank since the war began, with Palestinian residents accusing Israeli forces of failing to intervene. Few perpetrators have been brought to justice, rights groups say.

Syrian government forces are preparing to redeploy in Sweida province after renewed clashes erupted overnight between Druze armed groups and Sunni Bedouin tribes, officials said Friday. The deployment follows a temporary ceasefire that had halted several days of deadly violence earlier this week. Two Syrian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government reached an agreement with some Druze factions to re-enter the province to restore stability and safeguard state institutions. Fighting initially broke out Sunday between Druze militias and local Bedouin tribes. When government forces intervened, they appeared to side with the Bedouins, intensifying tensions. The four-day conflict killed hundreds, with reports of Druze civilians being executed and their homes looted and burned by government-aligned fighters. Israel responded with airstrikes targeting Syrian military convoys and even hit the Defense Ministry in Damascus, in a show of support for the Druze community. Syrian government and Druze leaders announce ceasefire amid clashes and Israeli strikes A ceasefire mediated by the U.S., Turkey, and Arab nations was announced Wednesday. Under the deal, Druze factions and clerics would manage internal security in Sweida, Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa said. However, clashes flared again after government forces withdrew, prompting Druze militias to launch revenge attacks on Bedouin communities. According to the Daraa governor, more than 1,000 families have fled to his province. Bedouin reinforcements have since arrived in Sweida. “We will not return to our homes until we crush Al-Hijri and his ilk,” said Abu Mariam, a fighter from Deir ez-Zor, referring to prominent Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri. Sweida, home to both Druze and Bedouin communities, has seen intermittent sectarian tensions. Researcher Ahmed Aba Zeid noted, “The state exploited the latest problem to try to change the situation in Sweida.”

A devastating fire tore through a newly opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut on Wednesday night, killing at least 61 people, including children, and injuring many others, according to officials. The Interior Ministry said civil defense teams managed to rescue more than 45 individuals trapped inside the five-story Corniche Hypermarket Mall, which had opened just a week earlier. However, several people are still missing, state media reported. The blaze, which began on the mall’s second floor in a section selling perfumes and cosmetics, spread rapidly. Most victims reportedly died from suffocation, while 14 charred bodies remain unidentified. Local residents and officials blamed the tragedy on inadequate fire safety measures. Images shared on local media showed the building completely engulfed in flames. “This is deeply painful,” said Abdul Redha Thahab, a 60-year-old Kut resident. “My neighbor’s entire family—six people—died in the fire.” Wasit’s Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi announced three days of mourning and said legal actions were being taken against the building and mall owners. He claimed the building was converted into a shopping center without proper fire safety protocols. 59 Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israeli fire and airstrikes Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani visited the site on Thursday and instructed the Interior Minister to investigate and take steps to prevent such disasters in the future. Poor building safety standards have led to deadly fires in Iraq before, including a 2021 hospital fire and a 2023 wedding hall blaze, both of which claimed dozens of lives. Survivors and victims’ relatives are demanding accountability. Source: Agency 

A devastating fire at a shopping mall in Iraq’s eastern Wasit province has claimed at least 50 lives, including women and children, according to the provincial governor. Governor Mohammed al-Mayyeh announced a three-day period of mourning following the deadly blaze, which broke out on Wednesday in the town of Kut. Details about the incident remain limited, but authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire. Legal proceedings have already been initiated against both the building owner and the mall owner, though specific charges have yet to be disclosed. “We assure the families of the innocent victims that we will not show leniency towards anyone found directly or indirectly responsible,” al-Mayyeh said in a statement. Syria declares ceasefire after deadly sectarian clashes Fires caused by poor safety standards are not uncommon in Iraq. A similar tragedy occurred in July 2021 when a fire tore through a hospital in Nasiriyah, killing between 60 to 92 people. That incident was blamed on the use of highly flammable, low-cost “sandwich panel” cladding, which is banned in Iraq. Another major fire in 2023 at a wedding hall in Nineveh province’s Hamdaniya district claimed over 100 lives after ceiling panels caught fire due to pyrotechnics.

An Israeli-backed American aid group operating in Gaza said 20 Palestinians were killed on Wednesday near one of its distribution sites in Khan Younis, with most deaths resulting from a stampede. The Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), a Delaware-registered nonprofit, reported that 19 people were trampled to death and one person was fatally stabbed during the chaos. The group accused Hamas of inciting panic and spreading false information that triggered the violence, though it offered no evidence to support the claim. The incident occurred as Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, now in its 21st month, continues to fuel humanitarian catastrophe. Local hospital officials said Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed 22 people, including 11 children. UN reports surge in child malnutrition in Gaza as Israeli strikes kill 93 Gaza’s population of over 2 million faces severe food insecurity and near-famine conditions, according to international experts. Aid distribution has become increasingly perilous, with Palestinians reporting that Israeli forces frequently fire toward civilians en route to aid sites. Though GHF rarely comments on violence at its hubs, its operations have come under scrutiny as hundreds of Palestinians have been killed or injured near distribution points, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and eyewitness accounts. Source: Agency 

Syria’s defense minister announced a ceasefire on Tuesday after deadly sectarian violence in Sweida province, but fresh clashes and reports of civilian abuses continued to emerge. The fighting, which erupted from retaliatory kidnappings between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze factions, has left over 160 people dead, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Government forces, deployed Monday to restore order, reportedly engaged in field executions and looting, including the killing of 12 men inside a rest house. Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said an agreement was reached with local leaders and that government troops would respond only to attacks. But local sources reported ongoing gunfire and rights violations. Israel strikes tanks as clashes kill at least 89 in Southern Syria Israel, citing protection of the Druze minority, launched strikes on Syrian military positions. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated the action was to prevent harm to Druze communities near the Israeli border. Syria condemned the airstrikes, calling them foreign interference. Druze leaders initially urged fighters to surrender but retracted the call, accusing Damascus of breaking promises and targeting civilians. Since President Bashar Assad's ouster last December, tensions have flared under Syria's new leadership, deepening sectarian divisions and drawing regional concern. The U.S. called for a peaceful resolution involving all parties.

The United Nations on Tuesday reported a sharp rise in child malnutrition in the Gaza Strip, while health officials said ongoing Israeli airstrikes killed at least 93 people in 24 hours, including dozens of women and children. UNRWA, the main U.N. agency operating in Gaza, said it screened nearly 16,000 children under age 5 in June and found 10.2% to be acutely malnourished—up from 5.5% in March. UNICEF also reported 5,870 cases of malnutrition among children in June, more than double February's figure. The rise in hunger follows Israel's tightened blockade since March, when it restricted the entry of food and aid after breaking a ceasefire. Although some aid was allowed in May, the U.N. says the 69 trucks entering daily fall far short of the hundreds needed. Gaza's Health Ministry said 93 people were killed and 278 injured in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours. One strike in Shati refugee camp killed Hamas legislator Mohammed Faraj al-Ghoul and a family of eight. Another in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa district killed 19 members of a single family, including eight women and six children. 59 Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israeli fire and airstrikes Israel’s military did not comment on the attacks but maintains it targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas’ use of dense urban areas. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called for accountability after a 20-year-old Palestinian-American was reportedly beaten to death by settlers in the West Bank. In Lebanon, Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in the Bekaa Valley killed 12 people, including seven Syrians in a refugee camp. The death toll in Gaza since October 7 has surpassed 58,400, with over half believed to be women and children.

The United Nations’ special rapporteur for Gaza and the West Bank on Tuesday called on countries worldwide to take immediate action to stop what she described as “genocide” in Gaza. Francesca Albanese made the statement during a two-day conference in Colombia’s capital, where delegates from 30 countries gathered to discuss the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and explore ways to pressure Israel to halt its military offensive. Many attending nations have referred to the violence as genocide against Palestinians. “Each state must immediately review and suspend all ties with the State of Israel ... and ensure its private sector does the same,” Albanese said. “The Israeli economy is structured to sustain the occupation that has now turned genocidal.” The conference, co-hosted by Colombia and South Africa, includes mostly developing countries but also delegations from Spain, Ireland, and China. Israel has dismissed allegations of genocide as an antisemitic “blood libel.” 5 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza while strikes kill 51 Palestinians More than 58,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its military campaign in response to a Hamas attack in 2023, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. While the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, the U.N. and other international organizations consider its figures to be the most reliable. Analysts remain skeptical about the conference’s influence. “The United States has so far failed to influence Israel’s behavior,” said Sandra Borda, a professor at Bogota’s Los Andes University. “It is naive to think this group of countries can have any influence over Netanyahu’s behavior.” Colombia’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Mauricio Jaramillo said the gathering would explore diplomatic and judicial actions against Israel, stating, “This is not just about Palestine... it is about defending international law… and the right to self-determination.”

Syria’s Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced a ceasefire Tuesday following a deadly outbreak of sectarian violence in Sweida province that killed dozens, with clashes between Druze factions and Sunni Bedouin tribes escalating into a broader conflict involving government forces and Israeli airstrikes. The ceasefire was declared shortly after Syrian forces entered a key city in the province. Abu Qasra said an agreement was reached with local “notables and dignitaries,” and forces would only “respond to the sources of fire.” However, scattered violence and reports of abuses by security forces persisted. The Interior Ministry initially reported over 30 deaths but has not updated the toll. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 166 people had been killed since Sunday, including women and children. Among them, 21 were allegedly executed by government forces, and homes were reportedly looted and burned. Israel strikes tanks as clashes kill at least 89 in Southern Syria Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa vowed legal action against any perpetrators, “regardless of their rank or position.” Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian convoys, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz stating the attacks aimed to protect the Druze and disarm nearby areas. Minister Amichai Chikli called for al-Sharaa’s “elimination.” One injured Interior Ministry soldier, Manhal Yasser Al-Gor, said his convoy was hit by an Israeli drone while entering Sweida “to secure the civilians and prevent looting.” Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, reaffirming the Druze as “an integral part of the national identity.” Religious Druze leaders initially urged surrender but later retracted, citing “indiscriminate shelling.” Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri claimed, “We are being subjected to a total war of annihilation.” International concern grew, with U.S. envoy Tom Barrack urging a “peaceful, inclusive outcome.”