Gaza Mourns The 16 Children Killed In Israel's Latest Assault
Plus: What is the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Erdogan-Putin talks in Russia, Iran makes first import order using cryptocurrency, and much more.
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Gaza mourns the 16 children killed in Israel's latest assault
Children accounted for a third of the Palestinians killed in Israel's latest offensive on the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli assault from August 6 to August 8 killed 47 Palestinians, including 16 children, nine of them lived in the Jabaliya refugee camp.
Last Friday, Israel launched a new offensive on the besieged Gaza Strip, carrying out "preemptive" raids on Gaza after arresting a Palestinian Islamic Jihad group senior political member in the occupied West Bank.
The group did not react to the arrest, but after an Israeli missile killed one of their senior commanders Taysir al-Jabari on Friday, August 5, Islamic Jihad's armed wing launched a volley of rockets toward Israel, but no casualties were reported.
What is the Palestinian Islamic Jihad?
Palestinian Islamic Jihad was founded in 1981 to establish a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank, Gaza, and other areas of what is now Israel.
After bombing Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid described the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) as "an Iranian proxy that wants to destroy the state of Israel."
While it does not have as long-range rockets as Hamas – the group that governs Gaza, PIJ does have a significant arsenal of small arms, mortars, rockets, and anti-tank missiles, and an active armed wing called the al-Quds Brigades.
PIJ's membership is difficult to ascertain, with estimates from last year ranging from about 1,000 fighters to several thousand, according to the CIA's World Factbook.
Both Hamas, which has fought five wars with Israel since 2009, and PIJ are listed as "terrorist organizations" by the West. Both get funds and weapons from Iran.
Unlike Hamas, PIJ refuses to join elections and appears to have no ambition to form a government in Gaza or the West Bank.
Islamic Jihad maintains a significant presence in the West Bank town of Jenin, where Bassam al-Saadi, a senior leader of the movement, was arrested last week, setting off the crisis.
Ukraine, Syria top high-stakes Erdogan-Putin talks in Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for talks in Sochi on Friday, August 5.
The Turkish and Russian presidents agreed to boost their political and economic — both trade and energy — cooperation.
It is the second time the two have met in the two weeks since Turkey helped broker a deal to resume Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports that Russia's invasion had blocked. The agreement also allows Russia to export grain and fertilizer.
Three ships carrying thousands of tons of corn left Ukrainian ports earlier in the day, following the departure of the first vessel on Monday, August 1.
Turkey's planned incursion into northern Syria to target Kurdish fighters was a more contentious issue on the agenda.
The plan, announced by Erdogan in May, has drawn criticism from Russia, Iran, and the United States.
Russia remains the dominant foreign military power in Syria, and Iran also plays a part in supporting the authoritarian Syrian government.
Ahead of Friday's meeting, the Kremlin called on Turkey not to "destabilize" Syria.
Erdogan and Putin also discussed natural gas imports to Turkey from Russia.
The two leaders also agreed to switch part of the payments for Russian gas to rubles.
Yemen officials say fresh infighting kills 35 in south
Infighting among pro-government Yemeni forces has killed 35 troops in a southern province in the past 24 hours, officials said, a development that threatens a ceasefire in the country's wider conflict.
They say that an artillery duel that started in the late hours of Tuesday hit areas around a local airport in the city of Ataq, the capital of the southern Shabwa province.
Five civilians were among the dead, they added, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.
Last week, the rebels and the government agreed to renew an existing truce in place since April for two more months after concerted international efforts.
Read more on the Associated Press.
Former Twitter Employee Convicted of Spying for Saudi Arabia
Ahmad Abouammo, a U.S. resident born in Egypt and a former Twitter employee, was convicted of spying for Saudi Arabia by turning over personal information of platform users who'd used anonymous handles to criticize the Kingdom and its royal family.
Abouammo was found guilty by a jury Tuesday, August 9, of charges including acting as an agent for Saudi Arabia, money laundering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and falsifying records, following a two-week trial in San Francisco federal court. He faces 10 to 20 years in prison when he's sentenced.
Prosecutors alleged his relationship with a top aide to Mohammed bin Salman, or MBS, now the de-facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, went much further -- and darker -- to help the Crown Prince silence his critics.
Iran makes first import order using cryptocurrency
Iran made its first official import order using cryptocurrency this week, the semi-official Tasnim agency reported on Tuesday, August 9, a move that could enable the Islamic Republic to circumvent U.S. sanctions that have crippled the economy.
The order, worth $10 million, was a first step towards allowing the country to trade through digital assets that bypass the dollar-dominated global financial system and to trade with other countries similarly limited by U.S. sanctions, such as Russia. The agency didn't specify which cryptocurrency was used in the transaction.
Iraq cleric Sadr urges the judiciary to dissolve parliament by the end of next week
Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday, August 10, called on the country's judiciary to dissolve parliament by the end of next week, threatening unspecific consequences if it does not do what he says.
The populist leader has helped inflame tensions in Iraq over the last two weeks by commanding thousands of followers to storm and occupy parliament, preventing the formation of a government nearly ten months after elections.
His political opponents, mostly fellow Shi'ites backed by Iran, have refused to accede to Sadr's demands, raising fears of fresh unrest and violence in a conflict-weary Iraq.
U.S.: Syrian government is holding American journalist Tice
President Joe Biden said Wednesday, August 10, that the U.S. is confident that the Syrian government is holding American journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in the war-torn country a decade ago. He urged Damascus to help bring Tice back home.
Tice went missing shortly after his 31st birthday on August 14, 2012, at a checkpoint in a contested area west of the capital Damascus.
A video released a month later showed him blindfolded and held by armed men, saying, "Oh, Jesus." He has not been heard from since.
We know with certainty that he has been held by the Government of Syria," Biden said in the statement, adding, "we have repeatedly asked the government of Syria to work with us so that we can bring Austin home."
Read more on the Associated Press.
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About me
My name is Dario Sabaghi, a freelance journalist. I am interested in human rights and international news focusing on the MENA region.
Check out my work at dariosabaghi.com.
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Cover photo: Middle East Eye