Hundreds of masked Hamas fighters brandishing assault rifles paraded in Gaza City on Saturday, in a defiant show of strength after the militants' 11-day war with Israel.

Hamas militants march through Gaza city to celebrate ceasefire

Uneasy calm has taken place in Gaza after 11 days of bloodletting that left hundreds dead or wounded and upended the lives of tens of thousands of others. This after both Israel and Hamas agreed to an Egypt-brokered ceasefire.

Israel-Palestine Clashes: Focus turns to assessing damage & rebuilding Gaza

Israel and Hamas brought to an end a violent 11 days of back-and-forth aerial warfare after the two sides agreed upon a mutual ceasefire brokered by Egypt.

Israel Palestine Conflict: Hamas chief claims victory after truce

Top United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories Lynn Hastings observed situation in airstrike-hit Gaza and appealed both sides to observe ceasefire. Aid teams are currently assessing damage in rubble-strewn Gaza that has taken a lot of beating in the 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas. The ceasefire between both sides began early on Friday (May 21).

"Last night was calm, and we hope obviously that it is going to hold and everybody just needs to stand down and not to engage in any provocative moves," Lynn Hastings, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said in Gaza City.

Hastings stopped to talk to survivors on heavily damaged Wehda Street (Unity Street), where Palestinian health officials said 42 people had been killed, including 22 members of one family, during the Israeli air strikes.

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"All my ideas and dreams have ended. I have no more hopes in life," Riyad Eshkuntana, who lost his wife and four of his five children, told Hastings. "Under the rubble, my children were screaming, and I heard them. Their voices stopped one after another."

Israel has maintained that its airstrike was targetting the Hamas underground tunnel network and civilians were not the target.

Standing by the rubble of residential buildings, Hastings said she had seen more than just damaged infrastructure.

"I have been speaking to the families here and what they all said is that they have no hope, they feel that they have no control of their lives and their situation is, one woman said, helpless," she told Reuters.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ceasefire-between-israel-and-gaza-holds-as-egyptian-mediators-eye-long-term-peace-386713">Ceasefire between Israel and Gaza holds as Egyptian mediators eye long-term peace</a>

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden has said Washington will work with U.N. agencies on expediting humanitarian aid for Gaza "in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal".

Hastings said suitable mechanisms were already in place and had been active since a war in 2014.

She cited the "Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism" agreed among Israel, the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority under President Mahmoud Abbas, a Hamas rival who governs the occupied West Bank but has negligible influence within Gaza.

(With inputs from agencies)

Top United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories Lynn Hastings observed situation in airstrike-hit Gaza and appealed both sides to observe ceasefire.

Top United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories Lynn Hastings observed situation in airstrike-hit Gaza and appealed both sides to observe ceasefire. Aid teams are currently assessing damage in rubble-strewn Gaza that has taken a lot of beating in the 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas. The ceasefire between both sides began early on Friday (May 21). "Last night was calm, and we hope obviously that it is going to hold and everybody just needs to stand down and not to engage in any provocative moves," Lynn Hastings, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said in Gaza City. Hastings stopped to talk to survivors on heavily damaged Wehda Street (Unity Street), where Palestinian health officials said 42 people had been killed, including 22 members of one family, during the Israeli air strikes. × "All my ideas and dreams have ended. I have no more hopes in life," Riyad Eshkuntana, who lost his wife and four of his five children, told Hastings. "Under the rubble, my children were screaming, and I heard them. Their voices stopped one after another." Israel has maintained that its airstrike was targetting the Hamas underground tunnel network and civilians were not the target. Standing by the rubble of residential buildings, Hastings said she had seen more than just damaged infrastructure. "I have been speaking to the families here and what they all said is that they have no hope, they feel that they have no control of their lives and their situation is, one woman said, helpless," she told Reuters. Also Read | Ceasefire between Israel and Gaza holds as Egyptian mediators eye long-term peace US President Joe Biden has said Washington will work with U.N. agencies on expediting humanitarian aid for Gaza "in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal". Hastings said suitable mechanisms were already in place and had been active since a war in 2014. She cited the "Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism" agreed among Israel, the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority under President Mahmoud Abbas, a Hamas rival who governs the occupied West Bank but has negligible influence within Gaza. (With inputs from agencies)

UN humanitarian aid chief tours Gaza to assess damage, presses both sides

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed measures to ensure that the recently established ceasefire with Israel holds. This comes after Israel and Hamas agreed to an Egypt-brokered ceasefire, after 11 days of rocket attacks and airstrikes that left hundreds dead.

Blinken, Palestinian Prez Abbas discuss ceasefire measures

Are divisions within the Palestinian political leadership a roadblock to peace? Was the escalation by Hamas a political move? What kind of support do the Palestinians want from India? WION's Palki Sharma brings you an exclusive conversation with Fateh's Dr Sabri Saidan.

Gravitas | Israel-Hamas Clashes: Senior Palestinian leader wants India's support

Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant groups, have agreed to a ceasefire that would end an 11-day conflict that has killed at least 230 Palestinians and 12 Israelis. US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire announcement calling it a 'genuine opportunity'.

Israel and Hamas agree a ceasefire after 11 days of conflict

Israel is not setting a timeframe for an end to hostilities with Gaza as its military pounded the Palestinian enclave with airstrikes and Hamas militants unleashed new cross-border rocket attacks.

Qatar is the most important financial backer and ally of Hamas. So far, the emirate has transferred $1.8 billion to Hamas.

Qatari Emir Sheik Hamad bin-Khalifa al-Thani was the first state leader to visit Hamas government in 2012.

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A $15 million Qatari cash infusion has been&nbsp;paid out to impoverished Palestinian civil servants in the Gaza Strip every month since 2018. However, it cannot be verified that the funds were utilised for this purpose.

Qatar’s official news agency said the donated money would benefit 27,000 civil servants out of over 40,000 public servants hired by Hamas since 2007. The rest would be paid through local revenues, it said.

State-sponsored terrorism&nbsp;is a trademark policy of&nbsp;Qatar. Several Muslim nations had cut diplomatic ties with it in 2017 and&nbsp;imposed a trade blockade. However, this was lifted&nbsp;earlier this year.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's foreign minister, recently&nbsp;met Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in the capital, Doha.&nbsp;

The foreign ministry said Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for the international community to act urgently to stop the repeated brutal Israeli attacks against civilians in Gaza.&nbsp;

Israel had previously agreed to the gas-rich Gulf Arab state donating materials for civilian construction projects or fuel, worried that more fungible cash donations could reach Hamas, against which it has fought three wars in a decade.

Branded as a terrorist group in the West, Hamas has been under years of embargo by Israel and neighbouring Egypt. Hamas leaders said in the past they had received funds from other countries including Iran and Turkey.

Erdogan, a vocal defender of the Palestinians, has criticised Israel for conducting airstrikes on Gaza and called it a "terror state" after Israeli police fired rubber bullets at rock-throwing Palestinians in Jerusalem.

Last year, he hosted the&nbsp;military chief of Hamas, who has a $5 million dollar bounty on his head by Turkish ally NATO.

Iran has been paying $70 million per year, this is equivalent to $6 million per month.

A vast majority of the funding received by Hamas is humanitarian aid intended for the people of Gaza. However, it rarely reaches them.

Hamas’s political rival based in the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has previously slashed Gaza budgets.

Hamas spends 55 per cent&nbsp;of its budget on the military and merely&nbsp;5 per cent&nbsp;is allocated for rehabilitating its people.

It&nbsp;collects $27 million dollars in taxes but most of it&nbsp;is used to pay their fighters and workers.&nbsp;

Hamas prides itself as a militant group. It smuggles Iranian rockets through&nbsp;Egypt and Sudan.&nbsp;

It&nbsp;sources the materials and technology from Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Hamas has&nbsp;around 10,000 rockets in their arsenal.&nbsp;They are mostly short-range missiles&nbsp;worth $800 apiece.

Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system intercepts rockets fired by Hamas,&nbsp;each launch costing reportedly almost $50,000.&nbsp;

The Israeli government has installed the system in cities as a ground-based installation used to shoot down short-range missiles.&nbsp;Reports say each battery of the dome costs approximately $100 million, with missiles costing $50,000.

The current exchange of fire has been the most intensive between Israel and Hamas since a 2014 war in Gaza, and has prompted international concern that the situation could spiral out of control.

Gaza has a population of approximately two million and the poverty rate is 56 per cent. 50 per cent of the its population is unemployed.

It lacks basic infrastructure such as schools and has only&nbsp;11 big hospitals for the entire population.

Almost 85 per cent&nbsp;of all schools in Gaza run double shifts and&nbsp;work without electricity.

Gaza is the perfect example of a poor land with rich rulers. Hamas is the third richest terror group in the world.

Saving the people of Gaza is not beyond Hamas. But that would mean&nbsp;shelving their military ambitions.

A victory against Israel is not in the hands of&nbsp;Hamas. But giving their people a better life is.

Israel is not setting a timeframe for an end to hostilities with Gaza as its military pounded the Palestinian enclave with airstrikes and Hamas militants unleashed new cross-border rocket attacks.

Israel is not setting a timeframe for an end to hostilities with Gaza as its military pounded the Palestinian enclave with airstrikes and Hamas militants unleashed new cross-border rocket attacks. Qatar is the most important financial backer and ally of Hamas. So far, the emirate has transferred $1.8 billion to Hamas. Qatari Emir Sheik Hamad bin-Khalifa al-Thani was the first state leader to visit Hamas government in 2012. A $15 million Qatari cash infusion has been paid out to impoverished Palestinian civil servants in the Gaza Strip every month since 2018. However, it cannot be verified that the funds were utilised for this purpose. Qatar’s official news agency said the donated money would benefit 27,000 civil servants out of over 40,000 public servants hired by Hamas since 2007. The rest would be paid through local revenues, it said. State-sponsored terrorism is a trademark policy of Qatar. Several Muslim nations had cut diplomatic ties with it in 2017 and imposed a trade blockade. However, this was lifted earlier this year. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's foreign minister, recently met Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in the capital, Doha. The foreign ministry said Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for the international community to act urgently to stop the repeated brutal Israeli attacks against civilians in Gaza. Israel had previously agreed to the gas-rich Gulf Arab state donating materials for civilian construction projects or fuel, worried that more fungible cash donations could reach Hamas, against which it has fought three wars in a decade. Branded as a terrorist group in the West, Hamas has been under years of embargo by Israel and neighbouring Egypt. Hamas leaders said in the past they had received funds from other countries including Iran and Turkey. Erdogan, a vocal defender of the Palestinians, has criticised Israel for conducting airstrikes on Gaza and called it a "terror state" after Israeli police fired rubber bullets at rock-throwing Palestinians in Jerusalem. Last year, he hosted the military chief of Hamas, who has a $5 million dollar bounty on his head by Turkish ally NATO. Iran has been paying $70 million per year, this is equivalent to $6 million per month. A vast majority of the funding received by Hamas is humanitarian aid intended for the people of Gaza. However, it rarely reaches them. Hamas’s political rival based in the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has previously slashed Gaza budgets. Hamas spends 55 per cent of its budget on the military and merely 5 per cent is allocated for rehabilitating its people. It collects $27 million dollars in taxes but most of it is used to pay their fighters and workers. Hamas prides itself as a militant group. It smuggles Iranian rockets through Egypt and Sudan. It sources the materials and technology from Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hamas has around 10,000 rockets in their arsenal. They are mostly short-range missiles worth $800 apiece. Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system intercepts rockets fired by Hamas, each launch costing reportedly almost $50,000. The Israeli government has installed the system in cities as a ground-based installation used to shoot down short-range missiles. Reports say each battery of the dome costs approximately $100 million, with missiles costing $50,000. The current exchange of fire has been the most intensive between Israel and Hamas since a 2014 war in Gaza, and has prompted international concern that the situation could spiral out of control. Gaza has a population of approximately two million and the poverty rate is 56 per cent. 50 per cent of the its population is unemployed. It lacks basic infrastructure such as schools and has only 11 big hospitals for the entire population. Almost 85 per cent of all schools in Gaza run double shifts and work without electricity. Gaza is the perfect example of a poor land with rich rulers. Hamas is the third richest terror group in the world. Saving the people of Gaza is not beyond Hamas. But that would mean shelving their military ambitions. A victory against Israel is not in the hands of Hamas. But giving their people a better life is.

Who is bankrolling the Gaza conflict?

Gaza violence: How is Hamas growing its arsenal of rockets to strike Israel?

Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting.

Facebook Inc set up a 24-7 "special operations centre" last week to respond to content posted on its platform about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amid violence in the region, the company said on Wednesday.

Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting.

"This operations centre allows us to closely monitor the situation so we can remove content that violates our community standards faster, while also addressing possible errors in enforcement," Monika Bickert, Facebook's vice president of content policy, told reporters on a conference call.

Facebook has previously set up similar operations centres to focus on situations like global elections.

Facebook spokesman Andy Stone told Reuters that Facebook's head of global affairs, Nick Clegg, and other executives had on Tuesday spoken to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. Facebook executives previously met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz via Zoom, Politico reported last week.

A Reuters fact-checking team has debunked images shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that falsely claim to be related to the conflict.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Jewish extremists had formed new groups on WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned encrypted messaging service, to commit violence against Palestinians.

"As a private messaging service, we do not have access to the contents of people's chats through when information is reported to us, we take action to ban accounts we believe may be involved in causing imminent harm," a WhatsApp spokesman said. "We also quickly respond to valid legal requests from law enforcement for the limited information available to us."

Social media platforms have also faced accusations of censorship. Last week, BuzzFeed News reported that Facebook-owned Instagram had mistakenly removed content about al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem where Israeli security police clashed with worshippers.

The Thomson Reuters Foundation also reported that Instagram and Twitter Inc had blamed glitches for the deletion of posts mentioning the possible eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem.

Facebook has banned Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas from its platform and removes content praising the group regarded by Israel, the United States and the European Union as a terrorist group.

Facebook's Bickert said the new operations centre was staffed by experts, including native Arabic and Hebrew speakers. California-based Facebook has been criticized in the past for lacking local language expertise and resources amid violent situations in other countries.

Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting. Facebook Inc set up a 24-7 "special operations centre" last week to respond to content posted on its platform about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amid violence in the region, the company said on Wednesday.

Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting. Facebook Inc set up a 24-7 "special operations centre" last week to respond to content posted on its platform about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amid violence in the region, the company said on Wednesday. Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting. "This operations centre allows us to closely monitor the situation so we can remove content that violates our community standards faster, while also addressing possible errors in enforcement," Monika Bickert, Facebook's vice president of content policy, told reporters on a conference call. Facebook has previously set up similar operations centres to focus on situations like global elections. Facebook spokesman Andy Stone told Reuters that Facebook's head of global affairs, Nick Clegg, and other executives had on Tuesday spoken to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. Facebook executives previously met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz via Zoom, Politico reported last week. A Reuters fact-checking team has debunked images shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that falsely claim to be related to the conflict. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Jewish extremists had formed new groups on WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned encrypted messaging service, to commit violence against Palestinians. "As a private messaging service, we do not have access to the contents of people's chats through when information is reported to us, we take action to ban accounts we believe may be involved in causing imminent harm," a WhatsApp spokesman said. "We also quickly respond to valid legal requests from law enforcement for the limited information available to us." Social media platforms have also faced accusations of censorship. Last week, BuzzFeed News reported that Facebook-owned Instagram had mistakenly removed content about al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem where Israeli security police clashed with worshippers. The Thomson Reuters Foundation also reported that Instagram and Twitter Inc had blamed glitches for the deletion of posts mentioning the possible eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem. Facebook has banned Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas from its platform and removes content praising the group regarded by Israel, the United States and the European Union as a terrorist group. Facebook's Bickert said the new operations centre was staffed by experts, including native Arabic and Hebrew speakers. California-based Facebook has been criticized in the past for lacking local language expertise and resources amid violent situations in other countries.

Facebook deploys special team to tackle misinformation, hate speech on Israel-Gaza conflict

Is there any way out of the Israel-Palestine conflict? This cycle of war and murder has gone on for more than 70 years. Experts often talk about the two-state solution. India supports it. As do many others.

So what is the two-state solution? In simple words, the creation of two states. One for the Jews, called Israel. And one for the Arabs, called Palestine.

The two-state solution was first pitched in 1937. On paper, it looks simple enough. In reality, it's anything but. Historians call it the most intractable conflict in the world.

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What do the people say? This is what a Gallup poll found in 2013.&nbsp;

70 per cent Palestinians in the West Bank support the two-state theory. 48 per cent in Gaza and 52 per cent in Israel. So the people are willing to live as neighbours.

Then why is the promise of Palestine still unfulfilled? To understand this we must look at the politics of Palestine. Both&nbsp;domestic and international. Who speaks for the Palestinian community? Who is their leader? And why are Arab states suddenly wary of supporting their cause?

For Arab states, choosing between Israel and Palestine was easy. They backed Palestine. But this time it's not so simple. Israel is now a recognised partner of the Arab world. Last year, four countries normalised ties with Israel. The UAE, Sudan, Bahrain and Morocco. Others were reportedly going to follow suit.

So what do these countries do?

Make vague statements of support for Palestine. Watch the conflict closely but not engage in it. Palestine is on the backburner because the Arab world has bigger priorities now. They see Israel as a strategic partner. A market with immense potential. And an ally against Iran, Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Arab people still support Palestine. They are flooding social media with hashtags. And marching on the streets.&nbsp;The only difference is that their leaders don't share this enthusiasm anymore. Their condemnation of Israel is more out of compulsion than concern.

That's the regional politics. What about the internal politics of Palestine?

For decades it was dominated by Yasser Arafat. The Palestinian struggle was synonymous with him. Until he was alive there was unity in the movement.

But Arafat died in 2004. And with his death factionalism crept in. Today, Palestinian politics is a story of fragmented leadership. In the West Bank, the Fatah party, founded by Arafat, calls the shots.

In Gaza, it's the Hamas.

Hamas was founded in 1987 around the same time as the first Intifada or uprising. They were an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Unlike the Fatah, Hamas has a military wing. And they are not shy of using it.

Canada, the EU, the US, Israel and Japan have listed them as a terror group.

What about India? New Delhi does not classify Hamas as a terror group. In 2018 they abstained from a UN vote condemning them. Both civilian and military targets are fair game for Hamas. Some of their attacks have been classified as war crimes.&nbsp;

But before their military adventurism Hamas was actually a political success. They won the 2006 Palestinian elections. They were set to dominate West Bank politics. But that's when the West stepped in, the powers of the western world. They made two key demands from Hamas.

One, a commitment to non-violence.

And two, the recognition of Israel.

Hamas refused both.

Unlike the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), Hamas doesn't recognise the state of Israel. They consider violence to be a legitimate tool of the movement. Thanks to all this, foreign aid dwindled. Palestinian leaders grew uneasy. The split between Hamas and Fatah widened.

In 2007, it reached tipping point with the battle of Gaza. The battle ended with Hamas taking over the Gaza strip. And since then they have ruled this Palestinian enclave.&nbsp;

In these 14 years, their approach hasn't changed. Hamas prefers rockets over diplomacy. So they make more headlines than the Fatah.

Most of the leaders of Hamas live in fancy hotels in Turkey, away from Gaza and the war. They have their swimming pools and country clubs, even private bodyguards. All this when people in Gaza suffer.

Forbes listed Hamas as the third richest terror group in the world. Their annual income was 700 million dollars.

So it's clear that Hamas does not speak for all Palestinians. Most of them would prefer a peaceful solution to this conflict. But Hamas is dead set on military victories. And none of it is surprising.

Every movement in history has had two factions, the moderates and the extremists. Hamas is the extremist group here.

Their only claim to legitimacy is the fact that Israel is bombing them.&nbsp;

But war cannot be the way forward. Especially against a superior power like Israel. The little gains that Palestine has made have been through diplomacy. There have been none on the battlefield. So the picture of Hamas fighters resisting Israel is a romanticised reality.

It makes for great headlines, but nothing else.

Is there any way out of the Israel-Palestine conflict? This cycle of war and murder has gone on for more than 70 years. Experts often talk about the two-state solution.

Is there any way out of the Israel-Palestine conflict? This cycle of war and murder has gone on for more than 70 years. Experts often talk about the two-state solution. India supports it. As do many others. So what is the two-state solution? In simple words, the creation of two states. One for the Jews, called Israel. And one for the Arabs, called Palestine. The two-state solution was first pitched in 1937. On paper, it looks simple enough. In reality, it's anything but. Historians call it the most intractable conflict in the world. × What do the people say? This is what a Gallup poll found in 2013. 70 per cent Palestinians in the West Bank support the two-state theory. 48 per cent in Gaza and 52 per cent in Israel. So the people are willing to live as neighbours. Then why is the promise of Palestine still unfulfilled? To understand this we must look at the politics of Palestine. Both domestic and international. Who speaks for the Palestinian community? Who is their leader? And why are Arab states suddenly wary of supporting their cause? For Arab states, choosing between Israel and Palestine was easy. They backed Palestine. But this time it's not so simple. Israel is now a recognised partner of the Arab world. Last year, four countries normalised ties with Israel. The UAE, Sudan, Bahrain and Morocco. Others were reportedly going to follow suit. So what do these countries do? Make vague statements of support for Palestine. Watch the conflict closely but not engage in it. Palestine is on the backburner because the Arab world has bigger priorities now. They see Israel as a strategic partner. A market with immense potential. And an ally against Iran, Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood. Arab people still support Palestine. They are flooding social media with hashtags. And marching on the streets. The only difference is that their leaders don't share this enthusiasm anymore. Their condemnation of Israel is more out of compulsion than concern. That's the regional politics. What about the internal politics of Palestine? For decades it was dominated by Yasser Arafat. The Palestinian struggle was synonymous with him. Until he was alive there was unity in the movement. But Arafat died in 2004. And with his death factionalism crept in. Today, Palestinian politics is a story of fragmented leadership. In the West Bank, the Fatah party, founded by Arafat, calls the shots. In Gaza, it's the Hamas. Hamas was founded in 1987 around the same time as the first Intifada or uprising. They were an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Unlike the Fatah, Hamas has a military wing. And they are not shy of using it. Canada, the EU, the US, Israel and Japan have listed them as a terror group. What about India? New Delhi does not classify Hamas as a terror group. In 2018 they abstained from a UN vote condemning them. Both civilian and military targets are fair game for Hamas. Some of their attacks have been classified as war crimes. But before their military adventurism Hamas was actually a political success. They won the 2006 Palestinian elections. They were set to dominate West Bank politics. But that's when the West stepped in, the powers of the western world. They made two key demands from Hamas. One, a commitment to non-violence. And two, the recognition of Israel. Hamas refused both. Unlike the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), Hamas doesn't recognise the state of Israel. They consider violence to be a legitimate tool of the movement. Thanks to all this, foreign aid dwindled. Palestinian leaders grew uneasy. The split between Hamas and Fatah widened. In 2007, it reached tipping point with the battle of Gaza. The battle ended with Hamas taking over the Gaza strip. And since then they have ruled this Palestinian enclave. In these 14 years, their approach hasn't changed. Hamas prefers rockets over diplomacy. So they make more headlines than the Fatah. Most of the leaders of Hamas live in fancy hotels in Turkey, away from Gaza and the war. They have their swimming pools and country clubs, even private bodyguards. All this when people in Gaza suffer. Forbes listed Hamas as the third richest terror group in the world. Their annual income was 700 million dollars. So it's clear that Hamas does not speak for all Palestinians. Most of them would prefer a peaceful solution to this conflict. But Hamas is dead set on military victories. And none of it is surprising. Every movement in history has had two factions, the moderates and the extremists. Hamas is the extremist group here. Their only claim to legitimacy is the fact that Israel is bombing them. But war cannot be the way forward. Especially against a superior power like Israel. The little gains that Palestine has made have been through diplomacy. There have been none on the battlefield. So the picture of Hamas fighters resisting Israel is a romanticised reality. It makes for great headlines, but nothing else.

How representative is Hamas of Palestinians?

Who is bankrolling the conflict in Gaza? Where does Hamas get its money and weapons from? WION's Palki Sharma has the report.

Gravitas: Who funds Hamas?

The ongoing fight between Israel and Hamas has taken its toll on children. Over 62 of them have died in 10 days, the ones who escaped the fire are living in trauma. WION's Palki Sharma brings you the latest.

Gravitas: Israel, Gaza continue to exchange fire amidst call for ceasefire

Why are Arab states wary of supporting Palestine against Israel? Has the fragmented Palestinian leadership failed to represent the people? Where does Hamas - the extremist rulers of Gaza figure in the Palestinian movement? WION’s Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Hamas and the politics of Palestine

Israel is celebrating the Jewish festival of Shavout. But unlike other years, Israelis are staying put in underground bomb shelters, as rockets fired from Gaza. WION correspondent Jodie Cohen takes you inside a bunker.

Israel Ground Report: Everyone is staying close this Shavout says Central Israel's resident

As Israelis gear up for Jewish holiday of Shavuot, WION correspondent Jodie Cohen takes you inside a bomb shelter in central Israel where residents dash, as blaring sirens warn of incoming rocket fire.

Israel Ground Report: WION's Jodie Cohen takes you inside a bomb shelter

Advisor to Israel's Foreign Minister Michael Freeman discusses with Palki Sharma about who started the Israel-Gaza conflict and where is it heading.

The Interview: Advisor to Israel's Foreign Minister Michael Freeman speaks on Israel-Gaza conflict

211 people have died in the escalating violence between Israel, Gaza. Civilians, media, children have been caught in the crossfire. But neither Israel nor Hamas wants to de-escalate. Why? Palki Sharma brings you the latest.

Gravitas: Israel, Gaza violence enters week 2

No war is successful without public support and public support is hard to win without propaganda.

It continues even today, not with posters, but on social media.

WATCH:

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Everyone has a perspective to share. In the last few days, the conversation has focussed on a certain demographic - children. They have been made the face of this tragedy.

Murdering children is the most appalling war crime and there can be no excuse for it. So far, 58 children have been killed in the&nbsp;strikes. When the dust settles, both sides must answer for this atrocity.

What's worse than killing these children is the fact that they are being used as props in a war and being milked for propaganda. People are sharing pictures and videos of slain children and their families are being forced to relive the trauma.

There is no dignity in death for the children trapped in a conflict, as their pictures are beamed across the world.

As people continue to share pictures of children in a conflict, the most common answer is to reveal the true picture and to show the world how bad the situation is but this is just an excuse.

In reality, these children are being used as props. They are pawns in a grand narrative war.

Israel accuses Hamas of using children as human shields. Hamas accuses Israel of targeting schools and shelters and both use videos to evoke sympathy.

A 10-year-old girl from Gaza surrounded by a pile of rubble, her eyes brimming with tears suddnelly has a reporter sticking a mike and camera in her face.

Another visual shows a six-year-old being pulled out from the rubble, her face covered in gashes with her parents distraught but social media is busy turning her into a poster girl.

It's a dangerous trend. Children do not understand politics. They do not understand war. The world should be shielding them from this trauma.

Instead, some people are putting them dead and centre.

In Aleppo in 2016, a boy Omran Daqneesh was pulled out from the rubble after a Russian airstrike and soon the picture was everywhere. Five-year-old Omran became the face of Syrian resistance but now Omran lives in regime territory since his family was always pro-government.

His father says Omran was used as a propaganda tool by the rebels.&nbsp;

A Syrian boy Alan Kurdi who was fleeing to Europe with his family drowned after their boat capsised. His brother and his mother were all over the internet. It is said aid donations surged after it was released but the question is: is advertising a three-year-old's tragic death the only way to get people's attention?

Then there is the case of the Afghan girl who was called the third world's Mona Lisa. Her actual name is Sharbat Gula. She was clicked in a Pakistani refugee camp in 1985. For years nobody knew her name or where she lived anymore, but the picture made the front page of National Geographic.

Decades later in 2019, Sharbat Gula spoke out. She was enraged because her picture was published without her consent. It is the reality of our times. Even children are fair game in propaganda.

In 2001, when America launched its operation in Afghanistan, they dug up Sharbat Gula's picture. In the 80s she was used against Soviet occupation, and in the 2000s, against the Taliban.

The fact is, these campaigns are not out of love for children.

It's about gaining sympathy and about winning the narrative war because as they say, the smallest coffins are the heaviest.

But if you want to stop violence and safeguard children, don't use them for social media campaigns, instead blame the politicians and their governments.

If tragedy has a face, it is not of innocent children but manipulative leaders and their cunning power play.

No war is successful without public support and public support is hard to win without propaganda. It continues even today, not with posters, but on social media.

No war is successful without public support and public support is hard to win without propaganda. It continues even today, not with posters, but on social media. WATCH: Everyone has a perspective to share. In the last few days, the conversation has focussed on a certain demographic - children. They have been made the face of this tragedy. Murdering children is the most appalling war crime and there can be no excuse for it. So far, 58 children have been killed in the strikes. When the dust settles, both sides must answer for this atrocity. What's worse than killing these children is the fact that they are being used as props in a war and being milked for propaganda. People are sharing pictures and videos of slain children and their families are being forced to relive the trauma. There is no dignity in death for the children trapped in a conflict, as their pictures are beamed across the world. As people continue to share pictures of children in a conflict, the most common answer is to reveal the true picture and to show the world how bad the situation is but this is just an excuse. In reality, these children are being used as props. They are pawns in a grand narrative war. Israel accuses Hamas of using children as human shields. Hamas accuses Israel of targeting schools and shelters and both use videos to evoke sympathy. A 10-year-old girl from Gaza surrounded by a pile of rubble, her eyes brimming with tears suddnelly has a reporter sticking a mike and camera in her face. Another visual shows a six-year-old being pulled out from the rubble, her face covered in gashes with her parents distraught but social media is busy turning her into a poster girl. It's a dangerous trend. Children do not understand politics. They do not understand war. The world should be shielding them from this trauma. Instead, some people are putting them dead and centre. In Aleppo in 2016, a boy Omran Daqneesh was pulled out from the rubble after a Russian airstrike and soon the picture was everywhere. Five-year-old Omran became the face of Syrian resistance but now Omran lives in regime territory since his family was always pro-government. His father says Omran was used as a propaganda tool by the rebels. A Syrian boy Alan Kurdi who was fleeing to Europe with his family drowned after their boat capsised. His brother and his mother were all over the internet. It is said aid donations surged after it was released but the question is: is advertising a three-year-old's tragic death the only way to get people's attention? Then there is the case of the Afghan girl who was called the third world's Mona Lisa. Her actual name is Sharbat Gula. She was clicked in a Pakistani refugee camp in 1985. For years nobody knew her name or where she lived anymore, but the picture made the front page of National Geographic. Decades later in 2019, Sharbat Gula spoke out. She was enraged because her picture was published without her consent. It is the reality of our times. Even children are fair game in propaganda. In 2001, when America launched its operation in Afghanistan, they dug up Sharbat Gula's picture. In the 80s she was used against Soviet occupation, and in the 2000s, against the Taliban. The fact is, these campaigns are not out of love for children. It's about gaining sympathy and about winning the narrative war because as they say, the smallest coffins are the heaviest. But if you want to stop violence and safeguard children, don't use them for social media campaigns, instead blame the politicians and their governments. If tragedy has a face, it is not of innocent children but manipulative leaders and their cunning power play.

Children being used as propaganda tool amid Israel, Hamas conflict

As the Israel-Palestine conflict rages, what is India's position? Historically, New Delhi has supported Palestine, but today it maintains an independent relationship with both sides. This stance reflects in India's statement. Palki Sharma tells you how.

Gravitas: Israel or Palestine: Who does India support?

Why are children being made the face of human tragedies? From Gaza to Syria, pictures of slain children are used to gain social media traction. Is this genuine concern, or a desperate attempt to milk trauma? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Israel, Hamas milking child casualties

Israel and &nbsp;Palestine are once again entangled in a series of bloody clashes as part of the on-going decades-long conflict. The conflict has entered into second week, resulted in significant loss of life and property and more importantly, there are no signs of either side willing to retract.

Brief Background to the Conflict&nbsp;

Even though the origins of the conflict can be traced deep into the history of the region, its modern phase can be said to have begun in in early 20th century. Palestine was one of the Provinces of Turkish Ottoman &nbsp;Empire till it came under British control in 1922 as a fall out of World war 1, and remained so till 1948.&nbsp;

During this period the migration of Jews to the region increased palpably and resultantly tensions between the Arab Muslims and Jews also grew considerably. As the end of Britain’s Palestine Mandate drew closer, Britain referred the Palestine Issue to UN in April, 1947.&nbsp;

The UN came forward with a plan (UN Resolution 181 of 29th November 1947) to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish States with the city of Jerusalem as a Corpus separatum i.e. separate entity to be governed by a special international regime under UN. The Plan was accepted by the Jews but rejected by the Arabs.

The Jews of Palestine went ahead and created an independent sovereign State in May 1948. &nbsp;What followed was a series of Arab-Israel wars and repeated armed clashes which keep erupting from time to time, including the current conflict which began in early May this year and has escalated since then and threatens to assume serious proportions.

Core Elements of the Conflict&nbsp;

What is at the core of the conflict? Essentially, the conflict has three important dimensions: ethno-religious, right to self-determination and independent homeland, and related to that are the territorial claims. The Arab Muslim Palestinians and Israeli Jews are the two parties to this ethno-religious conflict. &nbsp;

The Jews have succeeded in establishing an independent sovereign State i.e. Israel, and in securing the full membership of the United Nations and recognition from a large number countries except from some Arab League and OIC Member States.&nbsp;

In contrast, the Palestinians have so far managed to secure the status of a Non-Member &nbsp;UN Observer State. The city of Jerusalem-sacred to Muslims, Jews as well as Christians for their own valid reasons - is at the core of the territorial dimension of this conflict.

It also houses the Indian Hospice which is a historic place associated with a great Indian Sufi saint Baba Farid. &nbsp;

The city including East Jerusalem (occupied by &nbsp;Israel in 1967 war and later annexed in 1980) is under de-facto control of Israel who considers “whole and united” Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a claim not recognised by the entire international community. &nbsp;

On the other hand, the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent State of Palestine to be established in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967 Arab-Israel war.&nbsp;

Israel’s de facto control of Jerusalem on the ground has enabled it to invest vast resources and efforts into changing the physical and demographic characteristics of the City. The Palestinians also stake claim to whole of West Bank where the Palestine Authority is in administrative control of about half the territory.

Conflict Resolution&nbsp;

The Quartet, comprised of the USA, Russian Federation, European Union and United Nations, and established in 2002 to facilitate peace process negotiations developed a “Performance Based Road Map to a Permanent Two States Solution” and has met numerous times in pursuance of its objectives but has prima-facie, failed to deliver, presumably due to irreconcilable positions adopted by the parties to the conflict.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Israel has gradually normalised its relations with some of the key Arab countries including Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, UAE, and is said to be moving in this direction with Saudi Arabia as well. The Palestinians have reacted by describing these developments as betrayal of the Palestinian cause by these Arab countries. &nbsp;

The rapprochement between Israel and Arab States may not augur well for the Palestinians who may not find some of them on their side in hours of desperate need if they are required to choose between Israel and Palestine. &nbsp;

The situation is further complicated by the lack of unity amongst Palestinians who went through a civil war in 2006-2007 and are now divided into two broad groups: the militant Hamas in control of Gaza and relatively moderate Fateh-led Palestine Authority in control of parts of the West Bank.&nbsp;

Current Scenario

At present the energies of the international community are focussed on finding ways and means to de-escalate the confrontation leading to cessation of hostilities. Several countries in their individual capacities have made appeals to achieve these objectives. Regrettably,&nbsp;the UN, which has a poor track record in resolving global conflicts, looks toothless once again in bringing the situation under control.&nbsp;

The UN Security Council held a public virtual meeting on 16th May preceded by two closed-door meetings earlier in the previous week but has failed to issue any official statement on the outcome of its deliberations.&nbsp;

Reports at hand suggest that the USA, a staunch ally of Israel, was instrumental in blocking resolutions/joint statement which would have condemned Israel’s military response to rocket attacks by Hamas, besides calling for an immediate cease-fire.

India’s Position

India has been consistent in its support for the “just cause” of Palestinians. For several years, even after establishing diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, India was looking at its relations with Palestine through the prism of its relations with Israel and vice versa.&nbsp;

By undertaking a standalone first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel in 2017, PM Modi signalled de-hyphenation of India’s policy towards Palestine and Israel but nevertheless has not wavered in its principled position on Israel-Palestine conflict despite rapidly growing relations with Israel.

In its statement at the UNSC meeting, India has therefore reiterated its “strong support to the just Palestinian cause and its unwavering commitment to the two-State solution”.

Interestingly, while India has condemned the “indiscriminate rocket firings from Gaza targeting the civilian population in Israel” it has described the Israeli airstrikes as “retaliatory” without any condemnation. &nbsp;

India has thus in a way endorsed Israeli action though it stopped short of openly endorsing Israel’s right to self-defence as done by the USA in its initial statements. The condemnation of the rocket attacks by Hamas can possibly also be seen as India’s rejection of Hamas’ modus-operandi for attaining its political objectives through violent means.

What's in store?&nbsp;

It is matter of academic debate as to who between Israel and Palestine should be held responsible for triggering the current conflict. Expectedly, each one of the two is blaming the other. The Israelis are describing the rocket fires by Hamas as premeditated and their own action as retaliatory in self-defence, whereas Hamas is justifying it as its response to Israeli aggression.&nbsp;

Fortunately, the chances of a full-scale Arab-Israel war with participation by select Arab countries alongside Palestine looks remote.&nbsp;

Yet, as rightly pointed by India and many other countries, the need of the hour is to de-escalate so as to arrest any further slide towards the brink.&nbsp;

We can expect to see a flurry of diplomatic activity including by Quartet and some individual countries with the immediate objective of cessation of hostilities. Final and lasting resolution of the conflict, meeting the aspirations of the parties to the conflict, however, is nowhere on the horizon.&nbsp;

At this point in time, an agreement to ceasefire would be a great achievement. The pertinent question is how soon can we expect a ceasefire? It is somewhat intriguing in this context that the key player USA is not showing any sense of urgency. Is this by design? Is the idea behind it is to allow sufficient time to Israel to weaken Hamas as much as possible before a truce is reached? It is noteworthy that Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization, inter-alia, by Israel, USA and the EU, and Israel has let it be known that it is targeting Hamas leaders and its infrastructure.

Hopefully, the wise sense will prevail soon and it will be possible to prevent further loss of precious human lives and damage to property.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Israel and Palestine are once again entangled in a series of bloody clashes as part of the on-going decades-long conflict. The conflict has entered into second week, resulted in significant loss of life and property and more importantly, there are no signs of either side willing to retract.

Israel and Palestine are once again entangled in a series of bloody clashes as part of the on-going decades-long conflict. The conflict has entered into second week, resulted in significant loss of life and property and more importantly, there are no signs of either side willing to retract. Brief Background to the Conflict Even though the origins of the conflict can be traced deep into the history of the region, its modern phase can be said to have begun in in early 20th century. Palestine was one of the Provinces of Turkish Ottoman Empire till it came under British control in 1922 as a fall out of World war 1, and remained so till 1948. During this period the migration of Jews to the region increased palpably and resultantly tensions between the Arab Muslims and Jews also grew considerably. As the end of Britain’s Palestine Mandate drew closer, Britain referred the Palestine Issue to UN in April, 1947. The UN came forward with a plan (UN Resolution 181 of 29th November 1947) to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish States with the city of Jerusalem as a Corpus separatum i.e. separate entity to be governed by a special international regime under UN. The Plan was accepted by the Jews but rejected by the Arabs. The Jews of Palestine went ahead and created an independent sovereign State in May 1948. What followed was a series of Arab-Israel wars and repeated armed clashes which keep erupting from time to time, including the current conflict which began in early May this year and has escalated since then and threatens to assume serious proportions. Core Elements of the Conflict What is at the core of the conflict? Essentially, the conflict has three important dimensions: ethno-religious, right to self-determination and independent homeland, and related to that are the territorial claims. The Arab Muslim Palestinians and Israeli Jews are the two parties to this ethno-religious conflict. The Jews have succeeded in establishing an independent sovereign State i.e. Israel, and in securing the full membership of the United Nations and recognition from a large number countries except from some Arab League and OIC Member States. In contrast, the Palestinians have so far managed to secure the status of a Non-Member UN Observer State. The city of Jerusalem-sacred to Muslims, Jews as well as Christians for their own valid reasons - is at the core of the territorial dimension of this conflict. It also houses the Indian Hospice which is a historic place associated with a great Indian Sufi saint Baba Farid. The city including East Jerusalem (occupied by Israel in 1967 war and later annexed in 1980) is under de-facto control of Israel who considers “whole and united” Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a claim not recognised by the entire international community. On the other hand, the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent State of Palestine to be established in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967 Arab-Israel war. Israel’s de facto control of Jerusalem on the ground has enabled it to invest vast resources and efforts into changing the physical and demographic characteristics of the City. The Palestinians also stake claim to whole of West Bank where the Palestine Authority is in administrative control of about half the territory. Conflict Resolution The Quartet, comprised of the USA, Russian Federation, European Union and United Nations, and established in 2002 to facilitate peace process negotiations developed a “Performance Based Road Map to a Permanent Two States Solution” and has met numerous times in pursuance of its objectives but has prima-facie, failed to deliver, presumably due to irreconcilable positions adopted by the parties to the conflict. Meanwhile, Israel has gradually normalised its relations with some of the key Arab countries including Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, UAE, and is said to be moving in this direction with Saudi Arabia as well. The Palestinians have reacted by describing these developments as betrayal of the Palestinian cause by these Arab countries. The rapprochement between Israel and Arab States may not augur well for the Palestinians who may not find some of them on their side in hours of desperate need if they are required to choose between Israel and Palestine. The situation is further complicated by the lack of unity amongst Palestinians who went through a civil war in 2006-2007 and are now divided into two broad groups: the militant Hamas in control of Gaza and relatively moderate Fateh-led Palestine Authority in control of parts of the West Bank. Current Scenario At present the energies of the international community are focussed on finding ways and means to de-escalate the confrontation leading to cessation of hostilities. Several countries in their individual capacities have made appeals to achieve these objectives. Regrettably, the UN, which has a poor track record in resolving global conflicts, looks toothless once again in bringing the situation under control. The UN Security Council held a public virtual meeting on 16th May preceded by two closed-door meetings earlier in the previous week but has failed to issue any official statement on the outcome of its deliberations. Reports at hand suggest that the USA, a staunch ally of Israel, was instrumental in blocking resolutions/joint statement which would have condemned Israel’s military response to rocket attacks by Hamas, besides calling for an immediate cease-fire. India’s Position India has been consistent in its support for the “just cause” of Palestinians. For several years, even after establishing diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, India was looking at its relations with Palestine through the prism of its relations with Israel and vice versa. By undertaking a standalone first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel in 2017, PM Modi signalled de-hyphenation of India’s policy towards Palestine and Israel but nevertheless has not wavered in its principled position on Israel-Palestine conflict despite rapidly growing relations with Israel. In its statement at the UNSC meeting, India has therefore reiterated its “strong support to the just Palestinian cause and its unwavering commitment to the two-State solution”. Interestingly, while India has condemned the “indiscriminate rocket firings from Gaza targeting the civilian population in Israel” it has described the Israeli airstrikes as “retaliatory” without any condemnation. India has thus in a way endorsed Israeli action though it stopped short of openly endorsing Israel’s right to self-defence as done by the USA in its initial statements. The condemnation of the rocket attacks by Hamas can possibly also be seen as India’s rejection of Hamas’ modus-operandi for attaining its political objectives through violent means. What's in store? It is matter of academic debate as to who between Israel and Palestine should be held responsible for triggering the current conflict. Expectedly, each one of the two is blaming the other. The Israelis are describing the rocket fires by Hamas as premeditated and their own action as retaliatory in self-defence, whereas Hamas is justifying it as its response to Israeli aggression. Fortunately, the chances of a full-scale Arab-Israel war with participation by select Arab countries alongside Palestine looks remote. Yet, as rightly pointed by India and many other countries, the need of the hour is to de-escalate so as to arrest any further slide towards the brink. We can expect to see a flurry of diplomatic activity including by Quartet and some individual countries with the immediate objective of cessation of hostilities. Final and lasting resolution of the conflict, meeting the aspirations of the parties to the conflict, however, is nowhere on the horizon. At this point in time, an agreement to ceasefire would be a great achievement. The pertinent question is how soon can we expect a ceasefire? It is somewhat intriguing in this context that the key player USA is not showing any sense of urgency. Is this by design? Is the idea behind it is to allow sufficient time to Israel to weaken Hamas as much as possible before a truce is reached? It is noteworthy that Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization, inter-alia, by Israel, USA and the EU, and Israel has let it be known that it is targeting Hamas leaders and its infrastructure. Hopefully, the wise sense will prevail soon and it will be possible to prevent further loss of precious human lives and damage to property. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion | Israel-Palestine: Where is the conflict heading?

As the Israel-Palestine conflict enters its second week, we bring you a report on the tiny Palestinian neighbourhood in Jerusalem from where a police crackdown escalated into a tit-for-tat rocket exchange. WION takes you to the heart of the conflict with ground reports from central Israel.

Gaza conflict enters second week| The story of Sheikh Jarrah

As Israel gear up for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, WION correspondent Jodie Cohen takes you inside a bomb shelter in the country as we talk to citizens about the mood and situation these days in Israel.

Israel Ground Report: WION talks to citizen inside a bomb shelter

Pro-Palestinian groups took to streets across the globe, demanding an end to the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. In Jordan, protesters gathered outside the Israeli embassy and burned Israeli flags.

Pro-Palestinian protesters march in major cities as Israel attacks Gaza

Qatar's foreign minister has met with a top Hamas official. That's according to a statement by Qatar's Foreign Ministry on Saturday. It said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in the capital, Doha.&nbsp;

The Foreign Ministry said Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for the international community to act urgently to stop the repeated brutal Israeli attacks against civilians in Gaza.&nbsp;

There was no mention of the Israeli strike that toppled a Gaza tower that was home to offices of both The Associated Press, Doha's Al-Jazeera satellite news network and others.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Arab League chief said on Saturday that Arab states' ambassadors to the United Nations are trying to rally international support for Palestinians amid Israeli attacks on Gaza. &nbsp;

Ahmed Aboul Gheit called upon the UN Security Council to 'fulfill its responsibilities' in holding Israel accountable in a session scheduled on Sunday to discuss the violence. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Qatar's foreign minister has met with a top Hamas official. That's according to a statement by Qatar's Foreign Ministry on Saturday. It said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in the capital, Doha.

Qatar's foreign minister has met with a top Hamas official. That's according to a statement by Qatar's Foreign Ministry on Saturday. It said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in the capital, Doha. The Foreign Ministry said Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for the international community to act urgently to stop the repeated brutal Israeli attacks against civilians in Gaza. There was no mention of the Israeli strike that toppled a Gaza tower that was home to offices of both The Associated Press, Doha's Al-Jazeera satellite news network and others. Meanwhile, Arab League chief said on Saturday that Arab states' ambassadors to the United Nations are trying to rally international support for Palestinians amid Israeli attacks on Gaza. Ahmed Aboul Gheit called upon the UN Security Council to 'fulfill its responsibilities' in holding Israel accountable in a session scheduled on Sunday to discuss the violence. (With inputs from agencies)

Qatar top diplomat meets Hamas' leader in Doha 

Israel and Gaza are on the brink of war. 5 days of fighting, numerous airstrikes and 127 deaths later - Israel says it entered Gaza in an overnight operation. Netanyahu has vowed to continue the airstrikes. Palki Sharma asks- who is this conflict helping?

Gravitas: Israel vows to continue striking Hamas

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif cancelled his meeting with his Austrian counterpart as a sign of displeasure over Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz flying Israeli flag in Vienna. Zarif was due to meet Austria's foreign minister Alexander Schallenberg but he called off the meeting, said a spokeswoman for Schallenberg

"We regret this and take note of it, but for us it is as clear as day that when Hamas fires more than 2,000 rockets at civilian targets in Israel then we will not remain silent," the spokeswoman said.

Hamas is the Islamist group that runs Gaza. Israel has pummelled Gaza with airstrikes and Palestinian militants have launched rocket barrages at Israel in the worst escalation of violence in years.

The dispute between Iran and Austria has come during talks to revive 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Former US President Donald Trump had unilaterally taken US out of the deal struck between Iran and world powers.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-rises-as-violence-rocks-gaza-israel-and-west-bank-385182">Death toll rises as violence rocks Gaza, Israel and West Bank&nbsp;</a>

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who is firmly pro-Israel, had called flying the Israeli flag over the federal chancellery on Friday a mark of solidarity amid the violent clashes. But Abbas Araqchi, who heads the Iranian delegation at the Vienna talks, criticised the move.

"Vienna is the seat of (nuclear watchdog) IAEA &amp; UN, and (Austria) so far been a great host for negotiations," Araqchi wrote on Twitter. "Shocking &amp; painful to see flag of the occupying regime, that brutally killed tens of innocent civilians, inc many children in just few days, over govt offices in Vienna. We stand with Palestine."

(With inputs from agencies)

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif cancelled his meeting with his Austrian counterpart as a sign of displeasure over Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz flying Israeli flag in Vienna.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif cancelled his meeting with his Austrian counterpart as a sign of displeasure over Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz flying Israeli flag in Vienna. Zarif was due to meet Austria's foreign minister Alexander Schallenberg but he called off the meeting, said a spokeswoman for Schallenberg "We regret this and take note of it, but for us it is as clear as day that when Hamas fires more than 2,000 rockets at civilian targets in Israel then we will not remain silent," the spokeswoman said. Hamas is the Islamist group that runs Gaza. Israel has pummelled Gaza with airstrikes and Palestinian militants have launched rocket barrages at Israel in the worst escalation of violence in years. The dispute between Iran and Austria has come during talks to revive 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Former US President Donald Trump had unilaterally taken US out of the deal struck between Iran and world powers. Also Read | Death toll rises as violence rocks Gaza, Israel and West Bank Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who is firmly pro-Israel, had called flying the Israeli flag over the federal chancellery on Friday a mark of solidarity amid the violent clashes. But Abbas Araqchi, who heads the Iranian delegation at the Vienna talks, criticised the move. "Vienna is the seat of (nuclear watchdog) IAEA & UN, and (Austria) so far been a great host for negotiations," Araqchi wrote on Twitter. "Shocking & painful to see flag of the occupying regime, that brutally killed tens of innocent civilians, inc many children in just few days, over govt offices in Vienna. We stand with Palestine." (With inputs from agencies)

Iran foreign minister cancels meet with Austrian counterpart over Israel flag

Days of cross-border violence between Israel and Hamas show no signs of abating. Caught in the crossfire however are thousands of Palestinians. As air raids and bombing damage buildings and houses in Gaza, Palestinians escape their homes seeking refuge in schools.

Israel-Palestinian clashes: Thousands flee their homes in Gaza

The decades-old Israel-Palestine conflict has flared up yet again with two sides launching air attacks at each other. As hostilities enter the fifth day, with no sign of abating, the death toll is on a constant rise. The United Nations Relief and Works agency Director Matthias Schmale tells you more about ongoing tensions.

UNRWA Director Matthias Schmale speaks to WION amid Israel-Palestine aerial attacks

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