Diary

Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

PALESTINE

GAZA CITY - The Israeli war on the Gaza Strip continues for the 64th day, and the death toll in the enclave has soared to nearly 17,500 with 70% of the victims being children and women. Amid the devastated health sector, the Palestinian Health Ministry said only 1% of the wounded, which amounts to almost 46,500 people, have managed to leave the enclave for treatment via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

RAMALLAH - The Israeli army’s almost daily incursions in the West Bank have continued since the escalation in Gaza. At least 272 people have been killed and 3,680 others detained in the occupied territory since Oct. 7.

LEBANON

BEIRUT - Sporadic attacks on Israel-Lebanon border continue. At least 94 Hezbollah members have been killed in tensions amid Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

CANADA

OTTAWA - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to have talks with his counterparts from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Arab League to stop bloodshed, and achieve lasting peace in Gaza.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

ABU DHABI - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's 2-day official visit to the Gulf country continues.

UK

LONDON - March calling for cease-fire in Gaza organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign to be held.

SPORTS

DORTMUND - Borussia Dortmund to host RB Leipzig on matchday 14 of German Bundesliga.

SPECIAL REPORTS

With one voice, Muslim, Jewish, Christian leaders call for ‘Free Palestine’

By Rabia Ali

ISTANBUL (AA) - In a display of interfaith solidarity, a rabbi, an archbishop and a mufti were among others who convened in Istanbul to denounce Israel's atrocities against the people of Gaza, as well as demand a sovereign and independent Palestinian state.

Dressed in traditional Jewish attire along with the Palestinian keffiyeh, Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss decried the Israeli state for the "mass slaughter" that it was carrying out and said that it was aimed at dehumanizing the Palestinians.

Greece hopes visa facilitation scheme for Turkish citizens to contribute improvement of inter-societal ties

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Greece hopes that the visa facilitation scheme, which was announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Dec. 7 during the joint statement with visiting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, would contribute to the improvement of inter-societal ties.

The arrangement is truly a win-win solution for both, Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Dimitris Kairidis tells Anadolu in an exclusive interview.