Diary

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Monday, March 4, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/ breaking stories):

PALESTINE

Gaza City - Developments of the humanitarian and military situations in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli offensive on its 150th day, which resulted in killing at least 30,410 Palestinians and injuring 71,700 others, amid ongoing and escalating warnings from international institutions about famine and the spread of diseases.

Many countries, including Egypt, Jordan and the US have been airdropping aid including medicines, fuel and food to Palestinian enclave. However, these humanitarian aids remain insufficient considering the difficult humanitarian situation and the great need of the population amidst the spread of famine and shortages of food and medical supplies.

Scores of Palestinians were killed and injured when the Israeli army dropped bombs on people collecting humanitarian aid from a truck in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday. This is the second major Israeli attack in the last five days on displaced Palestinians in Gaza who are waiting for humanitarian aid.

Ramallah - Escalating military incursions by the Israeli army into Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank killed at least 419 Palestinians and injured over 4,650 others since Oct. 7, 2023. The number of arrests has risen to nearly 7,340, reaching record highs over four months, exceeding those recorded on an annual basis in previous years.

EGYPT

Cairo - Developments of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel to reach a hostage deal and cease-fire agreement in Gaza.

LEBANON

Beirut - Cross-border clashes between Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel amid appeals for both parties to halt hostilities to prevent further escalation.

ISRAEL

Tel Aviv - The battlefield situation of the expected plan of the Israeli army to expand its aggressive to Rafah City in southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli evening rallies demanding release of Israeli captives held in Gaza and the resignation of Netanyahu’s government in the main streets and squares.

YEMEN

Sanaa - Continuous, escalating tensions in the Red Sea due to Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having links with Israel and US retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi targets inside Yemen amid concerns about a deadly impact on shipping traffic in one of the world's most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.

UK

London - Turkish Cypriots to hold a protest in front of the British Parliament to demand lifting of isolations on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

SWITZERLAND

Geneva - 55th regular session of the Human Rights Council to continue. Schedule includes a presentation by High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on 'recent human rights developments around the world'.

FRANCE

Paris - President Emmanuel Macron to gather members of the parliament and senators for a final discussion and vote on whether to make abortion a constitutional freedom.

MONTENEGRO

Podgorica - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to visit Montenegro for talks on bilateral relations, and regional developments.

PAKISTAN

Islamabad - Newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take oath of office.

AUSTRALIA

Canberra - Australia to host special summit with Association of Southeast Asian Nations as two sides mark 50 years of official relations.

CHINA

Beijing - China’s National People’s Congress and China’s People’s Political Consultative Conference — Two Sessions — to begin.

TÜRKİYE

Ankara - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to chair Cabinet meeting and later address nation on domestic and international issues, including Gaza.

US

Washington - Statements from Biden administration regarding Gaza conflict, after Vice President Kamala Harris called for immediate cease-fire citing 'immense scale of suffering' in Palestinian enclave.

Washington - Secretary of State Antony Blinken to deliver remarks at 18th annual International Women of Courage Award Ceremony at the White House.

New York - UN Security Council to hold consultations on use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Texas - Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley to hold election rally in US state of Texas, one day after she won Republican primary in Washington DC, her first win.

THE ECONOMY

Ankara - Turkish Statistical Institute to reveal annual inflation figures for February. Inflation was at 64.86% in December and 64.77% in November, 2023. Rate is expected to rise slightly in January.

Ankara - Trade Ministry expected to reveal provisional foreign trade figures for February. Country’s exports were at $21.8 billion in January.

SPECIAL REPORTS

150 days of war on Gaza: Taking over West Bank next on Israeli agenda, fear Palestinians

By Rabia Ali

Istanbul - Report on how the situation in the occupied West Bank has been deteriorating during five months of Israel’s deadly war on Gaza.

Palestinian analysts speak about how Israeli aggression has consistently escalated, including killings, settlement activity and detentions. They explain the reasons for growing fear and concern that Palestinians in the West Bank would be the next target after Gaza.

The story includes data about Israeli violence in West Bank since Oct. 7, as well as interviews with Abdaljawad Omar, a lecturer at Birzeit University, and Muhannad Ayyash, a policy analyst at think tank Al-Shabaka.

150 days of war on Gaza: Israel far from eliminating Hamas, will create governance vacuum if it does, analysts warn

By Rabia Ali

Istanbul - Report on Israel’s possible future strategies as its deadly war on Gaza reaches 150 days.

Analysts share their assessments on why Israel has been unsuccessful in achieving its goal of eliminating Hamas, saying it will continue to struggle to do so. They also warn that removing Hamas from governance in Gaza, as outlined in Israeli plans, will lead to a dangerous vacuum and post-war instability in Gaza.

The story includes interviews with Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, Yossi Mekelberg, an associate fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program, and Tahani Mustafa, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.

ANALYSIS - West’s support wavers as Israel kills over 30,000 Gazans in 150 days

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

London - Report charting how Western countries have recently been changing their stance of unwavering support for Israel, specifically due to the mounting death toll of its devastating war on Gaza.

The analysis lays out the major shifts in governments of prominent Israeli allies such as Germany, UK and France, while also explaining the reasons for the changes.

It also delves into factors such as increasing public backlash and criticism in Western countries, where mass protests against government policies have forced a rethink in bureaucratic circles.

NEW MEDIA

VIDEO - Report on the situation in the occupied West Bank during five months of Israel’s deadly war on Gaza, including data about Israeli aggression and interviews with Birzeit University’s Abdaljawad Omar and Muhannad Ayyash, a policy analyst at think tank Al-Shabaka.​​​​​​​