ISTANBUL (AA) – Here are the main topics Anadolu's English Desk plans to cover on Saturday, July 13, 2024 (coverage may change depending on developing/breaking stories):
Cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas
The unfolding developments in the Gaza Strip regarding a potential cease-fire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas.
On Friday, the Israeli Walla news portal said Netanyahu set new conditions for the cease-fire and hostage swap deal. Netanyahu proposed that Israel will maintain control of the Philadelphi Corridor, Gaza’s Egyptian border, while also overseeing the remaining part of the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side.
But Hamas reacted strongly, slamming Netanyahu for attempting to introduce new demands that were not part of previous proposals discussed with Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
Senior US official’s visit to Middle East
Ongoing visit of US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf to the Middle East who arrived on July 8 and will remain until July 14 to discuss a cease-fire in Gaza, with stops in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank, and Italy to meet with government officials.
Israeli onslaught on Gaza
Humanitarian and military developments in the Gaza Strip amid stymied efforts to reach a cease-fire that would end Israel's relentless attacks, which have killed over 38,340 Palestinians and injured nearly 88,300 others since Oct. 7.
Israeli military vehicles resumed their advance in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, southwest of Gaza City, just hours after retreating after a four-day military offensive. However, following Israel's partial withdrawal, dozens of bodies were discovered on the roads and beneath the rubble of demolished homes.
Dire humanitarian situation, looming famine in Gaza
The humanitarian situation across the Gaza Strip continues to get worse every day amid ongoing Israeli attacks and the closure of Gaza's crossings. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Friday that only 9 of its 26 health centers in Gaza are operational.
West Bank raids
Israeli military raids on Palestinian cities and towns in the occupied West Bank have killed at least 574 people and injured 5,350 more, with 9,625 taken into Israeli custody since last Oct. 7.
A Palestinian died on Friday from wounds sustained during an Israeli raid on a village in the northern occupied West Bank.
Protests against Israeli government
Mounting protests in Israel to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to either negotiate the hostage-prisoner swap deal with Palestinian group Hamas or resign.
Israel-Hezbollah escalation
Daily border clashes between Israel and Hezbollah amid warnings of escalation to potential full-blown war.
The Israeli army announced on Friday that an officer was killed on the Lebanese border.
On Friday, the Lebanese group Hezbollah announced that it targeted two military sites in northern Israel with missiles, and the Israeli army in response fired bursts of gunfire at towns in southern Lebanon.
Red Sea tension
Houthi attacks on commercial ships suspected of having links with Israel in the Red Sea, as well as US-led coalition airstrikes on the group's positions in Yemen.
On Friday, the group reported that the US and UK aircraft conducted three airstrikes on Al Hudaydah International Airport in the western Yemeni governorate overlooking the Red Sea.
Humanitarian and security situation in Sudan
Sudan's humanitarian and security situation is deteriorating as clashes between the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces continue in Khartoum, El Fasher in North Darfur State, and the states of Sennar and Al-Jazira.
Turkish President to attend Staff Officer Graduation Ceremony
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the Staff Officer Graduation Ceremony at the National Defense University Campus, where statements from the president are expected.
Search for 65 missing people in Nepal continues after landslide hits buses
Search operations for 65 missing people in Nepal continue after two buses were swept into the Trishuli River by a massive landslide in Chitwan district, about 86 kilometers (53 miles) west of the capital Kathmandu.
Pakistani court likely to announce verdict in ex-Premier Khan's ‘unlawful’ marriage case
A Pakistani court is expected to rule on an appeal against the conviction of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in a case involving their marriage without following Islamic laws. The duo is serving a 7-year sentence each in the case.
Search continues after jailbreak in Niger
Authorities are on the lookout after a jailbreak in Niger's volatile Tillaberi region. Many inmates have fled the prison, and a curfew has been imposed in the area to apprehend them.
Dozens trapped in Nigerian school collapse
At least 120 students and teachers trapped after a school building collapsed in Nigeria. The incident in the Busa Buji area or Jos, the capital of northcentral Plateaued State, has claimed the lives of 12 people. The search for trapped people continues.
SPORTS
2024 Wimbledon women's singles final
Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova to play against Italian seventh-seed Jasmine Paolini at 2024 Wimbledon women's singles final at London's All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.