Month: April 2024
Aid to Gaza
Israel says it has nearly doubled the number of aid trucks entering Gaza daily this week and overnight the Israeli military opened a new crossing point into northern Gaza, allowing a first convoy of trucks in. Israel last week approved the reopening of the Erez crossing between Israel and northern Gaza for the first time
Putin’s fortune in Switzerland
Switzerland is bucking centuries of non-alignment by adopting EU sanctions on Russia and approving the re-export of some Swiss weapons and munitions to Ukraine via third parties though Bern has refused to provide arms to Kyiv directly. Pressure is even growing in parliament for the government to sign up to transatlantic proposals to seize frozen
Volodymyr Zelensky little truth about the war in Ukraine
The world had high hopes for Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive but it amounted to little in the end and that may have been because Russia knew where the Ukrainians planned to strike. Zelensky didn’t reveal how widespread the issue of Russian spying was for Ukraine in his media interview but he did explain that the counteroffensive
Hamas does not have Israel hostages that fit the proposed criteria for ceasefire
Ceasefire talks have focused on a US-backed proposal of a phased exchange of hostages and prisoners. In the first instance women, children, and elderly or sick people – including five female Israeli soldiers – would be exchanged for an estimated 900 Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel, alongside a six-week ceasefire in Gaza. The Palestinian
Russia destroys Ukraine power plant
Russian overnight strikes completely destroyed Trypilska thermal power plant outside Kyiv, as part of a major attack across five regions in Ukraine. The strikes also attacked two underground storage facilities where Ukraine stores natural gas, including some owned by foreign companies, energy company Naftogaz said. Up to 200,000 people have been left without power, Ukrainian
Landmine-clearing in Ukraine
Farming is a pillar of Ukraine’s economy: agricultural exports were worth $27.7bn in 2021, more than 40% of total exports. But 7.5% of Ukraine’s farmland is not in use, according to nasa, following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russia’s invasion has turned Ukraine into the world’s most heavily mined country. In Kherson and Kharkhiv
Israel Defence Forces moral failure in Gaza
The idf’s second failure is the way in which the army has prosecuted this war, specifically the high levels of destruction and civilian deaths. This is down to two main factors: first, operational directives that allow strikes even when the likelihood of killing civilians is significant; and second, a lack of discipline within the idf in adhering even
Attack on Kharkiv
Russia stepped up its bombardment of Kharkiv in December. Since then, the city has been on the receiving end of more ballistic missiles than at any time since the start of the war. Drone assaults have become more frequent: they fly faster and higher, and have a carbon wing-coating that makes shooting them down harder.
Hamas “financier” killed
The man identified as Mohammed Sarur, who has been accused of funnelling tens of millions of dollars from Iranian authorities to the terrorist group, was found at his home in the mountain town of Beit Meri outside Beirut after being shot at least five times on Tuesday. Sanctions against Mr Sarur date back to 2019
Switzerland to host peace summit at the request of president of Ukraine
Switzerland said in January it would host a peace summit at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and has since held talks with the EU, G7 member states and countries such as China and India to garner their support. While Moscow has said it is not against negotiations to end the war, Russian officials