All Middle East
鈥極ut of captivity.鈥� When will Passover鈥檚 promise reach Gaza hostages?Monday evening鈥檚 celebrations of Passover in Israel were muted by uncertainty surrounding Israeli hostages imprisoned in Gaza.
First LookIran, plunging into a regional conflict, cracks down on dissent at homeWith Israeli bombardments hitting close to home, Iranian clerics and officials have cracked down harder on dissent. Hijab-wearing is now more strictly enforced, with hundreds of women in prison for breaking modesty laws.
First LookHow Israelis observe Passover鈥檚 promise of freedom 鈥� while family are held captiveJews around the world will celebrate Passover sundown on April 22, recounting the story of their exodus from Egypt after centuries of slavery. But for many Israelis, it鈥檚 hard to fathom honoring an occasion focused on freedom with friends and family in captivity.
First LookIsraeli leaders criticize expected US sanctions against IDF military unitThe decision to impose sanctions on a unit of ultra-Orthodox soldiers in the Israeli military, expected as soon as Monday, would mark the first time the U.S. has ever imposed sanctions on a unit inside the Israeli military.
In West Bank, wave of settler violence creating feel of a war zoneWith the world focused on Iran and Gaza, Israeli settlers are stepping up attacks against Palestinian towns and villages in the West Bank. Feeling abandoned, many residents believe they should take matters into their own hands.
Can Israel embrace America鈥檚 vision of a 鈥榥ew Middle East鈥�?Israel must decide whether to take its place alongside Washington鈥檚 Arab allies in a 鈥渘ew Middle East鈥� or to continue to go it alone.
In northern Gaza, famine sets in: 鈥榃e will eat anything鈥�While flour supplies entering the Gaza Strip reportedly are ticking up, aid experts say much more has to be done to alleviate burgeoning famine there.
Israel鈥檚 retaliation dilemma: Listen to its instincts, or its allies?A deterrence doctrine is so entrenched in Israel that even moderate leaders will find it hard not to support some retaliation against Iran. But the success of a U.S.-led alliance offers a new approach.
First LookIsrael lauds its defenses, G7 plots response after Iran鈥檚 drone blitz thwartedIsrael says its air defenses thwarted 99% of the more than 300 drones and missiles Iran that launched toward its territory. Meanwhile, the Group of Seven condemned the attack.
First LookBiden calls Netanyahu鈥檚 handling of the war in Gaza a 鈥榤istake鈥�President Joe Biden has been an outspoken supporter of Israel鈥檚 war against Hamas. But his patience with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appeared to be waning, and his administration has taken a more stern line, deepening Israel鈥檚 international isolation.
Snapshots from Gaza: By sheer will, Palestinian women eke out a lifeIn any war, women carry an outsize burden.聽The Israel-Hamas war is no exception.聽These Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip are holding families and communities together.
Gaza aid workers press on, shaken by lethal Israeli strike on convoyAs international aid agencies pull back in Gaza after the drone strike on a World Central Kitchen convoy, a heavier burden falls on local humanitarian workers. Their determination to save lives helps them persevere.
FocusFive ways Israel is changing after six months of war in GazaCivil society鈥檚 response to Oct. 7 is planting the seeds of a new political class. But what Israelis see as the worst day in their history is also profoundly challenging their sense of security and belonging.
First LookFamily, friends remember selfless acts of World Central Kitchen workers killed in IsraelThose who knew the seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed in an Israeli airstrike while delivering aid to Palestinians are grieving their loved ones and looking for answers. The strike has drawn international condemnation.
In besieged and starving Gaza, Ramadan charity and prayers endureDamaged and destroyed mosques. Displaced and dispersed families. The challenges Gazans face this Ramadan are immense. But the holy month鈥檚 tradition of charity is sustained, and sustaining.
First LookFatal strike on World Central Kitchen workers ripples across aid deliverySeven international aid workers and their Palestinian driver were killed by an Israeli airstrike hours after they delivered a shipload of food to northern Gaza, which has been pushed to the brink of famine by Israel鈥檚 offensive.聽
First LookIsrael says Al Jazeera is a security threat. The network says that鈥檚 a dangerous lie.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, acting on new parliamentary authority, said he planned to shutter Al Jazeera鈥檚 operations in Israel. The Qatar-owned broadcaster called his accusations dangerous, and others warned of unwarranted censorship.
FocusPalestinian Mandela? Marwan Barghouti, imprisoned preacher of unity.Marwan Barghouti鈥檚 popularity is unsurpassed. His message of democracy, unity, and resistance to occupation increasingly resonates today with Palestinians who are under attack, distrust their leadership, and would vote for him if given the chance.
First LookIsraelis sound off on Netanyahu in biggest protest since Gaza war鈥檚 startOn March 31, Israelis staged the largest protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 government since the war in Gaza began. Their grievances include Mr. Netanyahu鈥檚聽corruption charges聽and聽calls for a聽cease-fire deal to free the remaining hostages.
Israeli reconstruction near Gaza lacks a key building block: TrustResidents and businesses from Sderot and other Gaza-adjacent communities are being urged to start picking up the pieces to get their lives back on track, safely. But do they trust government assurances, or their neighbors over the border?
