For today, links to four reports: from the Associated Press, Middle East Monitor, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Middle East Eye; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM DEC. 19  Israeli strike on a Gaza school kills 17 people sheltering there. From AP. Israeli airstrikes slammed into two schools sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza City on Thursday, a Health Ministry official said, killing at least 17 people including five children in one of the schools. Israel said Hamas operated command centers inside the shelters . . . READ MORE . . .

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Hamas: Israel soldiers’ testimonies on Gaza war ‘evidence of unprecedented war crimes.’ From Middle East Monitor. Israeli occupation soldiers’ testimonies published by Haaretz regarding the war in Gaza are “new evidence of unprecedented war crimes and complete ethnic cleansing operations, carried out in an organised manner and under the army’s leadership and its fascist government,” Hamas said Thursday. READ MORE . . .

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A loverboy and a Palestinian: Saint Levant’s new album is about loss and growth. Reported by Majd Al-Waheidi | NPR  Saint Levant has been selling out U.S. and European venues with his album “Deira,” an ode to his heritage and the Gaza hotel his father built, which was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in the war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM DEC. 19  Israel and Hamas appear close to a ceasefire deal. These are the sticking points, by Samy Magdy and Tia Goldenberg | AP  CAIRO — Israel and Hamas appear closer than they have been in months to agreeing to a ceasefire that could wind down the 14-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of people held hostage there. READ MORE . . .

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How Israel turned Gaza’s ‘safe zones’ into graveyards, by Ghada Ageel | Middle East Eye  In Gaza, the targeting of civilians is not an aberration; it has been the reality, in “safe zones” and elsewhere, both before and since 7 October 2023. Families are killed everywhere they might seek refuge. In these so-called safe zones, more than 60 members of my extended family have been killed, with four generations wiped out in one day. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to commentary from MintPress News via ScheerPost, and to reports from Reuters and National Public Radio; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM DEC. 17  Privatizing Syria: U.S. plans to sell off a nation’s wealth after Assad, by Kit Klarenberg | MintPress News / ScheerPost  Syria’s economic independence and strength under Assad’s rule and the benefits reaped by average citizens as a result were never acknowledged in the mainstream before or during the decade-long proxy war. Yet countless reports from major international institutions underline this reality – which has now been brutally vanquished, never to return. READ MORE . . .

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In first in-person contact, U.S. officials met Syria’s HTS in Damascus, by Humeyra Pamuk and Amina Ismail | Reuters  WASHINGTON / DAMASCUS — U.S. diplomats visiting Damascus held Washington’s first in-person official meetings with Syria’s new de facto rulers led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham today and discussed with the former al Qaeda affiliate the future of Syria’s political transition. READ MORE . . .

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Hear the latest on developments in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Steve Inskeep | NPR  Syria’s new rulers are forming a government after more than half a century of dictatorship under former leader Bashar al-Assad and his father. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to seven reports: from the Associated Press, the Kyiv Independent, Kyiv Post, Reuters, National Public Radio, and Agence France-Press; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and SYRIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Russian bombardment targets Kyiv after Ukraine fires U.S.-made missiles across the border, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — A Russian ballistic missile attack on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early today killed at least one person and wounded 12 other people, officials said. Moscow claimed it was in response to a Ukrainian strike on Russian soil using American-made weapons. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report with photos from the Kyiv Independent, and HERE for photos from Kyiv Post. 

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6 killed in Ukrainian rocket attack on Kursk Region, governor says. From the Moscow Times. At least six people including a child were killed in a Ukrainian rocket attack on a town in southwestern Russia’s Kursk region, Russian authorities said this evening. READ MORE . . .

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Residents of Ukraine’s besieged Povrovsk hunker down as Russia advances, by Vitalii Hnidyi and Dan Peleschuk | Reuters  POKROVSK, Ukraine — Russian troops are advancing at their fastest rate on the battlefield since 2022 against Ukrainian forces, capturing village after village, and are now outside this strategic eastern city. READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainians fighting to stabilize thin defensive lines in the east. Reported by Brian Mann | NPR  Pokrovsk is facing one of the fiercest battles in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian forces are battling to hold the key hub, but commanders admit the Russians have more troops and firepower. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Ukraine says six diplomatic missions damaged by Russian strike on Kyiv. From AFP. Six diplomatic missions to Kyiv were damaged today in a Russian missile attack on the centre of the Ukrainian capital, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said — those of Albania, Argentina, North Macedonia, Palestine, Portugal and Montenegra. Lisbon said all were in the same building. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For today, links to eight reports: from Reuters, the Associated Press, Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israel keeps up Gaza bombardment as ceasefire talks intensify. From Reuters.  U.S. and Arab mediators are working round-the-clock to hammer out a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, sources close to the talks said, while in the Gaza Strip medics said Israeli strikes had killed 26 Palestinians today. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from AP.

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Human Rights Watch says Israel’s deprivation of water in Gaza is an act of genocide. From Reuters.  THE HAGUE — Human Rights Watch said today that Israel has killed thousands of Palestinians in Gaza by denying them clean water which it says legally amounts to acts of genocide and extermination. READ MORE . . . Click HERE and HERE for reports from AP and Middle East Eye.

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UN adopts resolution affirming Palestinian right to self-determination by overwhelming majority. From Middle East Monitor. By an overwhelming 172-vote majority, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday affirming the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. Israel, the U.S., and five other countries opposed it. Eight countries abstained. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 18  Palestinians in Occupied West Bank worry attacks will go up when Trump takes office. Reported by Michele Kelemen | NPR  Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank are worried about an escalation of attacks from right wing settlers who are feeling emboldened with a new ally coming to the White House. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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In shattered Yarmouk, the Palestinians of Syria mourn their ‘paradise’ lost to war, by Daniel Hilton and Omar al-Aswad | Middle East Eye  DAMASCUS — Yarmouk, a neighborhood in Syria’s capital city that had transformed from an informal tented community of Palestinian refugees to a district in the Syrian capital’s south that attracted people from all walks of life, is today unrecognisable. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to five reports: from Middle East Eye, National Public Radio, the Cradle, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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In shattered Yarmouk, the Palestinians of Syria mourn their ‘paradise’ lost to war, by Daniel Hilton and Omar al-Aswad | Middle East Eye  DAMASCUS — Yarmouk, a neighborhood in Syria’s capital city that had transformed from an informal tented community of Palestinian refugees to a district in the Syrian capital’s south that attracted people from all walks of life, is today unrecognisable. READ MORE . . .

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Makeshift camp in Syria home to thousands who fled regime, ISIS attacks. Jane Arraf of NPR and a crew make an unprecedented visit to the desert camp full of Syrians who fled the regime and ISIS attacks nearly a decade ago. They were trapped against the border until the fall of the Syrian regime. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Putin: ‘Russia achieved its goals in Syria.’ From The Cradle. Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that the recent events in Syria do not constitute a defeat for Moscow; that he plans to meet soon with deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, now in asylum in Russia; and that the future of Moscow’s military bases in Syria depends on . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 18  Syria’s ousted dictator relied on a brutal army, and powerful allies. What changed? Reported by Leila Fadel | NPR  Stories from men conscripted into the Syrian military help explain why it collapsed. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM DEC. 18  France to host Syria meeting, cautious on aid, sanctions lifting, by John Irish | Reuters  PARIS — France said on Wednesday it would host an international meeting on Syria in January and that the lifting of sanctions and reconstruction aid would be conditional on clear political and security commitments by the transitional authority. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to seven reports: from Reuters, the Associated Press, Kyiv Post, Tass, and the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and SYRIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Putin says Russia is ready to compromise with Trump on Ukraine war, by Vladimir Soldatkin and Andrew Osborn | Reuters  MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin said today he was ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on ending the war and had no conditions for starting talks with the Ukrainian authorities. Fielding questions . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from AP, Kyiv Post and Tass.

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Ukraine strikes ‘only oil refinery operating’ in Russia’s Rostov Oblast, military says, by Martin Fornusek and the news desk | The Kyiv Independent   Ukraine’s Navy and the Security Service of Ukraine carried out a combined strike against the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast last night, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said today. Russian authorities said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops liberate two communities in Donbass region over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops liberated two communities in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 18  NATO leader says he wants to put Ukraine in a position of strength for any peace talks with Russia, by Lorne Cook | AP  BRUSSELS — NATO’s secretary-general said he wants to discuss ways to put Ukraine in a position of strength for any future peace talks with Russia during a meeting Wednesday with Ukraine’s president and a small number of European leaders. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to seven reports: from Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, the Cradle, the Associated Press, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (SYRIA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli attacks on hospital knock last intensive care unit in northern Gaza out of service, by Mera Aladam | Middle East Eye  The Israeli army has launched a new set of attacks on the Kamal Adwan hospital, sparking a fire that rendered the last functioning intensive care unit (ICU) in northern Gaza out of service. Overnight on Tuesday . . . READ MORE . . .

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Hamas: Ceasefire is possible now if Israel ‘stops setting new conditions.’ From Middle East Monitor. Concluding a ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement with Israel is possible only if Tel Aviv “stops setting new conditions”, Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Middle East Eye.

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FROM DEC. 17  Palestinians will not return to north Gaza, Israeli ‘Generals’ Plan’ in full swing: report. From the Cradle. Israel’s military is inching closer towards the full implementation of the controversial Generals’ Plan in northern Gaza, and will work to prevent the return of displaced Palestinians to the area even after the extermination and siege campaign in the strip comes to an end, Hebrew media reported on Tuesday. READ MORE . . .

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Egypt demands complete Israeli withdrawal from Philadelphi Corridor and Rafah crossing. From Middle East Monitor. Egypt has demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border as well as from the Rafah border crossing, Israel Hayom has reported. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli military orders another Gaza evacuation ahead of an offensive. From AP. The Israeli military today ordered another evacuation in central Gaza ahead of an offensive in the area, even as Israel and the militant group Hamas appeared to inch closer to a ceasefire in the 14-month war. READ MORE . . .

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Gaza mediators intensify ceasefire efforts, Israeli strikes kill 20 people. From Reuters. CAIRO – The U.S., joined by Arab mediators, sought today to conclude an agreement between Israel and Hamas to halt the 14-month-old war in the Gaza Strip, where medics said fresh Israeli strikes killed at least 16 Palestinians overnight. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to six reports: from Reuters, the Cradle, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Middle East Monitor and MintNews; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.)

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Netanyahu says Israel will remain on Mt. Hermon ‘until another arrangement is found.’ From Reuters. JERUSALEM — Israel will remain on the strategic Mount Hermon site on the Syrian border until another arrangement is found, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Israeli troops occupied the site following the collapse of . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 16  Israeli army settles in for ‘long term occupation’ of Syria’s Mt. Hermon. From the Cradle. Israel is deepening its occupation of Syrian territory, including making plans to retain control of the strategic summit of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, in addition to most of the water sources in Quneitra . . . READ MORE . . .

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Leader of former Syrian opposition says transitional government should not exclude any party. From Reuters. DUBAI — Hadi al-Bahra, head of the Syrian National Coalition that grouped opponents of Bashar al-Assad during the civil war, said today Syria’s transitional government should be credible and not exclude any Syrian party or be based on sectarianism. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 17  After Assad’s fall, the task of unearthing the dead from Syria’s mass graves is just beginning, by Sarah el Deeb | AP  NAJHA, Syria — Bones are visible here and there among the mounds of earth in a field south of Damascus, one of the mass graves around Syria believed to hold the bodies of tens of thousands of people killed under Bashar Assad’s rule. More than 150,000 Syrians remain unaccounted for . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM DEC. 17  A family reunites after years of separation during Assad regime in Syrians. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR  A Syrian mother and daughter are reunited for the first time in 6 years after the fall of the Assad regime, and freedom of movement returns to the country. Click HERE to listen and read.

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Bombing Syria is never likely to do anything except feed the chaos, by Binoy Kampmark | Middle East Monitor  The justifications are always the same. We are moving into territory for security reasons. We are creating a temporary buffer zone from which tactical advantage . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 12  How the West rebranded al-Qaeda’s Jolani, by Alan MacLeod | MintPress News / Consortium News  Corporate media is heralding the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the emergence of Abu Mohammed al-Jolani as the new leader of Syria, despite his deep ties to both Al-Qaeda and ISIS. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to four reports from Reuters, National Public Radio, and the Associated Press, and to commentary from Kyiv Post; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and SYRIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Europeans grapple over security force for post-war Ukraine. From Reuters. European nations are discussing sending troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire or peace deal, as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has made clear he will not put American boots on the ground to guarantee security, officials and diplomats say. READ MORE . . .

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What we can learn from Ukraine’s assassination of a senior Russian general in Moscow. Michel Martin of NPR talks with retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who served on the National Security Council, about the bomb attack Tuesday in Moscow. Click HERE to listen and, later, read, and HERE for Dec. 14 report from AP.

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FROM DEC. 17  A couple hundred North Korean troops killed, wounded in battles with Ukrainian forces, by Lolita C. Baldor | AP  WASHINGTON — A couple hundred North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine have been killed or wounded during battle in the Kursk border region, a senior military official said Tuesday. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine is getting its own capability to strike deep into Russian territory, by Sergii Kostezh | Kyiv Post  For several days Ukrainian media have been discussing the newly developed Peklo (Hell) jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicle. If Peklo works as intended, it will simultaneously solve . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to four reports: from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and the Associated Press, and to commentary from Multinational Monitor and Middle East Eye; other articles are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE and SYRIA entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Gaza ceasefire talk swirls as officials push for deal, by Erin Banco and Nidal al-Mughrabi | Reuters  WASHINGTON / CAIRO — Sources briefed on talks about a Gaza ceasefire said today a deal could be signed in coming days that would end the fighting and free hostages held by the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. READ MOVE . . .

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Hamas says Gaza truce talks in Doha ‘serious and positive.’ From AFP. DOHA — Hamas said talks in Qatar today aimed at a truce and hostage-prisoner exchange in Gaza were “serious and positive,” a day after an Israeli delegation arrived in Doha to meet with mediators. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli strike in Gaza kills at least 8 from the same family, Palestinians say. From AP. An Israeli strike in Gaza killed at least eight people from the same family, most of them women and children, Palestinian medics said today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 16  Palestinians mourn dead after Israeli strike on Gaza’s Khan Younis. From Reuters. CAIRO / GAZA — Relatives of Palestinians killed by Israel in Khan Younis gathered around their white-shrouded bodies on Monday before carrying them to their graves. Health officials said on Sunday at least 20 people, including children, were killed in the strike at the school sheltering displaced families. READ MORE . . .

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FROM DEC. 16  The ouster of tyrant Assad paves the way for Palestine, not the other way round, by Amira Abo el-Fetouh | Multinational Monitor  I have said it many times: Palestine will not be liberated unless and until the Arab countries are liberated from their tyrannical and oppressive rulers. READ MORE . . .

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Mahmoud Abbas is in his final act as betrayer of the Palestinian cause, by Sami Al-Arian | Middle East Eye  Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been trying to stay relevant as events in Gaza, the West Bank and across the region have been moving at a much faster pace than the octogenarian politician is able to cope with. This week, his security forces . . . READ MORE . . .