For now, links to four reports from the Associated Press and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Far-right groups that block aid to Gaza receive tax-deductible donations from U.S. and Israel, by Uri Blau, Milan Czerny of Shomrim and Josef Federman | AP  JERUSALEM — Under American pressure, Israel has pledged to deliver large quantities of humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. But at the same time, the U.S. and Israel have allowed tax-deductible donations to far-right groups that have blocked that aid from being delivered. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 17, Palestinian health officials say, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Ramadan Abed | Reuters  CAIRO / GAZA — Israeli forces battled Hamas-led fighters in several parts of the Gaza Strip today, and Palestinian health officials said at least 17 people were killed in Israeli bombardments of southern and central areas. . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 15  Israel allows UN to bring in more equipment amid Gaza lawlessness, by Michelle Nichols | Reuters  UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations said on Monday that it will start bringing in more armored vehicles and personal protection equipment for its humanitarian aid operations in the Gaza Strip after receiving approval from Israeli authorities. The approval . . . READ MORE . . .

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Waste crisis deepens misery in Gaza as war rages, by Hatem Khaled | Reuters  GAZA — Garbage is piling up in the impoverished enclave — one of the world’s most densely populated places — which has been reduced mostly to rubble. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For today, links to six reports from the Associated Press, Anadolu Agency, Reuters, and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and a  MEDIA entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 14  Hamas says cease-fire talks haven’t paused, and claims military chief survived Israeli strike, by Wafaa Shurafa and Melanie Lidman | AP MUWASI, Gaza Strip — Hamas said Sunday that Gaza cease-fire talks were ongoing and the group’s military commander was in good health, a day after the Israeli military targeted Mohammed Deif with a massive airstrike that local health officials said killed at least 90 people, including children. READ MORE . . .

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Death toll from Israeli strike on UN-run school in central Gaza rises to 22, by Mohamed Maji | Anadolu Agency  GAZA CITY, Palestine The death toll from Israeli bombardment of a UN-run school sheltering displaced Palestinians in the central Gaza Strip rose to 22, the Health Ministry said today. Witnesses said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel launches new Gaza strikes after weekend attack kills scores in safe zone, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Ramadan Abed | Reuters  CAIRO / GAZA — Israel struck the southern and central Gaza Strip today to put more pressure on Hamas, following a weekend strike targeting the militant group’s leadership, which . . . READ MORE . . .

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Gaza needs 15 years to remove rubble caused by Israeli war, by Ahmed Asmar | Anadolu Agency Clearing the Gaza Strip of the rubble caused by a deadly Israeli offensive will take about 15 years, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said today.A UN Environment Program assessment said . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU ramps up sanctions of Israeli settlers and organisations. From Middle East Eye. The Council of the European Union has announced further sanctions on Israeli settlers and affiliated organisations for their actions in the occupied West Bank and for blocking aid to Gaza. In a statement today . . . READ MORE . . .

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EU’s top diplomat rejects attempts to label UNRWA as ‘terrorist organization,’ by Laith Al-Jnaidi | Anadolu Agency AMMAN, Jordan — EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said today the EU and other international donors will continue to support and fund the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to five reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Post, and Tass’; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date and a MEDIA entry are HERE and HERE.  — MCM

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From basement to battlefield: Ukrainian startups create low-cost robots to fight Russia, by Derek Gatopoulos and Anton Shtuka | AP  NORTHERN UKRAINE — Struggling with manpower shortages, overwhelming odds and uneven international assistance, Ukraine hopes to find a strategic edge against Russia in an abandoned warehouse or a factory basement. An ecosystem of . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine’s mobilisation campaign picks up despite faltering enthusiasm, by Dan Peleschuk | Reuters  Though military recruitment numbers remain shrouded in wartime secrecy, some political and military officials say . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia says downed 22 Ukrainian drones. From AFP. Russia downed 22 Ukrainian drones overnight in the west of the country and over Crimea, Moscow’s Defense Ministry said today. “Over the past night . . .READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops reportedly regroup in Kharkiv sector. From Kyiv Post. Russian troops are regrouping in the Kharkiv sector and preparing troops to assault the city of Vovchansk, said Col. Vitaly Sarantsev, a spokesperson of Ukraine’s Kharkiv Operational Tactical Group. The group said Russia is training . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russian forces repel 35 Ukrainian attempts to break into LPR in past week — expert. From Tass. LUGANSK — Russian forces repelled 35 attempts by the Ukrainian army to break into the Lugansk People’s Republic in the past week, according to military expert Andrey Marochko, adding that “the number of counterattacks . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to eight reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Anadolu Agency, and Middle East Eye, and to commentary from ScheerPost and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Hamas says it has not withdrawn from ceasefire talks after latest Israeli attacks. From Reuters.  CAIRO — Islamist group Hamas has not withdrawn from ceasefire talks after this weekend’s deadly Israeli attacks in Gaza, one of the group’s senior officials said today. The statement from Izzat El-Reshiq, a member of the political office of Hamas, also accused . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. is removing aid pier from Gaza coast again due to weather, officials say. From AP. The U.S.-built aid pier will be detached from Gaza’s coast for a second time due to rough seas, two U.S. officials said Friday, raising further questions about the viability of the sea route. Palestinians are facing . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE for earlier report from AP.

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FROM JULY. 13  Israeli strike targets Hamas military commander and kills at least 90 in southern Gaza, by Mohamed Jahjouh | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip  — Israel said it targeted Hamas’ shadowy military commander in a massive strike Saturday in the crowded southern Gaza Strip that killed at least 90 people including children, according to local health officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said . . . READ MORE . . . Click HERE, HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters, Anadolu Agency, and Middle East Eye.

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FROM JULY 13  Gaza talks halted until Israel shows it’s serious about negotiations, say Egyptian sources. From Reuters. CAIRO — Gaza ceasefire talks have been halted after three days of intense negotiations failed to produce a viable outcome, two Egyptian security sources said on Saturday, blaming Israel for lacking a genuine intent to reach agreement. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 12  The old evil, by Chris Hedges | Original to ScheerPost  RAMALLAH, Occupied Palestine  It comes back in a rush, the stench of raw sewage, the groan of the diesel, sloth-like Israeli armored personnel carriers, the vans filled with broods of children, driven by . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 13  The corporate news media at work, by Jonathan Cook | Jonathan-Cook.net / Consortium News  When all we have to rely on in understanding our relationship to the news media is the media’s self-proclaimed assessment of its own role, maybe it is no surprise that most of us assume the West’s “free press” . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to four reports from Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Post, Tass, and the Kyiv Independent, and to commentary from Indian Punchline and Consortium News; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA link for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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FROM JULY 13  Russian oil depot on fire after Ukrainian drone attack – governor. From AFP. An oil depot caught fire Saturday in Russia’s Rostov region after a Ukrainian drone attack, according to its governor, Vasily Golubev, who said there were no casualties. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from the Kyiv Post. 

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Battlegroup West inflicts damage on eight brigades in 24 hours. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted damage on eight brigades of the Ukrainian army, territorial defense and Azov (banned in Russia), with the enemy’s losses totaling up to 520 troops in 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE. . .

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Russia claims launch of 3-ton aerial glide bombs from Su-34 jets against Ukraine, by Elsa Court | The Kyiv Independent  Russia has started to use Su-34 jets to launch aerial glide bombs weighing 3,000 kilograms against Ukraine. the Russian Defense Ministry claimed today. It released footage that purported to show the aerial bomb, known as a FAB-3000 . . . READ MORE . . .

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India-Russia ties take a quantum leap in the flog of Ukraine war, by B.K Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  India-Russia relations “are blossoming  and getting stronger as time goes by” and their cooperation “represents a guarantee for the future of our people” — to borrow Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 13  The corporate news media at work, by Jonathan Cook | Jonathan-Cook.net / Consortium News  When all we have to rely on in understanding our relationship to the news media is the media’s self-proclaimed assessment of its own role, maybe it is no surprise that most of us assume the West’s “free press” . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to five reports from the Associated Press, Interfax-Ukraine, Tass, Anadolu Agency, and the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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After embrace at NATO summit, Zelenskyy takes his case for U.S. military aid to governors, by Hannah Schoenbaum and Mead Gruver | AP  SALT LAKE CITY — Away from Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to broaden support for U.S. military aid by telling state governors Friday that the world’s leaders should see for themselves the carnage wrought since Russia invaded his country more than two years ago. Zelenskyy’s plea at the . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky to visit Great Britain, Ireland next week – media. From Interfax-Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to pay a visit to the UK next week, The Guardian reports. According to the ezine, Zelenskyy will also make his first visit to Ireland this morning when he touches down in Shannon airport, Co Clare, for a meeting with the Irish taoiseach, Simon Harris. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 13  Russia strikes Ukrainian military-industrial sites, air bases over week. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces delivered 39 strikes by precision weapons and attack unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukrainian military-industrial sites and air bases over the past week in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Friday in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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Chinese, Belarusian troops to begin live-fire in next phase of joint military drill. From Anadolu Agency. ANKARA — China’s People’s Liberation Army said today that a joint military drill with Belarusian troops will move forward to the next phase, which will include live-fire training exercises with various weapons as well as anti-terrorism operations. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine and its soldiers weigh in on whether Biden should step aside, by Asami Terajima, Owen Racer and Oleg Sukhov | The Kyiv Independent  As calls mount for U.S. President Joe Biden to step aside in the upcoming presidential election among Democratic party allies in Washington, Ukrainian soldiers . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to five reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, Anadolu Agency, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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An Israeli attack on southern Gaza kills 71 people and said to target head of Hamas’s military wing, by Josef Federman | AP  JERUSALEM — An Israeli attack on the south of the Gaza Strip on Saturday killed 71 people and injured scores, the Health Ministry in Gaza said, while an Israeli official said it targeted Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’ military wing. READ MORE . . . Click HERE and HERE for reports from Reuters and Anadolu Agency.

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Hezbollah spokesperson says the group doesn’t want an all-out war in the region. Reported by Jane Arraf and Scott Simon | NPR  In an interview with NPR, a spokesman for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said that it would stop its attacks on Israel if Hamas agrees to a ceasefire in the war in Gaza. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JULY 12  Israel again orders thousands of people in Gaza City to evacuate. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi and A Martínez | NPR  Many residents are ignoring the order as Israel renews military action in Gaza’s largest city. A local civil defense group said the neighborhood of Shujaiya is uninhabitable. Click HERE to listen and, maybe later, read.

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For today, links to nine reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Mondoweiss, Anadolu Agency, and Middle East Monitor, and to commentary from Mondoweiss and Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli forces pull back after Gaza City offensive, leaving dozens of bodies, rescue service says, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli forces retreated from some Gaza City districts overnight after a fierce, week-long military offensive, leaving dozens of dead and wrecked homes and roads in the Palestinian enclave’s biggest urban area, residents and rescue service said today. READ MORE . . . Click HERE and HERE for reports from AP and AFP.

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FROM JULY 11  ‘We have nothing’: Palestinians return to utter destruction in Gaza City after Israeli withdrawal. From AP. SHIJAIYAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinians returned to breathtaking scenes of destruction in the Gaza City district of Shijaiyah after Israeli troops withdrew, ending a two-week offensive there. Civil defense workers said Thursday that so far, they had found the bodies of 60 people in the rubble. Families . . . READ MORE . . .

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Gaza talks explore alternative to Israeli troops on Gaza-Egypt border, by Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Maayan Lubell | Reuters  CAIRO — Israeli and Egyptian ceasefire negotiators are in talks about an electronic surveillance system along the border between Gaza and Egypt that could allow Israel to pull back its troops from the area if a ceasefire is agreed, according to two Egyptian sources and a third source familiar with the matter. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 11  Israeli army acknowledges Oct. 7 failures, including slow response and disorganization, by Josef Federman | AP  JERUSALEM — The Israeli military on Thursday acknowledged a string of errors in its response to the deadly Hamas attacks last Oct. 7, including slow response times and disorganization, as it released the results of its first investigation into failures during the assault that triggered the war in Gaza. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 10  Israel’s leading paper says its own army deliberately killed Israelis on Oct. 7. But in the U.S. media: silence, by James North | Mondoweiss / ScheerPost / Popular Resistance  Three days ago, Israel’s leading newspaper Haaretz, published the results of its thorough, comprehensive investigation into what actually happened when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7. So far, the U.S. mainstream media has not said a word . . . READ MORE . . .

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Türkiye will not approve attempts to cooperate with Israel within NATO: President Erdogan, by Diyar Guldogan | Anadolu Agency  WASHINGTON — “It is not possible for the Israeli administration, which has trampled on the fundamental values of our alliance, to continue its partnership relationship with NATO,” Turkish President Recep Erdogan said Thursday in Washington after the NATO leaders’ summit. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 11  Jordan reiterates support for Egypt demand for Israeli to withdraw from Rafah. From Middle East Monitor. Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, Ayman Al-Safadi, has reiterated the kingdom’s full support for Egypt’s demand for the Israeli occupation army to withdraw from the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing so that aid can flow into the besieged Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JULY 8  Why the Israeli army is expanding its invasion of Gaza City, by Tareq S. Hajjaj | Mondoweiss  The Israeli army’s invasion of Gaza City’s eastern Shuja’iyya neighborhood has entered its second week, and it is now spreading to other parts of the city. The entire city is being put under siege, with . . . READ MORE . . .

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The West’s false image of reality is collapsing, by Marco Carnelos | Middle East Eye  Dating back to tsarist Russia, the Potemkin village is a figure of speech for a representation of reality that is quite different from the truth. For years, western democracies built their own Potemkin village to. . . READ MORE . . .