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Women living under Hamas rule describe how they are sexually abused by the terror group's fighters. 02:12 EDT , updated 02:12 EDT 18 Apr 2026 By - Middle East Correspondant. The world has heard harrowing accounts of Israeli men and women sexually brutalised in Hamas captivity — but now chilling new testimony is emerging from inside Gaza itself. Gazans living under Hamas rule are beginning to break their silence, describing sexual abuse by multiple men, sexual blackmail for aid or money and abuse by people in positions of power. It comes as concerns grow that the group is re-establishing control,...

999,130 views Premiered Apr 16, 2026 #ussenate #usnews #timesnowworld U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders delivered a fiery speech in the Senate, calling for an immediate halt to American military aid to Israel and condemning the ongoing war in Gaza as well as its expansion into Lebanon and Iran. Sanders argued that U.S. taxpayer money should not support what he described as illegal and destructive military actions, citing rising civilian casualties and humanitarian concerns. He also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of pursuing policies that undermine the possibility of a Palestinian state, while warning that the broader Middle East conflict could...

...It is worth recalling St. Paul’s words that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Thus, the Church is truly universal and eternal and favors no state or nation over another out of principle... I recall visiting Rome’s Great Synagogue... The synagogue’s museum exhibit details the two-thousand-year history of the Eternal City’s Jewish community; we learn, for instance, that it was not Hitler nor Mussolini but Pope Paul IV who established Rome’s first ghetto. Yet the exhibit features...

Nancy Pelosi has called for and FBI investigation into pro-Palestine protestors and has claimed that they are financially backed by Russia. The former House Speaker joined Dana Bush on Sunday during Sunday's State of the Union on CNN, as Bush asked Pelosi what she thought about the countless protests that have taken place with the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. 'Some are connected to Russia, and I say that having looked at this for a long time,' she said. Pelosi said she has encountered protestors herself and that 'we have to think about what we're doing.' 'And what we...

While all eyes are on Iran, Gaza is being pushed to the side -- not because it has been solved, but because it has become politically inconvenient. It is still there, still burning beneath the surface, still unresolved, still deadly. And now, as attention drifts elsewhere, a so-called peace process is taking shape in the background that may do the opposite of what it promises. On paper, the latest Gaza framework sounds structured and responsible. Committees. Stages. Verification. Security transitions. Demilitarized zones. Timelines. But buried inside the language is the kind of detail that should stop everyone cold: Hamas could...

Netanyahu seeks to pass the Budget by March 31 to avoid snap elections, which polls suggest he would likely lose. The war in Iran has shifted focus from Gaza, but polls remain unchanged since Oct 7, showing weak support for Netanyahu. To secure the Budget, Netanyahu's coalition allocated funds to allies, like ultra-Orthodox parties, ensuring their support. Polls consistently show around 40 per cent of voters sticking with Mr Netanyahu’s coalition of nationalist and religious parties, 40 per cent backing opposition parties, and a swing vote so far not moving to Mr Netanyahu, said Professor Gideon Rahat, a political scientist...

Actress Susan Sarandon said that she has been blacklisted in Hollywood due to her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. “I was fired by my agency, specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza, for asking for a ceasefire,” Sarandon said Friday during a conversation with Reuters. Her remarks came just before she was honored with the International Goya award at the Spanish Film Academy’s ceremony in Barcelona. “It became impossible for me to even be on television,” Sarandon said. “I don’t know lately if it’s changed. I couldn’t do any major film or anything connected with Hollywood.” Sarandon, who...

Pro-Palestinian activists, in collaboration with civil society organizations, have launched a campaign for a new maritime flotilla to the Gaza Strip. The flotilla is scheduled to depart on April 12 from several ports in Spain, Italy, and Tunisia, with the stated goal of breaking the blockade on the strip and delivering aid. Al-Arabi Al-Jadid reports that more than 200 vessels will participate in the flotilla, supported by the "Mavi Marmara" Freedom and Solidarity Association and the Turkish İHH Foundation, a humanitarian organization that focuses on protecting freedoms, human rights, and providing aid. Bülent Yıldırım, president of the İHH Foundation, told...

Is there really a ceasefire in Gaza? While headlines speak of “Phase B” and a technocratic government, IDF forces continue daily clashes with Hamas operatives testing the boundaries along the yellow line. Smuggling attempts resume at the Rafah crossing, drones move weapons, and Hamas works to rebuild both militarily and politically behind the scenes. On the ground, Israeli reserve soldiers rotate through fortified positions, facing tunnel threats, civilian exploitation, and constant friction. As international plans for reconstruction stall and global attention shifts, one central question remains: Can Gaza move forward without Hamas truly being removed? Stay up-to-date with the latest...

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that member states of his newly-formed Board of Peace have pledged more than $5 billion toward humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Gaza. Trump said the commitment will be formally unveiled on Thursday, February 19, at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C. In addition to financial pledges, Trump said participating nations have committed thousands of personnel to both an International Stabilization Force and to local police units to maintain security and peace for Gazans. “On February 19th, 2026, I will again be joined by Board of Peace Members at the Donald J....

The 162-article draft "constitution," however, shows that, if and when the Palestinians have a state of their own, it would actually not be different from the two mini-states they have had for the past two decades: the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank. Both Palestinian regimes have miserably failed their people, mainly by depriving them of international aid, democracy, opportunity, free elections, and freedom of speech. Notably, the new "constitution" repeats and reaffirms the long-standing and familiar positions and policies of the PA and Hamas, especially towards Israel and Jews. These...

Aizenberg @Aizenberg55: Hamas uses child soldiers. NGOs don’t talk about it. The UN doesn’t report it. Human rights "experts" don't care. But the evidence is public — names, ages, photos, and admissions. 1,000s killed in combat. The Child Soldiers of Gaza ⬇️Feb 17, 2026The long-standing use of child soldiers by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups is absent from mainstream discourse. A search for news coverage on child soldiers in Gaza since 10/7 yields no results from major media outlets. While the deaths of thousands of children in the Gaza war are tragic and deserve acknowledgment, many of those recorded...

While some dubious policies linger from the Biden administration years, even some Trump administration policy steps in the Middle East — Gaza, Iran, and Syria especially — raise questions about this administration’s and its envoys’ understanding of realities of Islam, jihad, and sharia. ...So far, so good for the Trump administration, but then:“‘No Idea’ of Threat Posed by Afghan Parole Program, Senator Warns” by Virginia Allen at the Daily Signal, January 15, 2026“The Trump Administration’s Delusional Gaza ‘Master Plan’” by Khaled Abu Toameh at the Gatestone Institute, February 3, 2026At the recent annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF)...

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, is readying 1,000 troops to be deployed in Gaza as early as April as part of the UN-mandated International Stabilization Force, an army spokesperson said on Monday.A total of 8,000 Indonesian soldiers will be ready for deployment by June, while the final decision will be made by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. "The departure schedule remains entirely subject to the political decisions of the state and applicable international mechanisms," the spokesman said in a text message to news agency Reuters.via AFPIndonesian Army Chief of Staff Maruli Simanjuntak previously estimated that between 5,000 and 8,000 military...

The Jerusalem Post @Jerusalem_Post: Editorial: For the first time during the war, a major international organization has publicly recognized the presence of armed groups operating within a Gaza hospital.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., alleged at the Munich Security Conference on Friday that U.S. aid to the Jewish state enabled a genocide by Israel. AOC’s attack on the Jewish state in Munich unfolded in the birthplace of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi movement that carried out the worst genocide in human history. During the town hall event in Munich, the Squad member said, "To me, this isn't just about a presidential election. Personally, I think that the United States has an obligation to uphold its own laws, particularly the Leahy laws. And I think that personally, that the idea of completely unconditional...

Three adult dogs and seven puppies found abandoned near the Gaza border will be flown to the US for adoption by American soldiers who served in the area during the Gaza war. The soldiers discovered the animals and decided they couldn’t leave them behind, according to Israel’s Let the Animals Live association. Let the Animals Live said it was caring for the canines in kennels before they are flown out, while also dealing with the export bureaucracy and ensuring that all shots are up to date. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (International) is funding most of...

Aizenberg @Aizenberg55: The Gaza death toll narrative depends on pretending Hamas never kills Gazans. In reality, Hamas & PIJ killed 1000s from internal violence and misfired rockets—then get counted as civilians killed by IDF. Numerous reports and incidents like the one below document this clearly.

Yigal Carmon, President and cofounder of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), issued a blunt warning to President Trump in a Daily Brief published January 30, 2026: Hamas and similar Islamist groups are locked into a jihadist ideology that no amount of economic prosperity can break. Carmon argues that even if Gaza were rebuilt into a luxurious "Middle East Riviera" with beaches and hotels, these groups would still prioritize ideology such as martyrdom and Israel's destruction, over material comforts or the "good life" ideal, which he argues motivates the West. He points to pre-October 7 Gaza, where residents enjoyed...

Newsdump Alert: Qatar's Prime Minister Meets Iran's Security Council Chief To Discuss "Easing Regional Tensions"... Newsdump Alert: At Least 30 Killed In Israeli Attacks In Gaza Where There Is Supposed To Be A Ceasefire... Newsdump Alert: Controversy Over Trump DOJ Epstein File More Revelations Of Epstein Victims Heavy Redactions... "His friends are running our government. That's the point. You've already been conquered if you don't understand the magnitude of this..." Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky comments on the significance of the Epstein Files... "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh....