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Ongoing: Gaza War
On Saturday, July 13, Israel conducted air strikes on a displacement camp in Al-Mawasi, a designated safe zone, killing at least 90 people and wounding 300. Israel has stated that the attacks on the densely populated area in southern Gaza were targeting Mohammed Deif, a Hamas commander thought to be the “mastermind” behind the October 7 attack. Hamas reported that this most-wanted leader was not in Al-Mawasi, and “there still isn’t absolute certainty” he was killed, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ceasefire and hostage negotiations are reported to still be in progress despite the attacks, and “there is no doubt that the horrific massacres will impact any efforts in the negotiations,” said Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha, but the “efforts and endeavors of the mediators remain ongoing.”
U.S. shipments of 500-pound bombs earmarked for Israel will resume after a suspension in May following a meeting between Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant and U.S. envoy Brett McGurk. The original package was a joint shipment alongside 2000-pound bombs, which are still being withheld. This resumption follows the news on Thursday, July 11, that the U.S.-built pier in Gaza will soon “cease operations,” according to Pentagon spokesman Major-General Pat Ryder.
Middle East Policy has published a special issue on the Gaza war, featuring interviews with key players and contributions that explore the sparks fueling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
43 Activists Found Guilty in UAE Mass Trial
On Wednesday, July 10, 43 activists were found guilty in the United Arab Emirates for “terror offenses” and convicted for creating a terrorist organization. According to Emirati news agency WAM, many of the defendants found guilty have links to the Muslim Brotherhood, a political Islamist group classified as a terrorist group in the UAE.
Alongside the 43 life sentences, five other defendants were sentenced for 10 years in prison with another five sentenced to 15 years. Human rights activists, including Human Rights Watch and UN experts, have criticized the trial.
A Middle East Policy article by Sherko Kirmanj and Ranj Tofik examines the primary motivations behind the UAE’s foreign policy agenda.
China Hosts UAE for Joint Military Training
Last week, the United Arab Emirates and China began joint military training exercises in Xinjiang, China. This is the second set of Emirati-Chinese military training programs, dubbed “Falcon Shield,” which began in 2023. The training will continue throughout July.
The growth in relations between the two countries comes after a two-day visit last month in June that witnessed the signing of more than 100 Memorandum of Understandings between the two countries.
An article in Middle East Policy by Mohamed Bin Huwaidin explores the UAE’s position in the growing US-China rivalry in the region.
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