Middle East & North Africa

30 October 2023; MEMO: Pope Francis on Sunday called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza amid escalating violence and a humanitarian catastrophe in the enclave, reports Anadolu Agency.

The pope, addressing a crowd of the faithful in St. Peter’s Square in Rome during his Sunday Angelus, urged the world to join in prayer for the resolution of the serious situation in Gaza.

He also appealed for the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

30 October 2023; MEMO: The United Nations Sunday announced that 59 employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) have been killed in Gaza due to Israeli attacks since October 7, reports Anadolu Agency.

According to a statement posted on UNRWA’s social media account X, a memorial ceremony was held to honor the UNRWA employees who lost their lives in the attacks on Gaza.

30 October 2023; MEMO: The spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Bin Mohammad Al Ansar, said Doha does not intend to close the Hamas office in the country due to its importance in ending the conflict.

30 October 2023; MEMO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi yesterday confirmed that Cairo “has not and will never allow the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Egyptian territories.”

30 October 2023; MEMO: A document compiled by Israeli intelligence was discovered containing a proposal to displace the residents of the Gaza Strip to Sinai after Hamas is toppled in the enclave.

30 October 2023; MEMO: Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that the Palestinians are not terrorists, they are defending their land and legitimate rights.

Tebboune added yesterday that the killings taking place in Gaza are war crimes and crimes against humanity.

ISTANBUL, October 28. /TASS/: Turkey will declare Israel a war criminal and will do it before the entire international community, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said at a mass rally in support of Palestine held at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport.

"We are going to declare Israel a war criminal. We will inform the international community, as we have already been working on it," he said.

Erdogan lambasted Israel as an invader and a group, pointing out that the Palestinian movement Hamas is not a terrorist organization.

DUBAI, October 29. /TASS/: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Israel had crossed ‘red lines’ that could force everyone to take action.

"Zionist regime’s crimes have crossed the red lines, which may force everyone to take action. Washington asks us to not do anything, but they keep giving widespread support to Israel. The US sent messages to the Axis of Resistance but received a clear response on the battlefield," the president said in a statement on his X (formerly known as Twitter) page.

TEL AVIV, October 29. /TASS/: Israeli army units continue to expand ground operations in the Gaza Strip, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari said.

"Overnight, IDF units expanded ground operations in the Gaza Strip. Additional ground forces joined the units. We are continuing the military operations as planned," he said.