Middle East
Israeli airstrikes kill 20 in Gaza, hospitals report
According to hospital reports, multiple children were fatalities in the strikes, which the Israeli military claims were conducted in response to a gunshot assault on its soldiers.
Gaza hospitals have reported that Israeli strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Palestinians, among them several children and a paramedic, with nearly 40 others injured.
According to the Israeli military, its tanks and aircraft launched targeted attacks against individuals it identified as "terrorists" who had opened fire on Israeli troops in northern Gaza, leaving one officer with serious injuries.
The Israeli military stated that the incident occurred near the Yellow Line, an area where Israeli forces are deployed in Gaza, and characterized it as a clear breach of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas that has been in place for three months.
Hamas has alleged that Israel is using the incident as a justification for continued violence against Palestinians, claiming that the shooting was merely a pretext.
Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City has confirmed receiving 13 bodies, including those of five children, who were killed when Israeli strikes hit tents and homes in the eastern Zeitoun and Tuffah neighbourhoods, which are used to shelter displaced families.
Funeral prayers were held in the hospital's courtyard, attended by mourners including Abu Mohammed Haboush, who recounted that his family was at home when their residence came under attack while they were asleep.
In an interview with Reuters, Haboush expressed his grief, stating that his son, as well as his brother's son and daughter, were among those killed in the incident.
Haboush emphasized that his family has no involvement in any conflict, describing themselves as peaceful civilians.
According to Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, four fatalities, including a child, were received after airstrikes targeted tents in the Qizan Rashwan area in the south.
Hospital officials later reported that two more children, sisters Rahaf and Remas Abu Jamea, along with paramedic Hussein al-Samiri, lost their lives in a separate incident in the al-Mawasi area, located west of Khan Younis along the coast.
According to Jihad al-Hinnawi, a first responder with the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency, a paramedic was fatally struck by a second attack while providing aid to victims of an initial strike on a tent in the al-Mawasi area, a coastal region.
In a separate statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that Samiri lost his life "in the line of duty" in Khan Younis, and condemned the Israeli military for allegedly committing a "serious breach" of international humanitarian law, which safeguards medical personnel.
The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed strong dismay upon learning of Samiri's death, emphasizing that it is "inexcusable" for first responders in Gaza to continue facing life-threatening risks while performing their humanitarian work.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the al-Mawasi strike targeted Bilal Abu Assi, a platoon commander in Hamas's elite Nukhba forces, who allegedly led an attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and may have been involved in holding deceased hostages captive during the conflict.
The IDF acknowledged reports of civilian casualties, including a medical staff member, in the strike, and claimed that measures were taken before and during the attack to minimize harm to non-combatants.
Allegations of daily breaches have been exchanged between Israel and Hamas since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October, with both sides claiming the other has violated the agreement.
A significant escalation occurred on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of over 30 individuals due to Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, which the IDF stated were launched in response to gunmen emerging from a tunnel in the southern Rafah area, beyond the designated Yellow Line.
According to Gaza's health ministry, which is administered by Hamas, at least 556 individuals have lost their lives due to Israeli gunfire, whereas the Israeli military has reported the deaths of four soldiers in Palestinian attacks.
The conflict began on 7 October 2023, when a Hamas-led assault was launched against southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the capture of 251 hostages.
In response to the initial attack, Israel initiated a military operation in Gaza, which has yielded a reported death toll of over 71,820 people, as stated by the territory's health ministry.
Middle East
BBC reports from Tehran as Iran commemorates Islamic revolution anniversary
BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet has arrived in Iran, marking her first visit to the country since authorities suppressed widespread demonstrations against the government.
Iran's government has staged a display of strength to commemorate the 47th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, following a period of intense repression of anti-government demonstrations.
The BBC has gained access to Tehran for the first time since the authorities' crackdown on protests, which resulted in the deaths of at least 6,490 people, according to estimates by human rights activists.
Lyse Doucet, the BBC's chief international correspondent, observes that the capital's streets, adorned with festive decorations and filled with crowds of supporters, reflect the government's desired image of a unified nation, with Iranians demonstrating their allegiance to the Islamic Republic and its founding revolution.
Middle East
BBC reports from Tehran for the first time since the protest crackdown
In Iran, the aftermath of the government’s crackdown on protests remains a sensitive issue, with the effects of the unusually strong measures still being felt, according to Lyse Doucet, reporting from the country.
For the first time since a nationwide crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, a BBC team has entered Iran to report on the current situation.
As Iran commemorates the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, the streets of Tehran are adorned with festive decorations, yet the memory of the recent protests and the subsequent use of force by security personnel remains a sensitive issue.
According to human rights activists, the confirmed number of protester fatalities stands at a minimum of 6,400, although they caution that the actual death toll may ultimately be significantly higher.
Asia
Indonesia plans to deploy up to 8,000 troops to Gaza
As part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement facilitated by the US in the previous year, this nation would become the first to take such action.
Indonesia is making preparations to deploy a contingent of up to 8,000 soldiers to Gaza, marking the first such commitment under the second phase of a ceasefire agreement facilitated by the United States towards the end of last year.
According to General Maruli Simanjuntak, the army's chief of staff, training for these troops is already underway, with a focus on providing medical and engineering support in Gaza.
Indonesia has recently joined the Board of Peace initiated by President Donald Trump, an announcement that was made last month.
The United Nations Security Council has given Indonesia a mandate to establish an International Stabilization Force, tasked with securing border areas in Gaza and overseeing the demilitarization of the territory, including the disarmament of Hamas.
The Board of Peace, scheduled to convene for the first time in Washington on February 19, will also play a role in overseeing the establishment of a new technocratic government in Gaza and guiding post-conflict reconstruction efforts.
While the specifics of the Indonesian troop deployment, including timing and role, have yet to be finalized, it appears that President Prabowo Subianto is moving forward with the plan.
President Subianto's decision to participate in Trump's Board of Peace has drawn criticism from certain Islamic groups within Indonesia, where there is significant public discontent regarding the US role in Israel's military actions in Gaza.
President Subianto has countered that, as the world's most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia has a responsibility to contribute to stabilizing Gaza, with the ultimate goal of achieving a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A report by Israel's public broadcaster Kan indicates that a location in southern Gaza, situated between Rafah and Khan Younis, has been designated for the Indonesian army to construct barracks that will accommodate several thousand troops.
Other Muslim countries, including Turkey and Pakistan, are considering troop deployments as well, but have emphasized that their roles would be limited to peacekeeping and would not involve participation in the planned disarmament of Hamas.
However, given Hamas's refusal to disarm as long as Israel maintains its presence in parts of Gaza, a lasting peace that an international force could support has yet to be achieved.
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