In a sudden twist this week, Israel hit the pause button on its controversial West Bank annexation plans ⏸️. After passing the bills in a preliminary Knesset vote, coalition chair Ofir Katz announced that talks on full annexation — including the big settlement of Maale Adumim near Jerusalem — are on hold “until further notice.”
The move comes amid a wave of global eye-rolls. U.S. Vice President JD Vance called the vote a “stupid political stunt,” while Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Türkiye and 13 other Muslim-majority countries slammed the plans. Even EU leaders in Brussels urged Israel to halt settlement expansion and focus on Gaza’s fragile ceasefire.
The Cairo Huddle: Fatah & Hamas Squad Goals 🤝
Meanwhile, in Cairo, Palestinian heavyweights from Fatah and Hamas have gathered to map out Gaza’s next chapter. Leads like Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya and Fatah’s Hussein al-Sheikh are hashing out post-war plans, while Egypt gears up to host a November conference on Gaza’s reconstruction.
Gaza’s Urgent SOS: Water, Health, and Hope 💧🏥
On the ground, the situation remains dire. UN teams report severe shortages of clean water, damaged sanitation systems and a spike in skin diseases among displaced families. With latrines broken and no mobile clinics in sight, essentials like food, hygiene kits and winter clothes are top of the wish list.
The WHO just evacuated 41 critical patients and 145 companions — the first medical airlift since the October ceasefire — but thousands more await approval. As Gaza braces for winter, the call for swift repairs and support has never been louder.
Stay tuned as this story unfolds — the pulse of the Middle East is beating fast. 🌍✈️
Reference(s):
Israel's West Bank annexation bid condemned as Fatah, Hamas meet
cgtn.com
