Fresh discussions have reportedly been initiated between Israeli and Syrian officials in the aftermath of recent deadly clashes, which included military actions by the IDF in Damascus and the southern Sweida region.

As per emerging reports, Turkey and the United States are said to be facilitating the renewed talks, while an Israeli team is expected to visit Baku, Azerbaijan, where key terms with Syria may be finalized.

Despite this development, Israel is reportedly maintaining its right to carry out military operations in Syria. It is also pressing for a demilitarized buffer area along its border, in addition to retaining military oversight in the zone it captured following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s administration last December.

Israeli authorities have not yet released an official statement on the matter.

Before the recent airstrikes, there were indications that both parties were engaged in “advanced talks” to de-escalate tensions, with strong encouragement from the Trump administration to move toward a broader normalization agreement.

Earlier in July, Israel entered the conflict in Syria, intervening in support of the Druze minority, a community it considers closely aligned and which has members serving in the Israeli military.

Israel laid blame on forces loyal to Syria’s interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, for their alleged involvement in violent assaults by Bedouin tribes targeting the Druze community in Sweida. The violence reportedly came to a halt after a ceasefire, which was arranged with the assistance of Washington, was declared over the weekend.

On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked that Trump was “caught off guard” by the IDF’s offensive in Syria.

Her remarks followed anonymous reports from U.S. officials expressing dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the strikes, fearing the military actions could destabilize the new Syrian leadership that the U.S. hopes to support for regional recovery.

Meanwhile, the U.S. envoy for Syrian affairs, Tom Barrack, also voiced concern on Monday, calling Israel’s intervention ill-timed and suggesting it might hinder ongoing stabilization efforts.

Historically, Israel and Syria have found themselves on opposing ends of Middle Eastern geopolitical conflicts, often clashing directly.

With Assad’s departure in December, Syria’s new Islamist-led government is reportedly seeking to soften its global image and gain diplomatic traction in Western spheres.

A deepening humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Gaza, where relief workers, doctors, and U.N. agency staff are reportedly collapsing on duty from extreme hunger and physical exhaustion.

The United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees confirmed that it had received numerous distress alerts from its personnel in Gaza, painting a dire picture of unbearable working conditions amidst the ongoing conflict that began between Israel and Hamas in October 2023.

“No one is spared: caretakers in Gaza are also in need of care. Doctors, nurses, journalists and humanitarians are hungry,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini in a message delivered through his media aide at a Geneva press event.
“Many are now fainting due to hunger and exhaustion while performing their duties: reporting atrocities or alleviating some of the suffering.”

Lazzarini also took a strong stance against an alternative aid delivery program spearheaded by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an initiative that began operations in late May after Israel allowed limited access following nearly three months of restricted entry.

“The so-called ‘GHF’ distribution scheme is a sadistic death trap. Snipers open fire randomly on crowds as if they are given a licence to kill,” he declared.

This independent effort employs U.S. private security contractors and largely avoids coordination with the main U.N. system. Israeli authorities have expressed concerns that some of the U.N.’s previous aid efforts were exploited by Hamas, though the group firmly denies such accusations.

Lazzarini indicated that over 1,000 civilians have reportedly died while attempting to obtain food aid since late May, a figure attributed to the ongoing chaos at distribution points.

Meanwhile, the GHF responded with its own statement, claiming:
“U.N. has enough aid sitting in Gaza that they refuse to deliver and that could help end the desperation and help reduce or eliminate the violence around all aid distribution efforts if they would collaborate with us.”

Despite the escalating criticism, U.N. humanitarian office representative Jens Laerke dismissed claims of halted operations, stating on Tuesday that such suggestions are “manifestly incorrect.”

The GHF has further alleged that the “deadliest attacks” on aid handouts have occurred near or during U.N.-organized convoys.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, 67 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire over the weekend while waiting near U.N. relief trucks in the northern region of the territory. This occurred shortly before Israeli forces ordered fresh evacuations in zones already densely populated by displaced persons.

The U.N. also disclosed on July 15 that a total of 875 people have been killed in recent weeks during aid-related incidents. Most of those deaths were linked to areas managed by the GHF, with the remainder occurring along routes used by other humanitarian convoys.

Officials from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the military agency overseeing aid coordination had not issued any response at the time this report was compiled.

What began as a day of mourning quickly spiraled into mass protests across Bangladesh, after a military aircraft slammed into a school in Dhaka, claiming 31 lives, most of them young students. The tragic incident has deepened public unrest in an already volatile political climate.

The crash occurred on Monday when a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet, a Chinese-built F-7 BGI, lost control and collided with Milestone School and College just as students were preparing to leave for the day. The impact and resulting fire left devastation in its wake, killing at least 25 children, many below age 12.

In the aftermath, furious students gathered at the crash site, confronting government officials with cries of “Why did our brothers die? We demand answers!” The outrage spread across the capital, with crowds storming key government premises and clashing with police, who were seen using batons to disperse the demonstrators.

Emergency crews remained on the scene well into Tuesday, combing through the burned-out structures. Locals, overcome with grief, gathered nearby, some hoping for word on missing relatives, others to mourn.

“I took her to school yesterday morning like every day. I had no idea it would be the last time I would be seeing her,” said Abul Hossain, unable to contain his emotions while speaking about his daughter, nine-year-old Nusrat Jahan Anika, who was buried that same night.

Another parent, Rubina Akter, recounted her son’s narrow escape. “He sprinted to the ground floor and jumped on the grass to douse it,” she said. “He tore his shirt and vest inside which saved him from severe burns.”

The military confirmed that the aircraft was on a routine flight from a nearby base when it experienced technical issues. Despite the pilot’s efforts to divert the aircraft, he and others on the ground were killed when the jet struck the school premises.

By Tuesday, authorities confirmed that the death toll had reached 31, with 165 individuals hospitalized. The health ministry reported that 70 remained under medical care.

To honor the victims, a national mourning day was declared. Flags flew at half-staff, and prayers were held across various religious centers.

Students demanded that the full list of victims be made public, and called for compensation from the air force for bereaved families. They also insisted on grounding outdated aircraft and a complete overhaul of flight training protocols over populated zones.

A release from the press team of interim administrator Muhammad Yunus stated that coordination was ongoing between the military, educational, and healthcare institutions to publish the list of those affected. The statement also assured that military training flights would no longer occur over civilian areas.

The F-7 BGI is considered the final upgraded version of China’s Chengdu J-7 series, itself derived from a Soviet-era MiG-21 model. Bangladesh acquired 16 of these jets starting in 2011, with all delivered by 2013.

This crash occurs at a time when neighboring India is still recovering from a catastrophic aviation disaster, the deadliest in the last ten years where an Air India aircraft crashed into a college dormitory in Ahmedabad, killing over 260 people including many on the ground.

Bangladesh itself remains on edge following political upheaval last year, when Sheikh Hasina left office amidst deadly student-led demonstrations. Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, now heading the interim administration, has pledged to hold national elections next year, although opposition voices are calling for an earlier date.