标签： Asia

The Gaza Strip has witnessed renewed violence and escalating humanitarian concerns as Israeli shelling targeted civilian areas, leaving several Palestinians wounded since dawn on Friday. Rights groups have raised alarms over the deteriorating conditions in the war-torn territory. Local media reported artillery attacks in the al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, resulting in at least 10 injuries over the past 24 hours. An Al Jazeera correspondent confirmed that the Shujaiya neighborhood in Gaza City was also subjected to Israeli artillery fire. Despite a US-brokered ceasefire agreement that came into effect last Friday, mandating an immediate halt to all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardments, dozens of Palestinians have been killed or injured in recent days. Meanwhile, unidentified explosives detonated in the Nuseirat refugee camp, further endangering civilians. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza, warned that unexploded ordnance and booby-trapped homes pose significant risks to returning residents. Over the past two years, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has claimed nearly 68,000 lives, with over 80% of the victims being civilians, according to leaked Israeli military data. The relentless bombardment has devastated infrastructure, destroyed farmland, and exacerbated famine due to restrictions on food aid. Although the ceasefire plan aimed to reopen Gaza’s crossings to allow 400 aid trucks daily, with a target of 600, Israeli authorities continue to limit aid. On Wednesday, 480 trucks entered Gaza, but the Government Media Office described this as insufficient for the 2.4 million residents. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s commissioner-general, emphasized the need for unrestricted aid flow, while the World Food Programme highlighted that 560 tonnes of food are being delivered daily, but more is urgently required to address the crisis.

In a devastating suicide attack near the Afghan border, seven Pakistani soldiers lost their lives on Friday, according to security officials. The assault targeted a military camp in North Waziristan, leaving 13 others injured. The incident occurred amidst a fragile ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following days of intense cross-border clashes earlier this month. The ceasefire, which paused the hostilities, is set to expire at 1300 GMT on Friday. The attack involved a militant driving an explosive-laden vehicle into the boundary wall of a military fort, while two others attempted to infiltrate the facility but were neutralized by security forces. Pakistan’s army has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. This surge in militant violence has strained relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, who regained power in Kabul after the U.S.-led forces withdrew in 2021. Pakistan has accused the Taliban of harboring militants responsible for attacks on its soil, while the Taliban denies these allegations and accuses Pakistan of provoking border tensions and sheltering ISIS-linked militants. The recent clashes, the most severe in decades, have drawn international attention, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar mediating to de-escalate the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump has also offered assistance in resolving the crisis.

Iran has strongly criticized recent Israeli military strikes in southern Lebanon, labeling them as a direct violation of a ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel. The attacks, which targeted civilian facilities, have drawn sharp condemnation from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who described the strikes as a breach of the truce negotiated last year.

In a dramatic turn of events, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, the leader of Madagascar’s CAPSAT army unit, was sworn in as the nation’s president on Friday, October 17, 2025. This follows a military coup that ousted former President Andry Rajoelina, who fled the country amid widespread youth-led protests. The military’s takeover has drawn sharp criticism from international bodies, including the African Union and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Randrianirina, who previously commanded the elite CAPSAT unit, played a pivotal role in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to power. However, he broke ranks with Rajoelina last week, urging soldiers not to fire on anti-government protesters. During his swearing-in ceremony at the High Constitutional Court, Randrianirina pledged to ‘fully, completely, and justly fulfil the high responsibilities’ of his new role, vowing to strengthen national unity and human rights.

The military has dissolved all government institutions except the National Assembly, establishing a transitional committee to rule alongside a provisional government for up to two years before organizing new elections. This political upheaval comes against a backdrop of severe economic challenges in Madagascar, where 75% of the population lives in poverty, and GDP per capita has plummeted by 45% since independence in 1960.

Rajoelina, who was impeached by lawmakers after fleeing the country, has condemned the coup and refused to step down. The situation remains volatile, with the international community closely monitoring developments in the island nation.