AGP Executive Report

Iran War: Donald Trump says the US military campaign against Iran will end soon, even as the official US toll reaches 21 dead and 865 wounded. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and shipping add to regional tensions. West Bank: Settlers beat Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine as she covered Palestinian olive farmers; the attack comes amid repeated assaults on farmers during the harvest. Gaza: Israel has halted commercial goods entering the Strip as shortages deepen. Damage to clinics and a lack of supplies are also forcing many Palestinians to forgo dental treatment. Afghanistan: A UN-backed monitor says 15.9 million people face acute food insecurity, with hunger expected to worsen as rights abuses continue. Turkey: Police raided opposition-aligned broadcaster Halk TV and authorities appointed a trustee, prompting press-freedom protests. Culture: Bahrain is set to host filming of a new fantasy series inspired by One Thousand and One Nights.

Gaza: Israeli forces continued strikes despite the ceasefire, while Israel halted commercial goods entering the territory, deepening fears of shortages. West Bank: Settlers attacked Palestinian olive harvesters and injured Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine; Israeli officials questioned who was responsible. Regional Security: Houthi attacks on Saudi targets have prompted some firms to shift staff to remote work and sports events to be postponed. Türkiye: Flash floods in Istanbul killed four people, with three still missing. Separately, Council of Europe monitors condemned the takeover of opposition broadcaster Halk TV and pressure on journalists. Afghanistan: Hunger has reached record levels as rights violations mount; poverty is driving some families to promise very young daughters in marriage, while girls remain barred from secondary school.

Gaza: Israel has halted commercial shipments into the territory, cutting off a key source of food and other supplies for 2.1 million people. Hamas disputes Israel’s explanation for the stoppage. Regional Tensions: China’s foreign minister urged Israel to reopen Gaza access routes and reverse West Bank settlement activity. In Yemen, a Houthi attack on a presidential palace in Aden killed five and injured 16, according to Yemeni officials. Press Freedom: Turkish authorities seized control of opposition broadcaster Halk TV; press groups and rights advocates are demanding the court-appointed trustee be removed. Afghanistan: Record hunger is worsening, with 15.9 million people facing acute food insecurity. The UN also reported arbitrary detentions and mistreatment by Taliban morality police. Refugees: UNHCR says reconstruction in Kurdish areas of northeast Syria is essential to encourage refugees in Iraq to return, as insecurity and poor economic prospects deter them. Cultural Heritage: Divers off Turkey found a shipwreck site with pottery and anchors believed to date back 4,400 to 4,700 years—possibly the world’s oldest known.

Gaza: Israel says commercial goods will no longer enter the territory, threatening supplies of food and shelter as winter approaches. Aid groups warn that humanitarian relief alone cannot meet people’s needs. Prison Rights: Israeli rights groups say they documented 22 cases of Palestinian inmates being shot with rubber bullets, often at close range, and suffering severe injuries; they call the practice unlawful. Syria: Authorities say they arrested Ali Kayali, accused of leading a militia linked to the 2013 Baniyas massacre and the Reyhanli bombings in Türkiye. Afghanistan: The UN reports 443 arbitrary arrests by Taliban morality police in three months, including more than 50 cases involving women detained or warned over dress rules. Separately, the World Food Programme says 19 million people face acute hunger in the coming months. Cultural Heritage: Archaeologists off Türkiye’s Kekova Island have found a possible 4,700-year-old shipwreck, with ceramic vessels that could shed light on early maritime trade.

Gaza and West Bank: The UN warned of continued Israeli attacks affecting civilians across Gaza and raised concerns over raids on Palestinian civil society groups in the West Bank. In Tammun, Israeli forces shot and arrested a Palestinian man they had pursued for years. Afghanistan: Drought and debt are driving some families to marry off young daughters; one 11-year-old told reporters she was unhappy and afraid. Iran and Saudi Arabia: Iran’s death sentence for a 23-year-old woman over a social-media post drew human rights concern. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, overturned a Sri Lankan migrant worker’s death sentence over a Facebook comment. Turkey’s press freedom: Authorities took control of opposition-linked broadcaster Halk TV, prompting warnings of a crackdown. Ancient history: Archaeologists off Türkiye uncovered a shipwreck dating back about 4,700 years, with storage vessels that may have carried oil or wine.

Saudi Arabia: The Supreme Court set aside the death sentence of Sri Lankan worker Anojan Sivarasa over a Facebook comment; it remains unclear whether he will face further proceedings. Iran: Authorities executed musician and mountaineer Ali-Sina Mustafavi, while a 23-year-old woman was sentenced to death over a social media post. Gaza and West Bank: Israeli strikes killed a woman in Gaza despite a ceasefire, and Israeli forces raided Palestinian NGO offices in Ramallah as displaced Palestinians were barred from returning to a West Bank camp. Afghanistan: The Taliban suspended BBC FM broadcasts nationwide. Human Rights Watch also urged France not to deport Afghans to Taliban rule, warning of risks of persecution and torture. Libya: Human Rights Watch says at least 31 people have been executed after secret military trials, with dozens more at risk. Regional security: A Houthi missile struck a key Aramco complex in Dhahran, while Pakistan reaffirmed its defense commitment to Saudi Arabia. History and heritage: Archaeologists say a wreck off Turkey, with pottery dating back up to 4,700 years, may be the world’s oldest known shipwreck; Egypt also announced discoveries including fragments of colossal Ramses II statues.

Iranian Rights: Human rights groups say student Najmeh Amini has been sentenced to death over a social-media post, amid a wider surge in executions and protest-related arrests. Saudi Arabia: A court has sentenced Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa to death for blasphemy over a Facebook comment; his appeal is pending. Yemen and the Gulf: Houthi attacks and Saudi strikes are escalating, with Riyadh airport targeted as Yemen’s humanitarian crisis worsens. Palestinians: Israeli forces raided Palestinian NGO offices in Ramallah, while a strike in Gaza City killed one person. Netanyahu also rejected the return of Palestinians displaced from northern West Bank camps, despite a Supreme Court order requiring the government to plan for their return. Regional Rights: UN experts condemned Turkey’s crackdown on LGBTQ groups, citing raids and measures against activists and organisations. Culture: Qatar Museums will premiere a musical bringing South African and Palestinian histories of struggle together in Doha later this month.

Iran’s Reach: MI5 chief Ken McCallum said Tehran is seeking to target UK military sites, and that a suspected plot near RAF Fairford was “not unique.” Iran also launched another drone strike on Kurdish opposition forces in Iraq, raising fresh concerns in the Kurdistan Region after US forces withdrew. Yemen Escalation: Yemen’s government said it struck Houthi positions in Taiz, where fighting has intensified and the Houthis have reportedly tightened their encirclement of the city. The attacks come amid Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and calls in Türkiye for military support to Riyadh. Palestinian Rights: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned the international community’s failure to address Palestinian suffering, saying its response exposes contradictions in its human-rights commitments. Meanwhile, Palestinians displaced from northern West Bank refugee camps say they remain barred from returning to their homes. Afghanistan: Armed resistance is spreading beyond its traditional northern strongholds, though opposition groups have yet to seriously challenge Taliban control.

Syria: The UN urged Israel to respect the 1974 disengagement agreement after fresh incursions in southern Syria, including the detention of a man in Quneitra. The UN says 49 Syrians remain in Israeli custody. Yemen and Saudi Arabia: Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian targets have escalated, while reports that Syria may send forces to support Riyadh remain unconfirmed. Migration: At least 139 people, including 15 children, died and 84 are missing after an overcrowded boat capsized off Djibouti en route to Yemen. The IOM renewed calls for safe migration routes. Human rights: A Saudi appellate court sentenced Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa to death over a Facebook comment; his appeal is pending. Türkiye: Human Rights Watch says authorities are arresting and prosecuting environmental protesters ahead of COP31, citing crackdowns on demonstrations against mining. West Bank: Israeli rights group Yesh Din documented 377 incidents of settler and soldier violence across 162 Palestinian communities in two weeks, including attacks on olive harvesters and damage to crops and trees.

Gaza: Israeli attacks killed at least two Palestinians on Monday, while raids across the West Bank and East Jerusalem led to more than 20 arrests, according to Palestinian reports. Migration Tragedy: At least 139 people, including 15 children, died when an overcrowded boat capsized off Djibouti on the route to Yemen; 84 people remain missing. Migrant Rights: A Saudi appeals court sentenced Sri Lankan worker Anojan Sivarasa to death over a Facebook comment. His appeal is pending, and his family says they have not heard from him since late September. Afghanistan: European governments are negotiating with the Taliban over deportations, even as the EU says it will continue humanitarian aid and support for returnees. Turkey: Human rights groups urged social media platforms to resist court orders blocking hundreds of journalists’, activists’ and organizations’ accounts.

Migration Disaster: At least 139 people, including 15 children, died and 84 remain missing after an overcrowded boat carrying 305 migrants capsized off Djibouti en route to Yemen. The IOM says the survivors are Ethiopian. Saudi-Yemen Escalation: Houthi attacks on Saudi airports have killed and injured civilians; Saudi authorities reported one Pakistani resident killed and 11 wounded in the latest strike. Syria is reportedly weighing military support for Riyadh, but neither government has confirmed the discussions. Gaza: Five Palestinians were reported killed by Israeli fire on Sunday, as Israeli military control and continuing attacks hamper efforts to find people buried beneath the rubble. Rights: A Saudi appeals court has sentenced Sri Lankan migrant worker Anojan Sivarasa to death over a Facebook comment deemed blasphemous. His appeal is pending, and his family says they have not heard from him since late September.

Migration Disaster: At least 139 people, including 15 children, died and 84 remain missing after a boat carrying more than 300 migrants capsized off Djibouti en route to Yemen. Most were Ethiopian; the IOM says the perilous crossing is driven by poverty, insecurity and climate pressures. Gaza: A seven-year-old Palestinian child died from wounds after being shot by Israeli forces in Jabaliya, as Gaza’s reported death toll continued to rise. Egypt–Indonesia: Presidents Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Prabowo Subianto condemned Israeli settlements and called for Palestinian statehood, humanitarian aid and Gaza’s reconstruction, while urging de-escalation. Afghanistan: Former president Hamid Karzai and the UN urged the Taliban to reopen schools and universities to girls, whose access to education remains severely restricted. Cultural Heritage: Egypt unveiled the restored second-century “Tondo of the Two Brothers,” part of the Fayoum mummy portrait collection set to travel abroad for the first time in a Rome exhibition.

Regional Escalation: Saudi authorities say a Houthi attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed 12 people and injured 309, raising fears of further strikes on civilian infrastructure. Iran: As economic hardship deepens, the government is recruiting civilians for military and emergency training amid its conflict with the United States. West Bank: Settlers have given 47 Palestinian families in Ras al-Ahmar until Sunday to leave, after a 27-day military blockade cut off their community, a rights group says. Gaza: Israeli strikes continue a year after a ceasefire began; Gaza’s health ministry says 1,450 Palestinians have been killed since. Thousands also marched in European cities demanding an end to the attacks. Israel: With elections set for October 27, some liberal Israelis are weighing whether to leave, fearing the country is moving further toward religious nationalism. Syria: The UN says Israel made 280 armed incursions in September and is holding 49 Syrians; it cited allegations of ill-treatment in detention. Afghanistan: A quarter-century after the US-led invasion, the Taliban are firmly back in control, while millions of Afghans have been forcibly returned from Iran and Pakistan in recent years, the UN says.

Gaza: At least eight Palestinians, including an eight-year-old girl, were killed in Israeli attacks on the first anniversary of a ceasefire deal; Gaza’s Health Ministry says 1,481 people have been killed since it began. The UN migration agency warns nearly all Gaza residents need shelter before winter, with only 17% of winter shelter needs met. Syria: The UN recorded 280 Israeli military incursions and 49 detentions in September. Iran: Rights group HRANA documented at least 2,003 executions in the year to October 8. The EU says Iran carried out most executions worldwide in 2025 and renewed calls for a halt. Afghanistan: More than 6.5 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan in three years, the UN says, amid continuing forced returns. Human Rights: South African jurist Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work on justice and accountability; Israel and US President Donald Trump criticized the award, linked to her role in a UN inquiry into Gaza. Regional Ties: Malaysia and Egypt elevated relations to a strategic partnership and signed four cooperation agreements covering education, tourism, investment and women’s empowerment.

Gaza: At least eight Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes and gunfire, as the ceasefire reached its first anniversary. Human Rights Watch says attacks and restrictions on aid continue, with more than 1,400 Palestinians killed since the truce began. Nobel & Accountability: South African jurist Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work on human rights and international law. Israel and US President Donald Trump condemned the choice, following her UN inquiry’s findings on Gaza, which Israel rejects. West Bank & Jerusalem: Settler attacks disrupted Palestinian olive harvests, while Israeli forces detained Palestinians and restricted access to Al-Aqsa Mosque amid settler incursions. Rights Crackdowns: Iran hanged a protester arrested during January demonstrations as UN experts called for executions to stop. In Saudi Arabia, a Sri Lankan migrant worker faces a death sentence over a Facebook post, prompting appeals for clemency.

Gaza: More than 100 aid and rights groups say the ceasefire exists only on paper, citing continued Israeli attacks and restrictions on aid and reconstruction. They report that more than 1,400 Palestinians, including at least 327 children, have been killed since the agreement. Human Rights: Former UN rights chief Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work on international law; Israel condemned the decision over her role in a UN commission that found genocide in Gaza. Iran: Lawyer Bahareh Aghaei was sentenced to 20 years in prison after supporting protesters and families seeking justice, amid a wider crackdown on dissent and legal advocates. Migration: More than 581,000 Afghans have returned from Iran this year as deportations continue. West Bank: Settler attacks on Palestinian olive harvesters have left one person dead and dozens injured, according to reports. History: Archaeologists uncovered a 3,400-year-old Hittite royal archive in Türkiye, adding new records to the region’s ancient past.