Middle East

The war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza directly impacts many Minnesotans. And while MPR News does not have journalists stationed in the region, we do have a responsibility to our audiences to report on how this ongoing conflict affects people here. Our goal is to provide MPR News audiences with a variety of perspectives, context and factual information. We are committed to using language that is as precise as possible.

As you will see here, the majority of the coverage on our air and our website is provided by our national and international news partners, NPR and the BBC. The language and terminology used to describe the conflict are changing. If you have questions or concerns about our coverage please reach out to us.

March 19, 2024 2:17 PM

Famine in northern Gaza is ‘imminent,’ warns the world’s leading authority on hunger

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification issued a new report that concluded that the entire population in the Gaza Strip, more than 2 million, face serious food insecurity as war continues.

by Jaclyn Diaz

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March 18, 2024 5:54 AM

Israel launches another raid on Gaza’s main hospital, charging that Hamas has regrouped there

Israeli forces have launched another raid on the Gaza Strip’s largest hospital. The army says Hamas militants had regrouped inside Shifa Hospital and that gunmen fired on its forces from inside.

by The Associated Press

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March 15, 2024 4:01 AM

War has forced half of Gaza into Rafah. Palestinians there are at a breaking point

Five months into the war, about half of Gaza's population has been squeezed into Rafah. The governorate was crowded before the war, but mass displacement has made it the site of a spiraling crisis.

by Connie Hanzhang Jin, Alyson Hurt, Brent Jones and D. Parvaz

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March 14, 2024 4:00 AM

Why Ireland is one of the most pro-Palestinian nations in the world

One of the most pro-Palestinian nations in the world is not an Arab or Muslim country. It's not even in the Middle East. Polls show Ireland has some of the highest support for the Palestinians.

by Lauren Frayer and Fatima Al-Kassab

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March 13, 2024 4:30 PM

With aid headed to Gaza, hurdles remain to getting food to its starving population

U.N. food agency finally was able to deliver aid to northern Gaza, and efforts are afoot to bring relief by sea. But the challenges are many.

by Fatma Tanis

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March 13, 2024 3:10 PM

68 orphans were evacuated from Gaza to the West Bank, enraging Israel's far right

The children were moved out of Rafah by the charity SOS Children’s Villages International with the help of the German government. But the transfer has sparked anger among some hardliners in Israel.

by D. Parvaz

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March 13, 2024 5:07 AM

A radical Mideast proposal: What if the U.S. recognized a Palestinian state now?

The formula for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long called for negotiating a Palestinian state. What if that were reversed and a state were declared first and then negotiated later?

by Greg Myre

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March 12, 2024 11:06 AM

Divided Moorhead City Council passes Gaza cease-fire resolution

A divided Moorhead City Council approved a resolution on Monday calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Some members said the city council is not the proper venue for international issues; the mayor broke a tie to pass the resolution.

by Dan Gunderson

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March 12, 2024 4:00 AM

Two St. Paul council members reveal how they overcame deep divisions to pass cease-fire resolution

Late last month, the St. Paul City Council was at an impasse over a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. But then last week, they passed one unanimously, calling for a quote “immediate and permanent mutual cease-fire.” MPR News correspondent Catharine Richert sat down with council members Cheniqua Johnson and Rebecca Noecker to find out how the council found common ground.

by Catharine Richert

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March 10, 2024 3:16 PM

As a U.S. aid ship heads to Gaza, Biden again warns Netanyahu on civilian deaths

The U.S. ship left Virginia this weekend as part of an emergency mission to build a temporary pier in Gaza to facilitate aid. Biden criticized the Israeli prime minister over civilian deaths in Gaza.

by Joe Hernandez

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