Ukraine strikes deep into Russia’s Arctic gas heartland as Trump pushes Putin toward peace

Ukrainian drones struck deep into Russia’s Arctic north Wednesday, sparking a fire at an industrial facility in Novy Urengoy, a city in the heart of Russia’s most important natural-gas producing region, according to Russian officials and the Associated Press.

Regional Gov. Dmitry Artyukhov said Russian air defenses repelled the attack but falling drone debris caused a fire at an industrial site. He did not identify the facility, and the extent of the damage was still being assessed, Reuters reported Wednesday.

Ukrainian defense manufacturer Fire Point appeared to claim involvement, posting: "Guess who covered more than 3,300 km and successfully hit the target."

The extraordinary strike comes as Washington makes a renewed push to end the more than four-year war even as Russia and Ukraine intensify long-range attacks on each other.

UKRAINE UNLEASHES MORE THAN 400 DRONES NEAR MOSCOW IN ONE OF WAR'S BIGGEST ATTACKS

Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said he had just spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested both Moscow and Kyiv may be prepared to negotiate.

"We had a great conversation. He is wanting to make a deal. And if Zelenskyy is wanting to make a deal, that would be very nice," Trump said.

Asked what was holding up an agreement, Trump pointed to the personal animosity between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling them "two people that hate each other."

"These are two people that are tired of fighting," Trump added.

Trump’s comments followed a weekend diplomatic push by U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who traveled to Moscow and Kyiv in an effort to revive negotiations. The talks produced no breakthrough, according to the Associated Press.

RUSSIAN STRIKES CONTINUE FOLLOWING VISIT BY WITKOFF AND KUSHNER TO KYIV

Russia resumed major missile and drone attacks on Kyiv shortly after the American delegation left Ukraine, killing five people and wounding 35 on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

A European intelligence source told Fox News Digital that the simultaneous diplomacy and military escalation reflects a long-standing dilemma for Western governments trying to engage Moscow.

"You have to talk, you have to explain," the source said, arguing that communication is necessary to prevent misunderstandings.

RUSSIA UNLEASHES NEARLY 600 MISSILES AND DRONES ON KYIV IN DEADLIEST STRIKE SINCE MAY

But the source said Russian officials can interpret Western outreach differently.

"Whenever you talk with them, they consider that this is a Western weakness," the source said, adding that the assessment was based in part on informal contacts with Russian officials.

The source also said Putin’s recent emphasis on Russian "military progress in Ukraine" appeared aimed in part at Washington, projecting strength as U.S. officials seek to revive negotiations.

The escalation is taking an increasing toll on civilians. The United Nations said last month that Russian attacks killed or wounded more Ukrainian civilians in July than in any month since March 2022, with 437 killed and more than 2,600 wounded.

More than 16,800 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and more than 51,000 wounded since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly denied deliberately targeting civilians and says its strikes are aimed at military and military-related facilities.

DRONE OFFENSIVE HITS RUSSIAN OIL TANKERS AND REFINERIES AT 'INDUSTRIAL SCALE' AS MOSCOW BANS DIESEL EXPORTS

United24 described Wednesday’s attack as the deepest Ukrainian drone strike inside Russia since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Novy Urengoy lies roughly 1,740 miles from Ukraine’s border. Artem Zhoga, Putin’s envoy to Russia’s Urals Federal District, said a Ukrainian drone had attempted to strike a fuel-and-energy facility in Yamal, according to Meduza.

The city sits in Russia’s Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the country’s dominant natural-gas producing region. About 80% of Russia’s natural gas is extracted there, according to Interfax data cited by the Associated Press.

Artyukhov said there were no reported casualties.

The attack was part of a broader Ukrainian drone assault on Russia. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces also struck targets around the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, including a naval base, an oil-loading terminal, military port facilities and warships capable of carrying cruise missiles, according to the Associated Press.

Russian authorities said four people, including a child, were killed and 29 wounded in the Novorossiysk attack.

Russia, meanwhile, continued its own long-range campaign against Ukraine Wednesday. Russian drones struck the Starokozache border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova, killing two civilians and wounding three, while another wave of attacks on Kyiv killed one person and wounded 14, according to Reuters.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/WxAj46i

Israel’s E1 plan explained: The Jerusalem-area corridor sparking international backlash

Israel’s move to advance construction in the strategically significant E1 area between Ma’ale Adumim on the West Bank and Jerusalem has triggered growing backlash, with Britain announcing sanctions and 11 other countries threatening or considering trade restrictions on Jewish communities in the disputed area.

The Netanyahu government last month announced tenders for the first 1,400 of roughly 3,400 housing units in E1, a 4.6-square-mile area that would expand the built-up connection between Ma’ale Adumim, a city of about 40,000 people in the Judean Desert, and the Israeli capital.

European governments have strongly opposed the move, with Britain’s left-wing ruling party announcing sanctions on Tuesday.

BRITAIN’S DRAMATIC CRACKDOWN ON ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS SPARKS FIERCE RESPONSE AS US BLOWBACK LOOMS

The U.K.’s Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, announced a ban on products from Judea and Samaria, saying the government in London "believes the unlawfulness of the occupation should be reflected in the economic relationship we choose to have with the occupied territories."

The foreign ministers of 11 additional countries—Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden—said Tuesday in a joint statement that they intend to impose or are actively considering trade restrictions on goods from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

Doron Spielman, international spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office, told Fox News Digital that the E1 project has been underway for years and is located in Area C of the West Bank, which, according to the Oslo Accords, is under full Israeli security and civilian control.

"The Israeli government believes E1 is the natural extension of the area of Ma’ale Adumim, which is an area where Jews live freely within three miles of our biblical capital, Jerusalem. I don’t understand why the world is so focused on a hilltop in the middle of Judea, which is the biblical national homeland of the Jewish people," he said.

Spielman stressed that "at no point in time, in any agreement that Israel ever made, was E1 ever slated to become part of a Palestinian state."

"E1 doesn’t affect Palestinian freedom of movement; that’s a myth. ... Palestinian propaganda is trying to create an international issue about something that is very basic regarding Jews living in their homeland," he added.

HOLY LAND BATTLE: SOLOMON'S POOLS BECOME FLASHPOINT IN FIGHT OVER ISRAEL'S BIBLICAL HERITAGE

While not explicitly commenting on E1, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, as President Donald Trump has made clear, the United States does not support the annexation of the West Bank.

"Such actions could be counterproductive to the President’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Conflict in Gaza and undermine our broader efforts to achieve regional peace and stability," the spokesperson said.

Ashraf al-Ajrami, a former Palestinian Authority minister of Prisoners Affairs, told Fox News Digital that there is no scenario in which the Palestinian Authority would agree to construction in E1.

"The whole international community refutes this plan because they understand the objective of it. It’s not a plan that helps settlers to grow; it’s a plan to destroy the hope of having a two-state solution. It is the opposite of the Palestinian national rights of self-determination and statehood," he said.

"The Israeli government has ignored all the ultimatums from the European Union and even the objections from the American administration up to this point. They will start to build the units merely to divide the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and cut the contiguity between East Jerusalem and our villages in the area," he added.

Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren told Fox News Digital that the E1 project is controversial because the U.S. and other governments that support a two-state solution believe construction there would divide the West Bank and prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.

"The Oslo Accords do not prohibit Israeli settlement construction, nor do they stipulate that the accords’ outcome must be a two-state solution," he said.

"Therefore, this is not a violation of the Oslo Accords. It may violate the spirit of the accords, but there have been many thousands of violations of their spirit. The Second Intifada was a violation of the spirit of the Oslo Accords," he added, referring to the Palestinian terror campaign against Israel from 2000 to 2005, which was marked by suicide bombings targeting civilians.

EXCLUSIVE: ISRAEL SEIZES VAST IRAN TERROR AXIS ARSENAL WITH SURPRISING FOREIGN ORIGINS

Naomi Kahn, international director of Regavim, an NGO dedicated to protecting Israel’s national lands, resources and the rule of law, told Fox News Digital that the Palestinian Authority made the plan controversial 30 years ago when it approached the U.S. administration at the time.

"The Rabin government had actually announced plans to develop the Ma’ale Adumim area, and the PA claimed that if Israel built in E1, it would spell the end of any possibility of a Palestinian state," she said.

While that claim is false in physical terms, Kahn said, it has carried political significance because the PA has made E1 a battleground and involved international actors from the outset.

"E1 has been at the heart of efforts to essentially globalize the push to remove the State of Israel from all of Judea and Samaria," she said.

Kahn noted that some of the countries pushing for sanctions against Israel have spent the past 20 years actively financing and supporting illegal Arab construction in E1, while Palestinian Authority outposts have increasingly mushroomed throughout Judea and Samaria.

She said Regavim first went to court about 16 years ago over the illegal construction of these outposts and has since won six times.

"Still, nothing has happened," said Kahn, whose organization was recently among four Israeli civil society organizations sanctioned by the European Union over allegations that they support "settler violence" and undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, told Fox News Digital that E1 is a critical security corridor that would help protect Jerusalem from Palestinian terrorism and encroachment into areas under Israeli security and administrative control under the Oslo Accords.

Diker said Israel is wary of another invasion following Oct. 7, this time from Palestinian Arab towns, cities and villages across Judea and Samaria.

He claimed, "There are tens of thousands of machine guns, other weapons and ammunition smuggled into Palestinian villages, towns and cities, and there is deep concern that, particularly in communities in the E1 area, they could cut off the road between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim, creating another existential threat," he said.

For the international community, Diker said, the political disagreement over E1 is rooted in the period when Israel and the Palestinian Authority were expected to negotiate the final status of a peace agreement.

"Since then, we’ve had the terror war of 2000, followed by four terror wars waged by Hamas, culminating in Oct. 7. The geopolitical and security reality has completely shifted, but the international community’s mindset has not. For them, it’s a political issue; for us, it’s an existential one," he added.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/DW6v4gi

US sinks another 'floating refueling station' linked to 'narco-terrorist' group

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced on Tuesday that the U.S. sank another vessel characterized as a "floating refueling station" linked to drug trafficking efforts.

"On September 8, under the direction of #SOUTHCOM, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM) forces successfully interdicted a floating refueling station supporting illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific," SOUTHCOM noted in a post on X.

"Intelligence confirmed the vessel's involvement with the Los Choneros violent narco-terrorist organization. Individuals removed from the vessel have been transferred to Ecuadorian authorities. After clearing the vessel and disembarking the crew, U.S. forces sank it," the post continued.

AMERICANS WARNED OF KIDNAPPING, EXTORTION AS VIOLENT CRIME GRIPS PARTS OF TOURIST SPOT

"JTF-WHEM continues to conduct precise and professional operations to dismantle the logistical networks fueling narco-trafficking in the Western Hemisphere," SOUTHCOM added.

The post was the latest in a string of similar announcements about the U.S. sinking vessels serving as refueling stations linked with the Los Choneros, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

US FORCES SINK NARCO-REFUELING STATION LINKED TO ECUADORIAN CARTEL IN PACIFIC: SOUTHCOM

"The Ecuador-based gang Los Choneros is a major driver of destabilizing violence in Ecuador," according to a counterterrorism guide.

"Los Choneros engages in a range of violent and criminal activities, including hired killings; kidnappings; political assassinations; and the smuggling of weapons, explosives, and drugs," the document notes.

US MILITARY BOARDS, SEARCHES AND SINKS VESSEL ALLEGEDLY SUPPORTING LOS CHONEROS NARCO-TERRORISTS

"Los Choneros uses prisons and illegal gold mines as operational bases and cooperates with the Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel and with Albanian cartels to facilitate drug shipments globally," the guide states.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/z6Nwm4u

Is the Iran-backed terrorist movement Hezbollah on the ropes in Lebanon?

JERUSALEM — With Israel’s stunning capture of the strategically valuable Ali al-Taher ridge in south Lebanon on Sunday, a major Hezbollah and Iran stronghold, the campaign to degrade Tehran’s so-called "Axis of Resistance" suffered a severe blow.

While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) triumph is not a death blow, it means that the Iranian-regime-backed Hezbollah terrorist movement lost one of its key offensive bases to plan an invasion of Israel.

IDF Lt. Col. (Res.) Sarit Zehavi, the founder and president of the Israel-based Alma Research and Education Center (Alma), told Fox News Digital that "In the past three years Israel has attacked Hezbollah against various areas, for instance, we degraded the amount of rockets and missiles."

EXCLUSIVE: ISRAEL SEIZES VAST IRAN TERROR AXIS ARSENAL WITH SURPRISING FOREIGN ORIGINS

She noted that the IDF has decimated 90% of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile arsenal. Zehavi said, "Today Hezbollah is holding between 10,000 to 15,000 rockets, which is much less than what it used to have. Most of the array of sophisticated missiles, accurate missiles and long-range missiles was either eliminated or neutralized."

She said, "The capability to launch an invasion of thousands of terrorists into Israel which was the plan, and this was the preparedness three years ago. This capability doesn't exist anymore since the IDF is based in South Lebanon along the borderline, preventing Hezbollah from coming back to those places."

In late August, Alma released a widely read analysis on: "Hezbollah – Situation Assessment: From a Large-Scale Terrorist Army to a Persistent Dispersed Threat."

Zehavi, who resides in northern Israel and has experienced Hezbollah’s massive aerial attacks into her region since the Lebanese terrorist movement joined Hamas in its war against Israel, warned that, "As long as Iran supports its main proxy, which is Hezbollah, it will be very difficult to prevent its rebuilding of its military capabilities and with everything that happened in Iran In the past year, Iran still supports Hezbollah."

She noted that Iran still aids Hezbollah via "arms smuggling and money" and "they still put a lot of effort [into] that and the training and the involvement of Iran in Hezbollah in Lebanon. And this must be stopped."

LEBANON ACCUSES IRAN OF INSERTING IRGC TERRORISTS INTO COUNTRY 'UNDER GUISE OF DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY'

Iran's regime is a state-sponsor of terrorism and Hezbollah’s base is the Shiite community in Lebanon. Radical Shiite Islamism unifies Iran's regime with its chief proxy, Hezbollah, in Lebanon.

Alma, who has a deep knowledge of Hezbollah’s activities, wrote on X on Sunday: "The battle for the Ali al-Taher Ridge is over – the struggle with Hezbollah is not."

According to Zehavi, Hezbollah "today is much more of a guerrilla organization than a terrorist army as it used to be. It is having a lot of difficulties in rebuilding its capabilities… It is dedicated to rebuilding its military capabilities. But it has a lot of challenges along the way with this regard because of the regime change in Syria, because of that fact that it's much more difficult to transfer weapons through the airport in Lebanon and through Syria. But it doesn't mean that it is not happening. They are still trying and some of it do pass."

Hezbollah’s setback was also echoed by Israel TV’s Channel 12 chief political analyst, Amit Segal. He said the Hezbollah base Ali al-Taher was "Just 10 kilometers (just over six miles) from the Israeli border, with a clear view of the Litani and the Israeli Hula Valley, it was the place from which Hezbollah intended to coordinate its own Oct. 7 in the Galilee."

Hezbollah’s ally, the Hamas terrorist organization, invaded Israel nearly three years ago on Oct. 7 and slaughtered over 1,200 people in southern Israel, including more than 40 Americans.

The IDF announced on Sunday that "Soldiers from the 36th Division have operated in recent weeks to clear and neutralize the two underground routes in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area in the Security Zone. The soldiers achieved operational control of the ridge area, both above and below ground, and cleared the area of terrorists. Some of the terrorists were eliminated, while others fled the area."

PENTAGON HOSTS FIRST-EVER ISRAELI–LEBANESE MILITARY TALKS AIMED AT CURBING HEZBOLLAH

The IDF statement added that "Following operations in the underground routes over the past several weeks, their capability to carry out terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers from within the routes has been neutralized."

Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qamati told a Lebanese podcaster in late August that, "Ali al-Taher is important, but if it is lost it does not mean the end of Hezbollah."

Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri told an Arab TV station, also in late August, that the Lebanese army was ready to take over the strategic ridge.

He accused Israel of blocking the army due to its own political considerations ahead of Israeli national elections on Oct. 27.

"The problem is not in the Lebanese army’s readiness but in Israel’s stance," he said.

The Trump administration had pushed for Hezbollah to allow Lebanon’s Army to take control of Ali al-Taher. Hezbollah refused the proposed U.S. deal.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that "Hizballah has been the primary obstacle to Lebanon's economic recovery, the main blemish on its international reputation, and the biggest threat to the safety and stability of Lebanon. It bears sole responsibility for Israel's presence on Lebanese soil. This is precisely why Hizballah must be disarmed and dismantled."

EXPERTS URGE EXTREME CAUTION ON IRAN'S 'CROWN JEWEL' HEZBOLLAH — TERROR GROUP WITH US BLOOD ON ITS HANDS

The State Department spokesperson added that "Hizballah is drastically weaker than at any point in recent history, which has allowed the Government of Lebanon to outlaw its military activities. We fully support that decision, as do all of our regional partners."

Hanin Ghaddar, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute who focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant, told Fox News Digital that "Hezbollah is weakened on two levels. They lost a lot of people, commanders and people, and weapons. Today, there is a goal to rebuild this military structure, invest in rebuilding in personnel, infrastructure and weapons. This is their primary goal."

Ghaddar, who is from Lebanon, added the second level of weakness for Hezbollah is the people are divided within the Shiite community. Hezbollah is no longer the father figure. Hezbollah ended with [Hassan] Nasrallah with his assassination. Hezbollah as protector and liberator is no longer there. It is a mix of IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps], Hezbollah and Nabih Berri [ the Shiite speaker of the Lebanese parliament and the president of the Amal movement]."

Ghaddar said the Shiite community in Lebanon is fractured over whether to continue its support for Hezbollah after multiple wars with Israel.  She said it's "divided over whether Hezbollah is the solution. There is where Hezbollah is bleeding. Hezbollah needs the Shiite community for political power."

Ghaddar said that "Hezbollah has managed to get appointments through their allies, Berri and Amal… They have ministries of finance and health ministry… They really wanted appointments in general security and military. They got that. This reflects their strength economically. They are in survival and using power in the state and cash economy to rebuild."

Multiple Fox News Digital press queries sent to the Lebanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., went unanswered.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/NlmTHYk

Russian strikes continue following visit by Witkoff and Kushner to Kyiv

Russia attacked Kyiv with ballistic missiles on Tuesday, after U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visited Ukraine's capital as part of an effort to resume stalled peace negotiations.

Ukrainian officials said the attack involved ballistic and cruise missiles, according to CNN, and residential buildings in two districts of the city sustained damage as people were urged to remain indoors.

Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said people were trapped inside a residential building after the attacks.

RUSSIA LAUNCHES BALLISTIC MISSILE ATTACK ON KYIV HOURS AFTER ZELENSKYY WARNS OF MAJOR STRIKE

The attacks, which caused fires across the city, including at an educational facility, came after Witkoff and Kushner met with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv on Sunday. The day prior, they met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as the Trump administration attempts to bring an end to the war that began in February 2022.

Witkoff said Ukraine and Russia had agreed to a three-day ceasefire before their visit to the region following months without significant progress toward a peace agreement. The ceasefire ended on Tuesday.

KUSHNER, WITKOFF SET FOR KYIV TALKS AFTER PUTIN MEETING IN US PUSH FOR PEACE

"Substantive progress was made, including movement on scheduling additional trilateral talks. President Trump is working hard to stop the killing and work towards a lasting and durable peace," he wrote on X following the trip.

On Tuesday morning, the governor of the Russian city of Saratov said a Ukrainian drone struck civilian infrastructure and injured some people.

Russian attacks killed multiple people and wounded dozens of others across Ukraine over the past day, Ukrainian officials said on Monday.

Additionally, Ukrainian drones struck three Russian oil refineries on Monday.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/jid1tFO

Popular TV host, media star faces hanging after conviction in major synthetic drug trafficking case

A popular Egyptian TV host on Saturday was sentenced to death by hanging in a major drug case that accused dozens of suspects of forming an organized criminal group to manufacture and traffic synthetic drugs.

Sarah Khalifa is among 12 defendants facing execution for their alleged roles in the operation, including importing materials used to produce narcotics, according to state-backed media Ahram Online. Capital punishment in Egypt is carried out by hanging for civilian convictions.

Khalifa is a media personality, beauty clinic owner and former TV host who has appeared on several Egyptian television channels. Local outlet Masrawy reported that she previously hosted the Egyptian crime show "Mission Impossible."

Khalifa, who currently has more than 2.5 million followers on Instagram, was reportedly arrested in Cairo in April 2025 as part of the investigation.

DOCTOR AND SON ACCUSED OF RUNNING DANGEROUS SIDE-BUSINESS SCHEME IN NEW YORK

The case involved a total of 28 defendants who were charged with forming an organized criminal group, as well as possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition, Ahram Online said. Twelve were sentenced to death, nine received life sentences and seven were acquitted of all charges.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CRACKS DOWN ON BRAZIL'S BIGGEST DRUG GANGS WITH ‘GLOBAL TERROR’ DESIGNATION

The group allegedly operated like a production and distribution network, with members assigned different roles. Some were responsible for importing raw materials, while others manufactured and distributed the synthetic drugs, the prosecution said, according to reports.

The group was also accused of storing materials and manufacturing drugs in a residential property.

More than 750 kilograms, or roughly 1,653 pounds, of synthetic narcotics and raw materials were seized during the investigation, prosecutors said, according to reports.

The case against Khalifa and the other defendants relied on statements from 20 witnesses, along with technical and digital evidence, including messages, photographs and videos that prosecutors said documented the alleged criminal activity, according to Ahram Online.

Authorities also placed the defendants' assets and bank accounts under precautionary measures and ordered those already in custody to remain detained, Ahram Online reported.

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/2UWFe9D

UN agency accused of Hamas ties sees another European nation cut funding

Another European nation has stopped funding the U.N. agency that aids the Palestinians. Finland has followed the U.S. and Sweden in halting donations to the terror-tainted agency.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), is presently being investigated for ties to the terrorist rulers of Gaza. Recently, organizations including the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG) and NGO UN Watch have uncovered further evidence of what they allege is Hamas infiltration of UNRWA and its members’ participation in the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks in southern Israel. 

Finland announced it would discontinue funding to the organization at the end of 2026. Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed to Fox News Digital that the agreement with UNRWA would conclude at the end of 2026 but that "As of yet, no decision has been made on what are the international partners through which Finland’s support will be channeled next year to meet the acute needs in the region." 

Finnish officials did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about what prompted the change to the country’s funding for UNRWA.

US URGES DONORS TO ABANDON UNRWA FUNDING AS UN DEFENDS AGENCY'S MISSION

While other nations still continue to fund UNRWA, President Donald Trump fully banned funding to the organization in February 2025 and Sweden ended funding to UNRWA in December 2024. Sweden redirected aid to other U.N. bodies for its Gaza response.

The future of aid provision in Gaza matters for the Trump administration-backed Board of Peace as it seeks to shape a conflict-free future for the region.

An official affiliated with the Board of Peace reconstruction effort told Fox News Digital that "the international community’s concern about UNRWA in Gaza continues to rise and is supported by damning evidence. The Board of Peace has been clear: New Gaza will be both demilitarized and deradicalized, and we will only be working with trusted, credible delivery partners to achieve our goals. We anticipate responsibly replacing UNRWA with vetted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza."

WATCHDOG DEMANDS APOLOGY AFTER UN MEMORIAL ERRONEOUSLY HONORS HAMAS TERRORIST

The USAID OIG is investigating about 1,500 members of UNRWA for terror participation, and has referred 108 UNRWA staff to the State Department to suggest they be suspended or excluded from further work with organizations in receipt of U.S. funds.

A senior U.S. official briefed on USAID OIG’s ongoing investigation told Fox News Digital that the USAID OIG’s "independent findings are prompting several other countries to reassess the stale and conventional thinking that UNRWA is the best and only option to provide aid to civilians in Gaza." The official said that the USAID OIG’s "findings also will prevent Hamas and October 7 affiliated staff from circulating across future, more responsible, aid organizations operating in Gaza."

WORLD'S HUMANITARIAN SYSTEM BUCKLING, 'NO LONGER FIT FOR PURPOSE,' US-BASED RESEARCHERS SAY

UN Watch’s Terror Network report claims that about 12% of UNRWA staff in Gaza are members of terror organizations, based on "cross-checking UNRWA employee rosters with Hamas records seized by the [Israel Defense Forces.]"

Executive director of UN Watch Hillel Neuer told Fox News Digital that "Finland’s principled decision to defund terror-infested UNRWA will not deprive Palestinians of aid, as it will be redirected through genuine humanitarian agencies such as the World Food Programme that are not systemically infiltrated by Hamas."

He said that "other democracies should follow" the examples of Finland, Sweden, and the U.S. "Contrary to what UNRWA supporters claim, the agency is not ‘indispensable’ — assistance can and must be delivered through responsible alternatives."

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, told Fox News Digital that "UNRWA has taken note of the announcement, and they are grateful to Finland for the disbursement of the 2023–2026 funds under the multi-year agreement. UNRWA looks forward to continuing our discussions with the government." He explained that "the Secretary-General continues to encourage member states to support UNRWA's vital work." 

Finland's four-year funding was around $23.23 to UNRWA and will now end after this year. UNRWA did not respond to Fox News Digital questions about Finland’s decision.

Neuer said "defunding UNRWA is a prerequisite for deradicalization, the first step in the Gaza peace plan. Far from harming the prospects for peace, dismantling UNRWA is essential to achieving it. For decades, the agency has perpetuated the conflict by teaching generations of Palestinians that their future lies not in building their own society, but in a so-called ‘right of return’ that would eliminate Israel."

He concluded by noting that USAID OIG and UN Watch’s exposes on UNRWA prove that "the agency is unreformable. Nations that genuinely want peace should stop financing this machinery of hate, and invest instead in humanitarian relief, deradicalization and Palestinian self-reliance."

from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/oazPLKs