Middle East & North Africa

(Reuters) --- Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned Israel’s “flagrant violations” of Palestinian rights and called for global action to end military operations while fellow Gulf states that forged ties with Israel said a ceasefire was needed for regional stability.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, addressing a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as hostilities between Israel and militants in Gaza entered a seventh day, condemned what he called the violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites.

GAZA, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Tension between Israel and militant groups in the Gaza Strip continued on Sunday for the seventh day in a row as death toll in the coastal enclave climbed to 181 and 1,225 others were injured, officials said.

The health ministry in Gaza said in a press statement that since Monday, 181 Palestinians have been killed, including 52 children and 31 women, and 1,225 others had different injuries.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation opened an emergency meeting Sunday over the heavy fighting between Israel and the Gaza Strip’s militant Hamas rulers, the first major move among Mideast nations still grappling with how to address the conflict.

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s interior ministry on Sunday lifted a full lockdown that had ordered people to stay home to fight COVID-19 infections, shifting to a less-restrictive program that still involved curfews on weeknights and weekends.

In a new directive, the ministry called the steps that apply from Monday to June 1 a “gradual normalization.”

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s interior ministry on Sunday lifted a full lockdown that had ordered people to stay home to fight COVID-19 infections, shifting to a less-restrictive program that still involved curfews on weeknights and weekends.

In a new directive, the ministry called the steps that apply from Monday to June 1 a “gradual normalization.”

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli airstrike on Saturday destroyed a high-rise building that housed The Associated Press office in the Gaza Strip, despite repeated urgent calls from the news agency to the military to halt the impending attack. AP called the strike “shocking and horrifying.”

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli military said Sunday it targeted the home of Gaza’s top Hamas leader after nearly a week of heavy airstrikes and rocket fire into Israel from the territory ruled by the Islamic militant group.

Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman, an army spokesman, told Israel’s army radio Sunday that the military targeted the home of Yehiyeh Sinwar, the most senior Hamas leader inside the territory, who is likely in hiding along with the rest of the group’s upper echelon.

15 May 2021; MEMO: Deputy Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau Mousa Abu Marzouq condemned on Friday the European Union (EU) 's bias in favour of Israel.

15 May 2021; MEMO: A large number of Jordanians on Friday headed to the country's borders with Palestine to participate in an event called for by activists in support of their brothers in the occupied territories.

The gathering occurred on Friday afternoon in front of the Martyrs of Dignity Memorial in Al-Aghwar Al-Janubi.

Eyewitnesses reported that security forces were present at the gathering location, especially with the continuous arrival of hundreds of participants.

(Reuters) --- United Arab Emirates carriers Etihad Airways and flydubai have cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, joining American and European airlines in avoiding Israel due to escalating hostilities there.

Airlines in the UAE, which established diplomatic relations with Israel last year, have only in the past few months launched regular services to Israel.

Abu Dhabi's Etihad has suspended all passenger and cargo services to Tel Aviv from Sunday, it said on its website, citing the conflict.