News : France24

Yesterday

'A huge relief': Joy returns to Jerusalem amid Christmas festivities

Joy is returning to Jerusalem as Christians mark Christmas in one of the world’s oldest cities. FRANCE 24’s Noga Tarnopolsky reports a festive atmosphere in the air, describing it as "a huge relief” after more than two years of war in Gaza.

Read the article

In post-Assad Syria, wary Christians celebrate Christmas under tight security

One year after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Christmas festivities are taking place under a cloud of pain and worry. In the capital Damascus and the nearby town of Maaloula, Christian communities are determined to celebrate, despite the wounds o

Read the article

Bethlehem celebrates first festive Christmas since Gaza war

Hundreds of worshippers gathered for mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem Wednesday night as the Palestinian city ushered in its first festive Christmas in more than two years, emerging from the shadow of the war in Gaza. Throughout the confli

Read the article

Wednesday, december 24, 2025

UK, Canada, Germany and others condemn Israel’s West Bank settlement expansion

The UK, Canada, Germany and several other countries on Wednesday condemned Israel’s decision to approve 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying the move violated international law and risked fuelling further instability, and calling on the I

Read the article

Christmas festivities slowly return to West Bank holy city of Bethlehem

The city of Bethlehem prepares to hold Christmas as celebrations are slowly returning to the holy land after celebrations were called off in the past two years due to the Israel-Hamas war. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Jerusalem, Noga Tarnopolsky

Read the article

Christmas celebrations slowly return to Bethlehem, Jesus' birthplace

Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem, Jesus’ traditional birthplace, are slowly returning, as the city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank emerges from the shadow of war to celebrate its first festive Christmas in more than two years. Story by Bryan Quinn.

Read the article

Bethlehem celebrates first festive Christmas in over two years as Gaza truce holds

Scouts marched and crowds gathered under clear skies in Bethlehem on Wednesday as the Palestinian city celebrated its first festive Christmas in more than two years. The return of public celebrations followed a fragile truce in Gaza, after previous Chris

Read the article

Tuesday, december 23, 2025

Palestinian farmers in West Bank face rising Israeli settler attacks

Israeli settler attacks on Palestinian homes, businesses and farmland are on the rise across the West Bank. The Observers team spoke with a Palestinian olive farmer whose land is frequently targeted, and an Israeli activist who helps protect West Bank fa

Read the article

Bethlehem prepares for Christmas after two years of canceled celebrations

Christmas celebrations are back in Bethlehem after two years.

Read the article

Aleppo: Clashes flare ahead of deadline for Kurdish integration

Deadly clashes erupted in Syria's northern city of Aleppo between government forces and Kurdish-led security personnel on Monday as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged the Kurds to integrate into the Syrian army.

Read the article

'No other work': Syrian fuel smugglers risk their lives between front lines

On motorbikes or in small trucks, dozens of Syrians risk their lives daily to smuggle fuel between territories held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and those under government control. Driven by a deepening economic crisis, this business

Read the article

Monday, december 22, 2025

Syria and Kurdish-led SDF agree to de-escalate after deadly clashes in Aleppo

Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed to de-escalate fighting in the northern city of Aleppo late on Monday, after a wave of exchanges that both sides blamed on each other left at least two civilians dead and

Read the article

Iranians celebrate Yalda festival as economic sanctions dampen this year's festivities

Iranians of all religions and all walks of life are marking the ancient Persian festival of Yalda. Historically marking the victory of Good over Evil, Yalda sees families and get together, eating nuts, sweets and fruits. Yet, rampant inflation and intern

Read the article

Sunday, december 21, 2025

Israel approves 19 new West Bank settlements

Israel has approved 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, bringing the three-year total to 69. The move comes despite UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's recent condemnation of what he called the "relentless" expansion of settlements in the o

Read the article

France to build new aircraft carrier to boost its capacities as a maritime power

France will ⁠build a new aircraft carrier to boost its ‍capacities as a maritime power, President Emmanuel Macron told French troops gathered at a military ‍base in Abu Dhabi. Macron arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to celebrate Christm

Read the article

Replay: French President Macron addresses troops deployed in the United Arab Emirates

France will ⁠build a new aircraft carrier to boost its ‍capacities as a maritime power, President Emmanuel Macron told French troops gathered at a military ‍base in Abu Dhabi. Macron arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to celebrate Christm

Read the article

United Arab Emirates hosts Macron for security talks

French President Emmanuel Macron is spending two days in the United Arab Emirates to celebrate the Christmas holiday with nearly 900 French troops stationed at three bases near Abu Dhabi, highlighting France’s military presence in a region facing multipl

Read the article

Saturday, december 20, 2025

Gaza famine over but situation 'remains critical', UN says

Improved aid access means there is no longer famine in Gaza, but the war-ravaged territory still faces emergency conditions, a UN-backed global hunger monitor said on Friday. Israel denied that there is a food shortage in Gaza, where around 1.6 million p

Read the article

Friday, december 19, 2025

At least five killed in US retaliatory strikes on Islamic State group targets in Syria

The US military has carried out a wave of air strikes against dozens of Islamic State group targets across central Syria, US officials said, in retaliation for a deadly attack on American personnel. The strikes, which killed at least five, were carried o

Read the article

More than 1,000 patients have died awaiting evacuation from Gaza since July 2024

The WHO and its partners have evacuated more than 10,600 patients from Gaza with severe health conditions, including more than 5,600 children, since the start of the war, the head of the UN health agency said Friday, adding that 1,092 patients are known

Read the article

Gaza no longer in famine but UN-backed experts warn 'situation remains critical'

There is no longer famine in Gaza thanks to improved aid access, but the war-ravaged territory still faces emergency conditions, a UN-backed global hunger monitor said on Friday, with around 1.6 million people forecast to face "crisis" levels of food ins

Read the article

Thursday, december 18, 2025

Syria trial over post-Assad violence

A trial opened December 18 in Aleppo for suspects accused of post-Assad violence, including attacks on transitional government forces. About 500 people are under investigation, in what is seen as a landmark case as it is the first time government-linked

Read the article

Wednesday, december 17, 2025

US Congress ends Assad-era Syria sanctions, opening door to investment

The US Congress has voted to permanently repeal sweeping sanctions imposed on Syria under former leader Bashar al Assad, clearing the way for foreign investment and marking a significant shift in Washington’s policy towards the war-ravaged country follow

Read the article

Iran: A ‘blood rain’ in the Persian Gulf

Heavy #rains washed iron-oxide-rich soil and rocks across an “Iranian island, creating this intense, almost unreal red. Seen in the Persian Gulf on December 16, the phenomenon was nicknamed ‘blood rain’ by visitors, despite having nothing to do with biol

Read the article

Gaza struggles in winter conditions, with rains and sewage sparking deadly disease surge

Palestinians in Gaza were struggling to recover on Tuesday after days of torrential rain battered the enclave, flooding displacement camps, turning dirt roads into mud, and causing already war-damaged buildings to collapse, leaving at least 12 people dea

Read the article

Torrential rains and floods kill 12 in Gaza

Thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip have been inundated after heavy rain and strong winds battered the area. Witnesses said that early Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians sought shelter from the storm among the ruins of

Read the article

Gaza struggles in winter conditions: Torrential rains kill 12

Thousands of tents housing displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip have been inundated after heavy rain and strong winds battered the area. Witnesses said that early Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians sought shelter from the storm among the ruins of

Read the article

Tuesday, december 16, 2025

"Islamic State propaganda is maybe more audible" in Syria among those who resent new authorities

The Bondi Beach attack came close to a deadly attack on US troops, with President Donald Trump blaming the Islamic state. For FRANCE 24's Wassim Nasr, the Islamic State group's propaganda is maybe more audible to those who resent Syria's new authorities,

Read the article

Monday, december 15, 2025

Imprisoned Iranian Nobel laureate hospitalised twice after ‘heavy’ blows, family says

In a phone call from prison, Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nargis Mohammadi said she endured blows during her incarceration that were so "heavy, forceful and repeated" that she had to be hospitalised twice, the family-run Narges Foundation said Mond

Read the article

"Much more needs to be done" for Gazan students

As Israel bombed most of Gaza's schools and universities, most people living there have been unable to attend any classes for years now. Some have found ways to continue some studies online and many hope that a scholarship could help them get out of the

Read the article

Sunday, december 14, 2025

Syrian who killed Americans was part of security forces, interior ministry says

Syria's interior ministry said Sunday the gunman who killed three Americans in the central Palmyra region the previous day was a member of the security forces who was to have been fired for extremism. Two US troops and a civilian interpreter died in what

Read the article

Syrian who killed Americans was part of security forces, interior ministry says

Syria's interior ministry said Sunday the gunman who killed three Americans in the central Palmyra region the previous day was a member of the security forces who was to have been fired for extremism. Two US troops and a civilian interpreter died in what

Read the article

Israel blames Australia for ignoring antisemitism over Bondi Beach shooting

Israeli leaders on Sunday “loudly blamed” the Australian government for ignoring warnings of antisemitic threats, FRANCE 24’s Noga Tarnopolsky reported, noting that Tel Aviv has offered little condolence to Australia’s Jewish community. Tarnopolsky also

Read the article

Syrian gunman who killed three Americans was to be fired from security forces for 'extremist views'

Syria said on Sunday that the gunman who killed three Americans in the central Palmyra region was a member of its own security forces who was due to be dismissed for extremist views, a day after the deadly attack blamed by Washington on the Islamic State

Read the article

Saturday, december 13, 2025

Two US troops and an American civilian killed in Syria, Trump vows to 'retaliate'

Two US soldiers and an American civilian were killed in central Syria on Saturday after an alleged Islamic State group gunman opened fire on a joint US-Syrian patrol in Palmyra, US Central Command said. Three other troops were wounded before the attacker

Read the article

Israel says it killed top Hamas weapon commander in Gaza strike

Israel said Saturday it had killed top Hamas commander Raed Saad in a strike in Gaza after an explosive device wounded two Israeli soldiers in the south of the territory as both sides accused each other of violating the ceasefire that took effect on Octo

Read the article

Friday, december 12, 2025

Israeli women rush to buy guns after October 7 attacks

Since the October 7, 2023 terror attacks, Israel has issued some 217,000 new firearms licences to civilians. Among the new permit holders are a growing proportion of women. Whether religious or secular and living in settlements or affluent villages, they

Read the article

UAE seeks to hire more Emirati nationals in private sector

In the United Arab Emirates, the government has imposed quotas for hiring Emirati citizens across the private sector, with the aim of having them make up 10 percent of the workforce by 2026. So how are companies complying with these new rules and how can

Read the article

Amnesty accuses Hamas of 'crimes against humanity' for October 7 attach

For the first time, Amnesty International has accused Hamas and its allies of committing crimes against humanity, following an investigation into the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel. The organisation found that 1,221 people were killed and said the mass

Read the article

Thursday, december 11, 2025

Winter storm rips through Gaza, exposing failure to deliver enough aid to territory

Winter storm Byron drenched Gaza’s tent camps on December 12, flooding shelters and deepening the humanitarian crisis despite two months of ceasefire. Families saw their belongings and food soaked, children waded through knee-deep muddy water, and overfl

Read the article

Gaza: Heavy rains flood the tents of displaced people

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza have faced severe flooding in recent days, with heavy rain, strong winds and flash floods expected to continue. Meanwhile, Israel is still heavily restricting humanitarian aid, including shelter sup

Read the article

Israel says Hamas 'will be disarmed' under US-backed Gaza peace plan

Israel on Thursday vowed that Hamas will be disarmed under the US-backed Gaza peace plan, rejecting a proposal by senior Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, who said the group might accept a weapons "freeze" but not full disarmament.

Read the article

Hamas signals openness to weapons 'freeze' but rejects full disarmament

A senior Hamas leader says the group is willing to consider a temporary “freeze” on its weapons but will not accept full disarmament, a central demand of the US-backed Gaza peace plan. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Khaled Meshaal signaled limited flexibility i

Read the article

Wednesday, december 10, 2025

Gaza: Israel to reopen key aid route as humanitarian pressure grows

For the first time since September, Israel has announced it will reopen the Allenby Crossing, a key route for humanitarian aid between Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza, after three months of closure following a deadly attack on Israeli soldiers. The move c

Read the article

Gaza ceasefire phase two hit by Israel-Jordan border closure

The Allenby crossing between Jordan and Gaza is set to reopen as the next phase of the ceasefire is due to begin, but Israel has refused to open it, citing internal political and security reasons. The United States is pressuring both Israel and Hamas to

Read the article

War in Gaza was like a 'science fiction movie': MSF's Dr Mohammed Abu Mughaiseeb

A doctor who spent over 700 days working in hospitals in Gaza during Israel's war there has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the horrors he witnessed, and his hopes for a real ceasefire in the future. Dr Mohammed Abu Mughaiseeb is deputy medical coordinator for

Read the article

Separatist gains in Yemen raise fresh fears of civil war amid regional tensions

A separatist group has seized key oil-rich provinces in southern Yemen, shattering a fragile lull in the civil war and deepening rifts within the anti-Houthi camp.

Read the article

Newly returned Syrians struggle to reclaim land seized under Assad regime

Since Ahmed al-Sharaa and the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took power in Syria a year ago after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, hundreds of thousands of Syrians have returned to their country. During the war, many were dispossessed of

Read the article

Tuesday, december 9, 2025

'Tarnished legacy': What role for Tony Blair in Trump's peace plan for Gaza?

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has been dropped from US President Donald Trump’s “board of peace” in Gaza due to opposition from Arab and Muslim nations, according to a report from The Financial Times. Blair’s history of intervention in the Middle E

Read the article

‘Planting to preserve our dignity’: Gaza farmers remain cut off from their land

Despite the ceasefire signed in October 2025, many Gazans are still unable to return to their homes and land. Among them is our Observer, farmer Amro Abu Rabee, who remains displaced in Deir al-Balah. His farm lies beyond the “yellow line” in territory s

Read the article

Hamas says no second phase for Gaza ceasefire until Israel ceases 'violations'

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Tuesday threatened to delay the start of phase two of the Gaza ceasefire agreement until more pressure is put on Israel to cease deadly strikes, open the key Allenby border crossing and allow more aid into the beleague

Read the article

Syria's lost children: Families search for youngsters taken during Assad regime

A year after the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, more than 110,000 Syrians are still missing, including several thousand children. Were they killed? Illegally adopted? Their fate remains unclear, but testimonies and official documents now reveal

Read the article

Israel the biggest killer of journalists worldwide for 3 years running, says RSF

Israel accounted for almost half of the world’s journalist deaths this year, Reporters Without Borders warned Tuesday, with 29 Palestinian reporters killed in Gaza as the global toll increased to 67. Nearly 220 journalists have died since the beginning o

Read the article

Monday, december 8, 2025

Syrian president Sharaa fostered 'genocidal culture' against minorities, former hostage says

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Theo Padnos, a journalist who was captured and held for nearly two years in a series of prisons run by Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al Qaeda, says that the current Syrian leadership is like "a fox in the

Read the article

Syrian president al-Sharaa fostered a 'genocidal culture' against minorities, former hostage says

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Theo Padnos, a journalist who was captured and held for nearly two years in a series of prisons run by Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, says that the current Syrian leadership is like 'a fox in the

Read the article

A new Syria? One year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad

It was exactly one year ago that a lightning offensive reached its ultimate conclusion. Syria saw the fall of Bashar al-Assad, ending over five decades of his family's dictatorial regime in a blitz that stunned the world. In Damascus, celebrations erupte

Read the article

Taking stock of Sharaa’s rule in Syria, one year after the fall of Assad

One year after the fall of Syrian despot Bashar al-Assad, the country is trying to rebuild from the ruins of a 13-year civil war. Interim President – and former rebel leader – Ahmed al-Sharaa is leading a delicate transition faced with enormous challenge

Read the article

One year after Bashar Assad’s fall, Syria is struggling to rebuild

James André, France24 reporter, gives us his analysis.

Read the article

Syria marks one year since ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad

As celebrations kicked off marking the first anniversary on Monday of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad’s regime, Syrians are still struggling to heal after the dynasty’s repressive 50-year rule and a 14-year civil war that killed an estimated

Read the article

'If al-Sharaa applies & fulfils his promises, it will be the fairytale that Syrians have hoped for'

As celebrations kicked off marking the first anniversary on Monday of the ousting of former President Bashar Assad’s regime, Syrians are still struggling to heal after the dynasty’s repressive 50-year rule and a 14-year civil war that killed an estimated

Read the article