A who’s who of fighters in Gaza

GAZA, 15 April 2013 (IRIN) - A ceasefire brokered in November to end eight days of conflict between Israel and Hamas-controlled Gaza has been violated several times in recent weeks with renewed rocket fire from Gaza, Israeli air strikes and Israeli tank incursions onto Gazan territory. What are the chances of a lasting peace? IRIN takes a look at the main military actors on the ground. full report

UNRWA reopens food distribution centres in Gaza

GAZA, 9 April 2013 (IRIN) - UN-run relief and distribution centres in Gaza, which provide food to around 25,000 people a day, reopened today after guarantees were given about the security of staff. full report

Disaster Risk Reduction in the Arab world

AQABA, 20 March 2013 (IRIN) - Nearly 300 government officials, scientists, aid workers and activists from across the Arab world are working together in Jordan to draw up the first joint regional platform for disaster risk reduction (DRR). full report

Briefing: Beyond the E-1 Israeli settlement

JERUSALEM, 18 March 2013 (IRIN) - A controversial Israeli settlement plan, known as E-1, has garnered much attention in the media. But Israel has also been moving forward with equally controversial settlement plans under less scrutiny and with unusual speed. As US President Barack Obama prepares to visit the region this week, IRIN takes a look at some of the details that have been overlooked in the discussion. full report

Briefing: Inside the E-1 Israeli settlement

JERUSALEM, 14 March 2013 (IRIN) - There was much fanfare over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement last year that Israel would move ahead with the controversial E-1 settlement plan. But what has happened since? How quickly could E-1 become reality? And what of the oft-overlooked humanitarian implications? full report

Middle East food security tracking tool launched

DUBAI, 8 March 2013 (IRIN) - Aid workers and policy makers looking for easy access to malnutrition data in Yemen or how rainfall tends to vary in Syria can now turn to a handy web-based tool. Launched in February, the Arab Spatial aims to fill the information gap on food security in the region, ultimately leading to better development policies. full report

Export oil, import water – the Middle East’s risky economics

DUBAI, 5 March 2013 (IRIN) - The world’s driest region, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), is getting drier at an alarming rate. full report

Little change for Palestinians in Israeli detention despite agreement*

DUBAI, 1 March 2013 (IRIN) - The death of a Palestinian prisoner in Israeli detention last week has raised tension in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, leading to renewed rocket fire from Gaza into Israel for the first time since a ceasefire ended eight days of heavy conflict in November 2012, and a series of clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and the Israeli Army. full report

The use and abuse of humanitarian principle

DAKAR, 19 February 2013 (IRIN) - Following the 9/11 attacks and the launch of the Global War on Terror, many humanitarian policy wonks spoke of a new era of heightened aid instrumentalization - that is the use of humanitarian action or rhetoric as a tool to pursue political, security, development, economic, or other non-humanitarian goals, which would muddy humanitarian principles and constrain access to those in need. full report