International
Gaza in a thousand faces
Al Jazeera looks back at the faces of people who suffered throughout two years of Israel’s war on Gaza.
We have more than 30,000 photos in our archive from Gaza, compiled over the past two years alone.
We chose more than one thousand photos, focusing on the faces of people enduring a genocidal war.
Each photo is a snapshot in time of a place more than two million people call home, of an incident or moment that marked one of those people.
Young and old, their faces bear moments of fear, pain, and rare glimpses of happiness.
Looking into their eyes, you begin to see their lives, their resilience, their loss, and their hope.
The video below is a time-lapse of 200 faces.
Scroll to the end to explore an interactive mosaic of nearly 2,000 faces.
/Many children, their eyes wide with shock, cling to the arms of rescuers after explosions tear through their neighbourhoods.
Some images are too horrific to show, with small bodies crushed beneath rubble, homes erased in an instant, and the innocence of youth replaced by trauma.
These faces, once vibrant and full of life, grow thinner and paler, fading under the weight of hunger and loss.
One such image, taken on May 21, 2024, by Ashraf Amra, shows a child with a broken arm wrapped in plaster, lying on a hospital floor stained with blood. He stares fixedly up at the camera, the blood on the floor seeping closer to his uninjured shoulder.
He was one of the injured Palestinians brought to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital following Israeli attacks on the Bureij refugee camp in Deir el-Balah.
Also among them are Gaza’s women – mothers, teachers, doctors, journalists, and caregivers, carrying heavy loads, both physical and emotional. Some are guided by faith, in mosques or churches.
The older generation bears the eyes of displacement, having lived through such events before.
One of the most powerful images shows Palestinian woman Inas Abu Maamar, 36, embracing the body of her 5-year-old niece Sally, who was killed in an Israeli strike, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 17, 2023.
Photographer Mohammad Salem was at the hospital morgue that day.
“It was a powerful and sad moment, and I felt the picture sums up the broader sense of what was happening in the Gaza Strip,” he said.
“People were confused, running … anxious to know the fate of their loved ones, and this woman caught my eye as she was holding the body of the little girl and refused to let go.”
The image went on to win the 2024 World Press Photo of the Year award, recognised for capturing the profound grief and chaos experienced by those living through the attacks in Gaza.
Many of the men pictured are carrying shrouded bodies, the weight of loss heavy.
Rescue workers and young men, often civilians turned first responders, move through the rubble with grim determination.
Each shrouded body tells a story of tragedy and sudden loss, and each man’s face reflects exhaustion, grief, and the urgent need to help in the midst of chaos.
One image taken by Omar Al-Qattaa shows a man carrying the shrouded body of a child killed in overnight Israeli bombardment at the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City on October 2, 2024.
Explore an interactive mosaic of nearly 2,000 photos spanning two years in Gaza. Hover over or click on each icon to view the full image.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan kicks off a three-day official visit to Dhaka on June 4, looking to shift the relationship from standard trade into a serious defense and political alliance.
Why it matters:
This trip is a big deal for a few reasons. It is the first time a Turkish foreign minister has visited Bangladesh since December 2020. More importantly, it is the first high-level visit from a major partner since Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s BNP-led government took office. Ankara is moving fast to engage with the new administration, showing a clear intent to lock in its influence in South Asia.
The big picture:
Turkey no longer sees Bangladesh as just a market for goods or a source of labor. The real goal here is to expand defense cooperation and build a lasting political partnership. Both nations want to align their foreign policies to present a united front on the global stage. This visit builds directly on Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman’s trip to Ankara in April, where the groundwork for these bigger plans was laid.
Between the lines:
While the official statements talk about diplomatic courtesy and economic growth, the quiet focus is on military hardware. Ankara wants to sell advanced defense technology to Bangladesh as Dhaka modernizes its armed forces. Additionally, Turkey has been a vocal supporter of Bangladesh during the Rohingya crisis. Fidan might visit the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar to get a firsthand look at the situation, proving Turkey’s ongoing political backing.
By the numbers:
- 3: The number of days Fidan will be in Bangladesh.
- 5.5: Years since the last official visit by a Turkish Foreign Minister to Dhaka.
- 2: The major meetings scheduled before seeing the PM, sitting down with Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and State Minister Shama Obaed Islam.
What’s next:
The visit wraps up on June 6 with a pivotal meeting between Fidan and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. During this sit-down, expect the two leaders to nail down agreements that speed up investments and finalize new defense deals. They are also expected to get on the same page regarding Middle Eastern conflicts, especially Gaza.
The bottom line:
Ankara is not wasting any time building ties with Dhaka’s new leadership. By putting defense and political alignment ahead of basic commerce, this visit marks a serious new chapter in Turkey-Bangladesh relations.
International
Mamata Banerjee Accuses BSF of ‘Pushing Indian Citizens into Bangladesh’, Calls for State Police Action.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has leveled serious allegations against the Border Security Force (BSF), claiming that Indian citizens are being forcibly pushed into Bangladesh. During an administrative meeting with local officials in Cooch Behar on Monday, she criticized the BSF’s activities along the India-Bangladesh border as “excesses.”
The Chief Minister instructed the state police to “be a little more active” and “focus on Naka (check post) operations,” urging them not to be afraid of taking action.
Mamata Banerjee emphasized that Cooch Behar is a border district where law and order must be maintained, and “no excesses will be tolerated.”
Linguistic Identity and Harassment
Addressing allegations of harassment against residents, the Chief Minister strongly rejected the idea of linking language to nationality. She clarified the distinction: “Just because someone speaks Bengali does not make them a Bangladeshi. Bangladesh is a country and West Bengal is a state.”
She further drew parallels with Urdu and Punjabi speakers across the India-Pakistan border, asserting that West Bengal residents should not face harassment based on their language or identity. The Chief Minister’s strong remarks come amid ongoing political tensions regarding citizenship laws in the border regions.
International
Slaughter in Sudan: RSF Attack on Kindergarten Kills 46 Children, Death Toll Rises to 114.
The death toll from an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a kindergarten and other civilian locations in Sudan’s South Kordofan State has risen to at least 114 people, according to local officials. Tragically, the victims include 46 children. The deadly assault took place last Thursday (December 4) in the town of Kalogi.
The scale of the tragedy grew as initial reports underestimated the casualties. Sources from the Sudan Doctors Network revealed that the site was hit a second time, targeting civilians who had gathered for rescue efforts following the initial strike on the kindergarten. Reports also indicate that the town’s hospital and a government building were bombed.
Violation of International Law and Child Rights
The attack has drawn swift condemnation from international bodies. UNICEF Representative Sheldon Yett strongly denounced the killings, stating that the murder of children on their school grounds constitutes an extreme violation of child rights. He called on all warring parties to immediately cease hostilities, emphasizing that children should never pay the price of conflict.
The Sudan Doctors Network has categorized the attack as a severe violation of international humanitarian law, citing the repeated targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure.
The ongoing conflict, which erupted in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, continues to displace millions. While the SAF controls the central and eastern regions, the RSF is focused on expanding its influence, particularly in the western regions of North Kordofan and Darfur, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.