Middle East

The war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza directly impacts many Minnesotans. And while MPR News does not have journalists stationed in the region, we do have a responsibility to our audiences to report on how this ongoing conflict affects people here. Our goal is to provide MPR News audiences with a variety of perspectives, context and factual information. We are committed to using language that is as precise as possible.

As you will see here, the majority of the coverage on our air and our website is provided by our national and international news partners, NPR and the BBC. The language and terminology used to describe the conflict are changing. If you have questions or concerns about our coverage please reach out to us.

As Gaza's communication blackout grinds on, some fear it is imperiling lives.
For days, much of the Gaza Strip has been without cell phone and Internet access. The laws of war were written well before the world wide web, but some see communication as a fundamental right.
U.S. military launches another barrage of missiles against Houthi sites in Yemen
The strikes were launched from the Red Sea and hit more than a dozen sites. They follow an announcement that the U.S. has put the Houthis back on its list of specially designated global terrorists.
What Palestinians in Gaza may fear even more than Israeli bombardment
In the past three months, 2 million Palestinians have been internally displaced by war. Some far-right Israeli officials want them to leave Gaza altogether — evoking the trauma of past displacement.
France and Qatar announce a deal to deliver medicine to Israeli hostages in Gaza
France and Qatar said they had brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas to deliver medicine to hostages in Gaza, as well as additional aid to Palestinians in the besieged territory.
War in Gaza is testing Israel's economy. A 2nd front against Hezbollah could break it
Israel's military has closed towns and workplaces near the Lebanon border and 60,000 residents have fled, freezing the regional economy. But a full-blown war with Hezbollah could affect all of Israel.
After 100 days of war, Israel is determined to fight on in Gaza
Israel claims some achievements in more than three months of fighting since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, but the Palestinian death toll has soared and the militant group still clings to power in Gaza.