<b>Hello from </b><i><b>The National </b></i><b>in Abu Dhabi. Here is your morning newsletter with all the top stories from the Mena region.</b> The Israeli army said that the commander responsible for funding the Lebanese Hezbollah group was "eliminated" in Syria. The man, whose name was not released, led the Iran-backed Hezbollah's Unit 4400, which is "responsible for the transfers and the amount of funds" to the group through Tehran's oil sales, army spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari said. Follow live updates <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/live-israel-gaza-war-beirut/" target="_blank">here</a>. A child and three adults were killed and 24 were wounded in an Israeli strike near Beirut's main government hospital, the Health Ministry said in a statement. The Israeli army for the first time struck Ouzai, near Beirut, about 15 minutes after issuing eviction orders. Videos shared online show residents fleeing in panic. US special envoy to Lebanon <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/us-envoy-amos-hochstein-set-to-arrive-in-beirut-with-latest-ceasefire-proposal/" target="_blank">Amos Hochstein</a>, in Beirut in the latest effort towards achieving a ceasefire, said that UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Israel and Hezbollah war, was the basis to end the current conflict between the two sides, but that “simply committing” was not enough. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/this-is-our-duty-municipal-workers-in-lebanons-city-of-tyre-defy-israeli-eviction-orders/" target="_blank">Municipal workers</a> in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre say they have received countless phone calls urging them to leave ahead of expected Israeli air strikes. They watched last week as aerial attacks on nearby Nabatieh destroyed a municipal building co-ordinating humanitarian aid, killing 16 people, including the town's mayor. Egypt has told Israel of its <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/egypt-voices-strong-opposition-to-israels-postwar-plans-for-gaza/" target="_blank">strong opposition</a> to its plans for postwar Gaza, including the creation of a buffer zone in northern Gaza and forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to move to areas close to its border, sources have told <i>The National.</i> US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading back to the Middle East this week and is expected to travel to Israel in yet another<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2024/10/21/blinken-heads-back-to-middle-east-in-latest-ceasefire-push/" target="_blank"> diplomatic push</a> for a ceasefire in Gaza. This will be Mr Blinken’s 11th trip to the region since October 7 last year, and his first since Israel killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Israeli forces <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/israeli-forces-burn-gazas-indonesian-hospital-as-they-tighten-siege-on-north-of-enclave/" target="_blank">set fire</a> to northern Gaza's Indonesian Hospital on Monday, one of only three partially functional hospitals out of 10 in the area, the enclave's health ministry said, after witnesses reported the army had also burnt down buildings where thousands of people had been taking shelter. More than 60 Democratic legislators<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2024/10/21/democrats-push-biden-to-demand-media-access-to-gaza-amid-israeli-aid-block/" target="_blank"> sent a letter</a> to US President Joe Biden demanding “unimpeded media access” to Gaza amid growing warnings that Israel is intentionally starving Palestinians there. Hundreds of Israelis including right-wing and ultranationalist activists gathered at the border of Gaza on Monday for a conference on <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/israeli-politicians-call-for-gaza-resettlement-at-conference-attended-by-far-right-activists/" target="_blank">re-establishing Jewish settlements </a>in the strip. Organisers told the crowds, which included many families who say they are ready to settle in Gaza, that the current Palestinian population “lost their right” to live there after the October 7 attacks. A humanitarian appeal for Gaza and Lebanon that was eventually launched last week had been <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/uk-wide-appeal-for-gaza-launched-after-being-held-up-by-bbc-concerns/" target="_blank">stalled by objections from the BBC</a>, a source told <i>The National. </i>The Disasters Emergency Committee appeal to provide aid in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon raised £11.6 million ($15 million) within two days, with the UK government pledging to match the first £10 million donated. The US missile defence system Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) became operational in Israel on Sunday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said. The development is seen as a <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/22/us-missile-system-set-up-in-israel-follows-years-of-joint-training-amid-iranian-threat/" target="_blank">potential escalation</a> in the regional Iran-Israel crisis because 100 US soldiers will be deployed to operate it, potentially putting them in harm's way if Iran launches another missile strike. Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2024/10/21/putin-thanks-sheikh-mohamed-for-uaes-mediating-role-in-prisoner-swaps-with-ukraine/" target="_blank">strong relations</a> shared with the UAE during talks with President Sheikh Mohamed on Monday and thanked him for the role the country has played in mediating prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. Sheikh Mohamed acknowledged Russia's co-operation was key to ensuring it was a success and reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to carrying out such "humanitarian endeavours". The World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified Egypt as <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/egypt-achieves-malaria-free-status-after-nearly-100-years-of-effort/" target="_blank">malaria-free</a>, marking a significant public health milestone for the country. The achievement is the culmination of a nearly 100-year effort by the Egyptian government and people to eradicate the disease, which has been present in the country since ancient times, the WHO said. The Kurdistan Democratic Party, one of the two ruling parties in the Kurdish region of Iraq, emerged as the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/2024/10/21/kurdistan-election-results-iraq/" target="_blank">leading party</a> in the parliamentary elections. The preliminary results from Sunday’s polls indicate KDP’s main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), came second, followed by opposition group the New Generation Movement, while smaller parties and independent candidates took the rest of the votes. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/10/21/fethullah-gulen-exiled-turkish-cleric-dies-at-83/" target="_blank">Fethullah Gulen</a>, the exiled Turkish cleric accused of orchestrating a failed coup in 2016, has died aged 83. Lebanon's best hope lies in its armed forces, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2024/10/21/lebanons-best-hope-is-its-armed-forces/" target="_blank">writes</a> Nickolay Mladenov. James Zogby <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2024/10/21/how-dark-money-is-targeting-americas-arab-and-jewish-voters/" target="_blank">looks at</a> how "dark money" is targeting America's Arab and Jewish voters. It's no surprise that some countries want an end to "dollar dominance", <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/editorial/2024/10/22/its-no-surprise-that-some-countries-want-an-end-to-dollar-dominance/" target="_blank">argues</a> our editorial team. Egyptian novelist Reem Bassiouney on the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/books/2024/10/21/reem-bassiouney-historical-arabic-fiction/" target="_blank">timeless appeal</a> of Arabic historical fiction. To avoid war with Israel, Iran needs the "Great Satan" on its side, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2024/10/17/to-avoid-war-with-israel-iran-needs-the-great-satan-on-its-side/" target="_blank">says</a> Arash Azizi. <b>FRONT PAGE</b>