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Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has warned that around 1,500 citizens have lost their eyesight due to the war and another 4,000 are at risk of blindness because of severe shortages of medications and medical equipment.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in a report on Sunday said that the eye care services in Gaza have been facing a catastrophic collapse because of the genocidal war.

“The health sector is witnessing a critical shortage of consumables and medical equipment for eye surgeries, which is leading to an almost total collapse of surgical services, particularly for retinal diseases and diabetic retinopathy with internal bleeding,” said Dr. Abdelsalam Sabah, director of Gaza’s Eye Hospital.

“The Eye Hospital currently has only 3 worn-out surgical scissors in use, which greatly increases risks to patients’ lives and prevents effective treatment,” he added.

The majority of eye injuries are caused by shrapnel from ordnance explosions and need medical materials such as Healon and fine sutures, which are almost impossible to find in the Strip due to the blockade.

Unless immediate and urgent intervention is made by relevant bodies and international organizations, the Eye Hospital will be unable to provide any surgical services in the near future.

The siege has forced hospitals and medical centers in Gaza to ration medications such as painkillers, provide less effective treatment, or turn patients away.

Hospitals and medical centers have run out of surgical supplies such as anesthetics, pediatric antibiotics, and medicines for chronic conditions.

Since March 18, when the Israeli regime broke its ceasefire agreement with Hamas, it has killed around 1,900 Palestinians and wounded several thousand more, most of whom are children and women. 

Appealing to the world's major powers for "no more war", Pope Leo on Sunday welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and hoped negotiations can lead to lasting peace, reported Reuters. Pope Leo prayed god will give world 'miracle of peace'. 

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, reportedly also called for peace in Ukraine, ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza in his first Sunday noon appeal since his election as pontiff.

The new pope was elected on May 8, succeeding Pope Francis who died on April 21. 

“Never again war!” Pope Leo said from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

After over three days of intense exchange of fire, India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an ‘understanding’ to immediately stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea. The ceasefire, which was first announced by US President Donald Trump on Saturday, was violated by Pakistan hours later with drones being intercepted over parts of Jammu, Srinagar, Punjab and Rajasthan.

The military confrontation erupted after Islamabad launched drones and missiles towards the Indian territory, responding to the Operation Sindoor military strikes carried out by New Delhi on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.

Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam in which terrorists found to have links with Pakistan killed 26 civilians.

‘Third world war in pieces’

The 69-year-old Chicago-born missionary is the 267th pope and also the first American to hold the religious leadership title. 

Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Leo echoed Pope Francis's words, condemning the many conflicts plaguing the world today as a “third world war in pieces.”

Pope Leo also noted that this Sunday was Mother's Day in many countries, extending warm wishes to all mothers — “including those in heaven.”

The atmosphere turned jubilant as the crowd, joined by marching bands visiting for the special Jubilee weekend, broke into cheers and music while the bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang out.

US President Donald Trump says he is willing to reach an agreement with Iran that allows Washington to “blow up” Tehran’s nuclear energy facilities.

“It’s that simple,” he said during an exchange with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, on Wednesday.

“I would much prefer a strong, verified deal where we actually blow them up…,” Trump said, referring to Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Deal’s outcome: Either ‘Nice aggression’ or ‘vicious aggression’

The 78-year-old former president added that there were only two possible outcomes, namely “blowing them up nicely or blow them up viciously.”

This is not the first time, Trump and other American officials have urged “total dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear energy program. The US president had last made the insistence during comments on the NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

Observers said such statements underline the US administration's continued aggressive approach towards the Islamic Republic and its nuclear energy program.

The adversarial standing comes while Washington and Tehran have been engaging in indirect talks since March. The talks’ initiation marked drawn-out absence of such engagement between the two sides that had been caused by Washington’s illegal and unilateral withdrawal from a historic nuclear deal between Tehran and others in 2018.

Most recently, Trump’s regional envoy Steve Witkoff said, “The president wants to see this solved diplomatically if possible, so we’re doing everything we can to get it going."

Trump’s remarks, though, diagonally contradict Witkoff’s statement about the president’s alleged interest in a diplomatic solution.

Trump also said potential American aggression against Iran’s nuclear sites had to result in “de-nuking them.”

The US and its allies have for long been trying to accuse the Islamic Republic of pursuing “nuclear weapons,” despite the country’s repeated avowal not to either pursue, develop, or stockpile such weaponry as per moral and religious imperatives.

Tehran’s peaceful nuclear policy has been verified unexceptionally by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which has never found any indication of such pursuit, as it has put the country's nuclear activities under the most extensive investigative processes compared to any other member of the United Nations nuclear agency.

The Western narrative, though, has been used extensively to try to justify escalating sanctions, military threats, and covert operations targeting Iran and its nuclear infrastructure.

Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic has invariably vowed to deal effectively with attempts on the part of the US, its allied states, or proxies at engaging in military adventurism against the country.

The assertion was last reiterated by Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, who underscored on Monday that the country would unquestionably defend its sovereignty against any threat or use of force.