As Europe aims to wean itself off Russian fossil fuel because of the Ukraine invasion, Israel hopes to help fill the gap with gas from its offshore reserves.

EU states remain divided on the time scale, but European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the bloc hopes to phase out its dependency on Russian gas, oil and coal by 2027.

Israel could build one or more pipelines, potentially via Greece or Turkey, or increase the quantity of gas piped to Egypt to be liquified and shipped off, say officials and experts.

Shares in the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority rose nearly 16 percent on Tuesday in the Gulf region's biggest initial public offering since Saudi oil giant Aramco in 2019.

DEWA shares soared 19 percent in the first minutes of trading before closing up 15.72 percent at 2.87 dirhams ($0.78), as the Dubai stock exchange was down 0.5 percent.

The Dubai-owned utility last week said it had raised 22.3 billion dirhams ($6.1 billion) in the Gulf's largest IPO since Aramco's world-record flotation.

Fresh clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants rocked the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday as a Palestinian was killed after stabbing an Israeli police officer, adding to a surging death toll.

Israeli troops launched a fourth day of military operations around Jenin after an assailant from the flashpoint district last week shot and killed three people in a Tel Aviv bar in the latest of a spate of attacks that have stunned the Jewish state.

Syrians are mobilising to support Ukrainians, sharing hard-earned knowledge gleaned from years of war involving Russian forces, such as surviving shelling, helping refugees and responding to chemical attacks.

With both Ukrainians and Syrians seeking accountability for the ravages inflicted by Russian forces in their countries, they feel a unique bond is growing between them.

A young Yazidi woman testified on Monday that American aid worker Kayla Mueller told her she was raped by former Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and threatened with death if she tried to escape.

Lia Mulla, who was captured by Islamic State (IS) members in August 2014 as she tried to flee Iraq's Mount Sinjar with her family, testified through a translator on Monday at the trial of El Shafee Elsheikh, who was allegedly one of Mueller's IS jailers.

Dozens of Afghans chanting "Death to Iran" protested Monday outside Tehran's consulate in the western city of Herat after videos allegedly showing Afghan refugees being beaten by Iranians went viral over the weekend.

Iran, which hosts more than five million Afghan refugees, has seen a fresh influx of Afghans entering the country since the Taliban stormed back to power last August.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced a deal on Monday to boost gas deliveries from energy heavyweight Algeria, as he steps up efforts to reduce Rome's heavy reliance on Russian imports.

Addressing journalists after meeting President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Draghi told journalists the two governments had signed a preliminary deal on energy cooperation.

"There is also a deal between ENI and Sonatrach to boost gas exports to Italy," he said, referring to the Italian energy giant and Algeria's state hydrocarbons firm.

Ramadan drummers who awaken the faithful for their pre-dawn meal are dying out across the Muslim world but the tradition lives on in Syria's capital despite growing reliance on smart phones.

Around one hour before the call to prayer rings out at dawn, Ramadan drummers, known as Musaharati, walk through narrow streets to wake the faithful.

They include Hasan al-Rashi, 60, one of the 30 Musaharati left in Damascus.

His voice breaks the nightime silence in the capital's Old City, as he sings and pounds his drum.

Israeli forces launched a third day of operations Monday around the flashpoint West Bank city of Jenin following heavy gun battles in recent days and overnight arrests, the army said.

Tensions have soared since a spree of attacks in Israel left 14 people dead in the past three weeks, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warning the Jewish state is now "on the offensive".

UN special envoy Hans Grundberg started his first visit to Yemen's rebel-held capital Monday, following an April 2 ceasefire that the country's warring parties have accused each other of violating.

The Swedish diplomat is scheduled to meet Huthi rebel officials during his first Sanaa visit since taking office in September.

"He is looking forward to engaging with Ansar Allah (Huthi) leadership on implementing and strengthening the truce and discussing the way forward," Grundberg's office said in a tweet announcing his arrival.