August 9, 2025
· Palestinian factions demand international intervention in Gaza health sector
Arab League to hold urgent talks on Israeli actions in Gaza
20 seconds ago
The Arab League will convene an extraordinary session on Sunday to discuss how to confront Israel’s occupation of Palestine, Wafa news agency has reported.
Palestine’s envoy to the Arab League, Muhannad al Aklouk, said the meeting comes “in light of the Israeli decision to reoccupy the Gaza Strip and fully control it and the resulting forced displacement of the Palestinian people inside and outside the Strip.”
According to Wafa, the talks will focus on Arab and international mechanisms to challenge Israeli abuses, stop them from continuing, and hold those responsible accountable before international courts.
Gaza officials say 23 Palestinians killed in deadly aid airdrops
33 minutes ago
The death toll from aid airdrops in Gaza has climbed to 23, with 124 others wounded the Government Media Office in Gaza said on Saturday.
Officials warned that dropping aid in areas under Israeli control puts anyone approaching it at risk of being directly targeted and killed.
They called for assistance to be delivered safely through land crossings, condemning what is a deliberate policy of “engineering starvation and chaos,” and holding both Israel and the United States fully responsible
Russia slams Israeli plan to expand Gaza military assault
1 hour ago
Russia has denounced Israel’s plans to widen its military assault on the Gaza Strip, warning it could further inflame the crisis.
In a statement on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said such moves “provoke condemnation and rejection” and risk deepening the “already extremely dramatic” conditions in the besieged Palestinian enclave, which it said bear “all the hallmarks of a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Palestinian killed as Israeli forces fire on aid seekers in Gaza
1 hour ago
A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli forces while waiting for humanitarian aid in northern Gaza, medical officials told Al Jazeera Arabic.
Staff at Al-Shifa Hospital confirmed the fatality, saying troops opened fire near the Zikim area, where residents had gathered in hopes of receiving relief supplies.
London police arrest 150 at rally against Palestine Action ban
1 hour ago
At least 150 people have been arrested at a rally against the proscription of Palestine Action on Saturday outside parliament in London, police said.
Hundreds of British demonstrators gathered in support of the direct action group, which was proscribed as a terrorist organization last month.
Many of them held up placards reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" in Parliament Square.
Gaza residents dread Israel's occupation plan
2 hours ago
Residents of Gaza have met Israel's occupation plan with a mix of fear, exhaustion and defiance.
In the war-torn city, the announcement on Friday sparked confusion and dread.
"They have bombed us, starved us and killed us. What else is there more to do?" wondered Mustafa Ja'rour, who was displaced several times earlier in the war.
Many refuse to consider leaving.
"The idea of leaving Gaza is unacceptable to me," said Abed al-Daqour.
"Even if the army enters the heart of the city, I'll move from one area to another, but I will not leave my homeland."
'Like blinding a cyclops': Gaza residents dread Israel's occupation plan
3 hours ago
Residents of Gaza have met Israel's occupation plan with a mix of fear, exhaustion and defiance.
According to Israeli media reports, the occupation will begin with the mass expulsion of around one million Palestinians from Gaza City, followed by a siege and ground invasion.
While Israeli officials are using the term "takeover", local media confirm it amounts to a full military occupation.
In the war-torn city, the announcement on Friday sparked confusion and dread.
"They have bombed us, starved us and killed us. What else is there more to do?" wondered Mustafa Ja'rour, who was displaced several times earlier in the war.
"It's like a saying we have: blinding a cyclops," he said bitterly. "The only thing left is for them to nuke us so that we can be done with it."
Turkey urges Muslim countries to unite against Gaza takeover
4 hours ago
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has urged all Muslim-majority countries to unite to mobilize against Israel's Gaza takeover plan.
Fidan made the statement at a joint news conference in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The Turkish foreign minister added that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had called an emergency meeting.
39 Palestinians killed in Gaza in last 24 hours
5 hours ago
At least 39 Palestinians have been killed and 491 wounded by Israeli attacks in Gaza in the last 24 hours, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
It said 21 of those were killed while seeking aid.
At least five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack near an aid center north of Rafah, Al Jazeera reported.
Five Israeli allies condemn Gaza takeover plan
6 hours ago
In a new joint statement, the foreign ministers of the UK, Germany, Italy, Australia and New Zealand have condemned Israel's decision to take over Gaza City.
They said the plan would "aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages and further risk the mass displacement of civilians".
Significantly, the statement said Israel risked breaking international law: "Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law."
Unrwa says 'expensive and ineffective' airdrops continue over Gaza
7 hours ago
Unrwa, the largest humanitarian provider for approximately six million Palestinian refugees, has said that airdrops of aid from several UN member states have continued over Gaza, "despite warnings from several international bodies that they are very expensive and ineffective".
The UN agency added that it has not been allowed to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza for over five months.
UN Security Council to discuss Israel's Gaza takeover plan
7 hours ago
The UN Security Council will convene on Saturday for an emergency session to discuss Israel's decision to take over Gaza City.
The meeting was reportedly requested by the UK.
Morning update
8 hours ago
Hello Middle East Eye readers.
Here are some of the key developments this morning:
- 14 Palestinians have been killed since dawn in Gaza, including nine people seeking aid, according to Al Jazeera.
- The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned Israel's plan to take over Gaza City. His spokesperson said the move marks a "dangerous escalation and risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians", and will lead to more "forced displacement, killings and massive destruction".
- The Israeli army's chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, was reportedly "furious" with the government's plan to take control of Gaza City, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority.
- The Irish government said it would advance legislation banning trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Evening recap
18 hours ago
Our live blog will shortly be closing until tomorrow morning.
Here are the day's key developments:
- Canada, the UK, Europe, and Arab nations condemned on Friday the Israeli decision to mount a full military occupation of the Gaza Strip.
- Vice President JD Vance has reiterated that the US has "no plans to recognize the Palestinian state" in a joint press conference with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy during an official visit.
- The number of Palestinians who have starved to death as a result of Israel's siege on Gaza has risen to 201, with 98 of them being children.
- A joint statement by all Palestinian political factions has called on the United Nations and the international community to immediately intervene to support the healthcare system in Gaza.
- Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour said that only pressure by the international community can stop Israel's full military takeover of Gaza, and end the war.
- An Israeli strike killed one person in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese health ministry said.
Houthis announce three drones launched toward Israeli sites
18 hours ago
Yemen's Houthis announced they carried out "three qualitative operations" against targets in Israel on Friday.
A drone was launched toward Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, and another two were launched toward "two vital targets" in Ashkelon and Beersheba, the Houthis said in a statement.
It remains unclear whether there was any damage.
Qatar 'strongly condemns' Netanyahu plan for full Gaza takeover
18 hours ago
Qatar on Friday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, saying it is "a dangerous escalation that threatens to exacerbate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the territory, multiply its catastrophic consequences, and undermine efforts aimed at achieving a permanent ceasefire".
It added that there is an "urgent need for the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and to take immediate action to prevent the Israeli occupation authorities from implementing this decision".
Qatar further urged the international community to ensure Israel "allows the safe, sustained, and unobstructed entry of humanitarian aid".
"The Ministry reiterates the State of Qatar's firm and unwavering position in support of the Palestinian cause and the resilience of the brotherly Palestinian people, in accordance with international legitimacy and the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital," the statement concluded.
Number of starved Palestinians in Gaza rises to 201
18 hours ago
The number of Palestinians who have starved to death as a result of Israel's siege on Gaza has risen to 201, with most being children, Dr. Muneer Alboursh, director general of the Gaza health ministry, told Aljazeera on Friday.
Palestinian factions demand immediate international intervention for Gaza health sector
18 hours ago
A joint statement by all Palestinian political factions on Friday has called on the United Nations and the international community to immediately intervene to support the healthcare system in Gaza.
"The Gaza Strip currently needs no less than 1,000 aid trucks per day as a first emergency phase," they wrote.
"We demand that the United Nations and its Secretary-General assume responsibility and declare that the Gaza Strip has entered a state of famine," the statement read.
"We demand that international institutions intervene to address the collapse of the health sector and provide medical supplies".
The scandal-plagued, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, they added, "is a death trap, killing and wounding thousands of civilians".
"We call on the peoples of the world to demonstrate in front of the Israeli and American embassies to pressure for an end to the aggression and famine," the statement said.
UEFA pays tribute to Palestinian footballer killed in Gaza
19 hours ago
The union for European football, UEFA, paid a brief tribute on Friday to Palestinian footballer from Gaza, Suleiman al-Obeid.
Obeid was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza while attempting to collect food aid for his family earlier this week.
Uefa did not name his killers or say how he was killed.
"Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pelé'. A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times," Uefa wrote on X.
Two thirds of Canadians call humanitarian situation in Gaza ‘moral outrage’: Poll
20 hours ago
Data released Thursday by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds three-in-five Canadians say their country should recognize a Palestinian state (61 percent), with the same number agreeing that Hamas must be removed from Gaza for this to be a realistic path forward (63 percent).
Amid widespread reports of starvation, two-thirds (64 percent) say that this is a "moral outrage", rather than merely overblown (18 percent) or something they’re unsure about (18 percent).
Three-in-five Canadians (61 percent) agree that it's Israel that is obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Right after the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, Israel (28 percent) and “both sides equally” (31 percent) garnered the most responses in terms of who Canadians sympathize with the most.
At the time, only 18 percent chose Palestinians as a response.
Now, that figure has doubled with 37 percent choosing Palestinians, 27 percent saying both sides, and one-in-five saying Israel (19 percent).
Egypt's gas deal critiqued online as 'economic complicity' in Israel's war on Gaza
20 hours ago
People online have taken to social media to express outrage over a record $35bn gas deal between Egypt and Israel, accusing Israel of economic complicity in Israel's war on Gaza.
Marking the largest export deal in Israel’s history, the agreement, announced on Thursday by Israeli energy company NewMed, will see a tripling of Egyptian gas imports from the Israeli Leviathan gas fields, accounting for 130 billion cubic meters (bcm) worth of gas that will be piped from the Israeli offshore field to Egypt through to 2040.
Amid the war on Gaza, which several countries, as well as many international rights groups and experts now qualify as an act of genocide, Egypt's decision to import Israeli gas was termed "shameful" online.
Canada parrots UK response to Netanyahu's Gaza takeover plan
21 hours ago
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday told reporters that a full Israeli military occupation of Gaza is "wrong" and that it would put the lives of the remaining Israeli captives in danger.
The remarks echo those of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who released a statement on the issue earlier in the day.
"We join others, many others, in viewing that this is wrong, that this action is not going to contribute to an improvement in the humanitarian situation on the ground. It is going to put the lives of the hostages at greater risk rather than lessening it," Carney said.
"We reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire. We reiterate our call for Hamas to immediately return all of the hostages and their remains. We reiterate that Hamas has no role going forward, and we'll continue to work with our allies to contribute what we can to achieving those outcomes," he added, not naming Palestinians at any point.
"We are working on multiple fronts to try to bring a level of stability to the region, then security, then peace to the region. And in terms of those fronts, yes, working with allies, working with the French, working with the British, working with partners in the Middle East," Carney said.
"What we see is the erosion of the possibility of a two-state solution because of facts on the ground".
'It is the duty of the international community to act' to stop Israel, Palestinian UN ambassador says
21 hours ago
Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour told reporters on Friday that only pressure by the international community can stop Israel's full military takeover of Gaza, and end the war.
"This escalation by the Israeli government is going in total contradiction to the will of the international community, international law and common sense, and I even dare to say against the wish of the majority of the people inside Israel, as we read opinion polls," he said.
"Therefore, it is the duty of the international community to act," he added.
"The president [of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas] is contacting all leaders in all corners of the globe for everyone to act responsibly, to avoid additional catastrophes against our people in the Gaza Strip," Mansour said.
"We are grateful for the positions declared by a number of countries, including the European Union, UK, the position of Germany, which indicated that they will not send weapons that could be used against the Gaza Strip".
France condemns Netanyahu's Gaza takeover plan
23 hours ago
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X on Friday that his country "strongly condemns the Israeli government's plan aimed at preparing for the complete occupation of Gaza".
"Such an operation would worsen an already catastrophic situation without enabling the release of Hamas hostages, its disarmament, or its surrender," he wrote.
Netanyahu defends Gaza takeover decision as Germany halts military aid to Israel
1 day ago
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Israel's goal is not to take over Gaza but to free Gaza from Hamas and enable a peaceful government to be established there, the prime minister's office said on X.
Netanyahu expressed his disappointment with Berlin's decision to suspend weapons exports to Israel during the phone call with Merz on Friday, the office added.
- Reporting by Reuters
Eighty-five Islamic scholars and institutions urge Muslim-majority countries to act on Gaza
1 day ago
Eighty-five Islamic scholars and institutions from across the western world have called on Muslim-majority countries to cut all ties with Israel and use their economic leverage to pressure the US and Israel to end the war on Gaza.
A letter released by the scholars on Thursday pleaded with "the political leaders of the world’s Muslim-majority nations" to "take greater, concrete action to stop the ongoing genocide of our brothers and sisters in Gaza".
"We wake up every morning to see new images of men, women and children in Gaza whose rib cages protrude through their skin because of starvation, whose heads have been hollowed out because of Israeli snipers, or whose bodies have been charred like charcoal because of a bombing," the letter said.
"The common regional response to Israel’s crimes—a foreign ministry issuing a statement of condemnation that calls on unnamed members of the international community to stop the genocide—has not stopped the genocide. Neither have calls for the deadlocked, ineffective and unrepresentative UN Security Council to take action," the scholars wrote.
"Business as usual in international affairs is simply not working".
Citing "unused tools at [Muslim countries'] disposal," the letter urged leaders to:
1. End any economic, diplomatic, intelligence, and military relationships with the Israeli government, including the so-called Abraham Accords;
2. Announce consideration of an embargo on global oil and gas sales;
3. Ban the use of their country’s airspace and the use of any military bases in their country to support the Israeli government in any way;
4. Open their side of Gaza entry points like the Rafah crossing and facilitating the travel of aid trucks, medics, journalists, demonstrators and others;
5. Organize a unified diplomatic mission to a Gaza crossing with senior government officials personally leading an aid convoy and refusing to leave until Israel allows unlimited aid to enter.
Over 500 ready to risk arrest to protest Palestine Action ban on Saturday
1 day ago
Over 500 people are set to participate in a protest against the UK government’s ban on the direct action group Palestine Action, putting to the test a pledge by the Metropolitan Police to arrest anyone showing support for the proscribed organization.
Campaign group Defend Our Juries (DOJ) is organising the protest on Saturday in Parliament Square to demand the reversal of the group’s proscription, saying that the protest would only go ahead if at least 500 people committed to joining.
As of Monday evening, the group said that as many as 1,000 people had signed up, confirming on Tuesday that it would go ahead.
The protest will involve participants holding cardboard signs reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
DOJ has called similar protests over the last month since the government moved to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organization on 4 July, making it a criminal offence to be a member of or show support for the group.
Falling foul of the law proscribing the group is punishable by a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.
The proscription followed an incident in which members broke into RAF Brize Norton and spray-painted two planes they said were “used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East".
Since then, over 200 people have been arrested - including priests, vicars and former magistrates - after they were deemed by police officers to have expressed support for the group.
EU's Costa joins list of figures lambasting Israeli plan to occupy Gaza City
1 day ago
The president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, has condemned the Israeli cabinet's decision to take over Gaza City.
"I strongly urge the Israeli government to reconsider," the Portuguese lawyer and politician said in a statement posted on X.
"Such a decision must have consequences for EU-Israel relations," he added.
Costa's statement matched European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's earlier response to the Israeli decision, which similarly urged Israel to "reconsider".
Echoing standard EU policy, Costa added: "the two-state solution remains the only sustainable, long-term solution for peace and security in Israel and the region."
Opinion: After months of deprivation, sugar reminds me why I'm fighting to be here
1 day ago
After more than five months of a near-total closure of Gaza’s borders, leading to the deaths of dozens of Palestinians from starvation or malnutrition, Israel has finally allowed a small number of merchants to bring limited goods into Gaza.
This week, we awoke to find food items on market shelves that had been absent for five months.
The scenes were surreal. People stood before crates of sugar, pressed dates and feta cheese as if seeing them for the first time in their lives. Some reached out cautiously to touch them and inquire about prices, while others simply stared, uncertain whether this was real or some cruel illusion.
These were not luxuries. They were the most basic of staples, but after months of crushing starvation and relentless deprivation, they might as well have been treasures.
In the first phase of starvation, when vegetables, beans and rice disappeared, many families relied on “tea fattah” - pieces of bread soaked in tea and eaten as the main meal of the day.
after more than five months of a near-total closure of Gaza’s borders, leading to the deaths of dozens of Palestinians from starvation or malnutrition, Israel has finally allowed a small number of merchants to bring limited goods into Gaza.
This week, we awoke to find food items on market shelves that had been absent for five months.
The scenes were surreal. People stood before crates of sugar, pressed dates and feta cheese as if seeing them for the first time in their lives. Some reached out cautiously to touch them and inquire about prices, while others simply stared, uncertain whether this was real or some cruel illusion.
These were not luxuries. They were the most basic of staples, but after months of crushing starvation and relentless deprivation, they might as well have been treasures.
In the first phase of starvation, when vegetables, beans and rice disappeared, many families relied on “tea fattah” - pieces of bread soaked in tea and eaten as the main meal of the day.
This comes as number of
Palestinians starved to death rises to 201
Key Points
· Palestinian factions demand international intervention in Gaza health sector
Arab League to hold urgent talks on Israeli actions in Gaza
20 seconds ago
The Arab League will convene an extraordinary session on Sunday to discuss how to confront Israel’s occupation of Palestine, Wafa news agency has reported.
Palestine’s envoy to the Arab League, Muhannad al Aklouk, said the meeting comes “in light of the Israeli decision to reoccupy the Gaza Strip and fully control it and the resulting forced displacement of the Palestinian people inside and outside the Strip.”
According to Wafa, the talks will focus on Arab and international mechanisms to challenge Israeli abuses, stop them from continuing, and hold those responsible accountable before international courts.
Gaza officials say 23 Palestinians killed in deadly aid airdrops
33 minutes ago
The death toll from aid airdrops in Gaza has climbed to 23, with 124 others wounded the Government Media Office in Gaza said on Saturday.
Officials warned that dropping aid in areas under Israeli control puts anyone approaching it at risk of being directly targeted and killed.
They called for assistance to be delivered safely through land crossings, condemning what is a deliberate policy of “engineering starvation and chaos,” and holding both Israel and the United States fully responsible
Russia slams Israeli plan to expand Gaza military assault
1 hour ago
Russia has denounced Israel’s plans to widen its military assault on the Gaza Strip, warning it could further inflame the crisis.
In a statement on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said such moves “provoke condemnation and rejection” and risk deepening the “already extremely dramatic” conditions in the besieged Palestinian enclave, which it said bear “all the hallmarks of a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Palestinian killed as Israeli forces fire on aid seekers in Gaza
1 hour ago
A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli forces while waiting for humanitarian aid in northern Gaza, medical officials told Al Jazeera Arabic.
Staff at Al-Shifa Hospital confirmed the fatality, saying troops opened fire near the Zikim area, where residents had gathered in hopes of receiving relief supplies.
London police arrest 150 at rally against Palestine Action ban
1 hour ago
At least 150 people have been arrested at a rally against the proscription of Palestine Action on Saturday outside parliament in London, police said.
Hundreds of British demonstrators gathered in support of the direct action group, which was proscribed as a terrorist organization last month.
Many of them held up placards reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" in Parliament Square.
Gaza residents dread Israel's occupation plan
2 hours ago
Residents of Gaza have met Israel's occupation plan with a mix of fear, exhaustion and defiance.
In the war-torn city, the announcement on Friday sparked confusion and dread.
"They have bombed us, starved us and killed us. What else is there more to do?" wondered Mustafa Ja'rour, who was displaced several times earlier in the war.
Many refuse to consider leaving.
"The idea of leaving Gaza is unacceptable to me," said Abed al-Daqour.
"Even if the army enters the heart of the city, I'll move from one area to another, but I will not leave my homeland."
'Like blinding a cyclops': Gaza residents dread Israel's occupation plan
3 hours ago
Residents of Gaza have met Israel's occupation plan with a mix of fear, exhaustion and defiance.
According to Israeli media reports, the occupation will begin with the mass expulsion of around one million Palestinians from Gaza City, followed by a siege and ground invasion.
While Israeli officials are using the term "takeover", local media confirm it amounts to a full military occupation.
In the war-torn city, the announcement on Friday sparked confusion and dread.
"They have bombed us, starved us and killed us. What else is there more to do?" wondered Mustafa Ja'rour, who was displaced several times earlier in the war.
"It's like a saying we have: blinding a cyclops," he said bitterly. "The only thing left is for them to nuke us so that we can be done with it."
Turkey urges Muslim countries to unite against Gaza takeover
4 hours ago
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has urged all Muslim-majority countries to unite to mobilize against Israel's Gaza takeover plan.
Fidan made the statement at a joint news conference in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The Turkish foreign minister added that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had called an emergency meeting.
39 Palestinians killed in Gaza in last 24 hours
5 hours ago
At least 39 Palestinians have been killed and 491 wounded by Israeli attacks in Gaza in the last 24 hours, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
It said 21 of those were killed while seeking aid.
At least five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack near an aid center north of Rafah, Al Jazeera reported.
Five Israeli allies condemn Gaza takeover plan
6 hours ago
In a new joint statement, the foreign ministers of the UK, Germany, Italy, Australia and New Zealand have condemned Israel's decision to take over Gaza City.
They said the plan would "aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation, endanger the lives of the hostages and further risk the mass displacement of civilians".
Significantly, the statement said Israel risked breaking international law: "Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law."
Unrwa says 'expensive and ineffective' airdrops continue over Gaza
7 hours ago
Unrwa, the largest humanitarian provider for approximately six million Palestinian refugees, has said that airdrops of aid from several UN member states have continued over Gaza, "despite warnings from several international bodies that they are very expensive and ineffective".
The UN agency added that it has not been allowed to bring humanitarian aid into Gaza for over five months.
UN Security Council to discuss Israel's Gaza takeover plan
7 hours ago
The UN Security Council will convene on Saturday for an emergency session to discuss Israel's decision to take over Gaza City.
The meeting was reportedly requested by the UK.
Morning update
8 hours ago
Hello Middle East Eye readers.
Here are some of the key developments this morning:
- 14 Palestinians have been killed since dawn in Gaza, including nine people seeking aid, according to Al Jazeera.
- The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned Israel's plan to take over Gaza City. His spokesperson said the move marks a "dangerous escalation and risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians", and will lead to more "forced displacement, killings and massive destruction".
- The Israeli army's chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, was reportedly "furious" with the government's plan to take control of Gaza City, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority.
- The Irish government said it would advance legislation banning trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Evening recap
18 hours ago
Our live blog will shortly be closing until tomorrow morning.
Here are the day's key developments:
- Canada, the UK, Europe, and Arab nations condemned on Friday the Israeli decision to mount a full military occupation of the Gaza Strip.
- Vice President JD Vance has reiterated that the US has "no plans to recognize the Palestinian state" in a joint press conference with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy during an official visit.
- The number of Palestinians who have starved to death as a result of Israel's siege on Gaza has risen to 201, with 98 of them being children.
- A joint statement by all Palestinian political factions has called on the United Nations and the international community to immediately intervene to support the healthcare system in Gaza.
- Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour said that only pressure by the international community can stop Israel's full military takeover of Gaza, and end the war.
- An Israeli strike killed one person in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese health ministry said.
Houthis announce three drones launched toward Israeli sites
18 hours ago
Yemen's Houthis announced they carried out "three qualitative operations" against targets in Israel on Friday.
A drone was launched toward Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, and another two were launched toward "two vital targets" in Ashkelon and Beersheba, the Houthis said in a statement.
It remains unclear whether there was any damage.
Qatar 'strongly condemns' Netanyahu plan for full Gaza takeover
18 hours ago
Qatar on Friday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, saying it is "a dangerous escalation that threatens to exacerbate the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the territory, multiply its catastrophic consequences, and undermine efforts aimed at achieving a permanent ceasefire".
It added that there is an "urgent need for the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and to take immediate action to prevent the Israeli occupation authorities from implementing this decision".
Qatar further urged the international community to ensure Israel "allows the safe, sustained, and unobstructed entry of humanitarian aid".
"The Ministry reiterates the State of Qatar's firm and unwavering position in support of the Palestinian cause and the resilience of the brotherly Palestinian people, in accordance with international legitimacy and the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital," the statement concluded.
Number of starved Palestinians in Gaza rises to 201
18 hours ago
The number of Palestinians who have starved to death as a result of Israel's siege on Gaza has risen to 201, with most being children, Dr. Muneer Alboursh, director general of the Gaza health ministry, told Aljazeera on Friday.
Palestinian factions demand immediate international intervention for Gaza health sector
18 hours ago
A joint statement by all Palestinian political factions on Friday has called on the United Nations and the international community to immediately intervene to support the healthcare system in Gaza.
"The Gaza Strip currently needs no less than 1,000 aid trucks per day as a first emergency phase," they wrote.
"We demand that the United Nations and its Secretary-General assume responsibility and declare that the Gaza Strip has entered a state of famine," the statement read.
"We demand that international institutions intervene to address the collapse of the health sector and provide medical supplies".
The scandal-plagued, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, they added, "is a death trap, killing and wounding thousands of civilians".
"We call on the peoples of the world to demonstrate in front of the Israeli and American embassies to pressure for an end to the aggression and famine," the statement said.
UEFA pays tribute to Palestinian footballer killed in Gaza
19 hours ago
The union for European football, UEFA, paid a brief tribute on Friday to Palestinian footballer from Gaza, Suleiman al-Obeid.
Obeid was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza while attempting to collect food aid for his family earlier this week.
Uefa did not name his killers or say how he was killed.
"Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pelé'. A talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times," Uefa wrote on X.
Two thirds of Canadians call humanitarian situation in Gaza ‘moral outrage’: Poll
20 hours ago
Data released Thursday by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds three-in-five Canadians say their country should recognize a Palestinian state (61 percent), with the same number agreeing that Hamas must be removed from Gaza for this to be a realistic path forward (63 percent).
Amid widespread reports of starvation, two-thirds (64 percent) say that this is a "moral outrage", rather than merely overblown (18 percent) or something they’re unsure about (18 percent).
Three-in-five Canadians (61 percent) agree that it's Israel that is obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Right after the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, Israel (28 percent) and “both sides equally” (31 percent) garnered the most responses in terms of who Canadians sympathize with the most.
At the time, only 18 percent chose Palestinians as a response.
Now, that figure has doubled with 37 percent choosing Palestinians, 27 percent saying both sides, and one-in-five saying Israel (19 percent).
Egypt's gas deal critiqued online as 'economic complicity' in Israel's war on Gaza
20 hours ago
People online have taken to social media to express outrage over a record $35bn gas deal between Egypt and Israel, accusing Israel of economic complicity in Israel's war on Gaza.
Marking the largest export deal in Israel’s history, the agreement, announced on Thursday by Israeli energy company NewMed, will see a tripling of Egyptian gas imports from the Israeli Leviathan gas fields, accounting for 130 billion cubic meters (bcm) worth of gas that will be piped from the Israeli offshore field to Egypt through to 2040.
Amid the war on Gaza, which several countries, as well as many international rights groups and experts now qualify as an act of genocide, Egypt's decision to import Israeli gas was termed "shameful" online.
Canada parrots UK response to Netanyahu's Gaza takeover plan
21 hours ago
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday told reporters that a full Israeli military occupation of Gaza is "wrong" and that it would put the lives of the remaining Israeli captives in danger.
The remarks echo those of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who released a statement on the issue earlier in the day.
"We join others, many others, in viewing that this is wrong, that this action is not going to contribute to an improvement in the humanitarian situation on the ground. It is going to put the lives of the hostages at greater risk rather than lessening it," Carney said.
"We reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire. We reiterate our call for Hamas to immediately return all of the hostages and their remains. We reiterate that Hamas has no role going forward, and we'll continue to work with our allies to contribute what we can to achieving those outcomes," he added, not naming Palestinians at any point.
"We are working on multiple fronts to try to bring a level of stability to the region, then security, then peace to the region. And in terms of those fronts, yes, working with allies, working with the French, working with the British, working with partners in the Middle East," Carney said.
"What we see is the erosion of the possibility of a two-state solution because of facts on the ground".
'It is the duty of the international community to act' to stop Israel, Palestinian UN ambassador says
21 hours ago
Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour told reporters on Friday that only pressure by the international community can stop Israel's full military takeover of Gaza, and end the war.
"This escalation by the Israeli government is going in total contradiction to the will of the international community, international law and common sense, and I even dare to say against the wish of the majority of the people inside Israel, as we read opinion polls," he said.
"Therefore, it is the duty of the international community to act," he added.
"The president [of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas] is contacting all leaders in all corners of the globe for everyone to act responsibly, to avoid additional catastrophes against our people in the Gaza Strip," Mansour said.
"We are grateful for the positions declared by a number of countries, including the European Union, UK, the position of Germany, which indicated that they will not send weapons that could be used against the Gaza Strip".
France condemns Netanyahu's Gaza takeover plan
23 hours ago
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X on Friday that his country "strongly condemns the Israeli government's plan aimed at preparing for the complete occupation of Gaza".
"Such an operation would worsen an already catastrophic situation without enabling the release of Hamas hostages, its disarmament, or its surrender," he wrote.
Netanyahu defends Gaza takeover decision as Germany halts military aid to Israel
1 day ago
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Israel's goal is not to take over Gaza but to free Gaza from Hamas and enable a peaceful government to be established there, the prime minister's office said on X.
Netanyahu expressed his disappointment with Berlin's decision to suspend weapons exports to Israel during the phone call with Merz on Friday, the office added.
- Reporting by Reuters
Eighty-five Islamic scholars and institutions urge Muslim-majority countries to act on Gaza
1 day ago
Eighty-five Islamic scholars and institutions from across the western world have called on Muslim-majority countries to cut all ties with Israel and use their economic leverage to pressure the US and Israel to end the war on Gaza.
A letter released by the scholars on Thursday pleaded with "the political leaders of the world’s Muslim-majority nations" to "take greater, concrete action to stop the ongoing genocide of our brothers and sisters in Gaza".
"We wake up every morning to see new images of men, women and children in Gaza whose rib cages protrude through their skin because of starvation, whose heads have been hollowed out because of Israeli snipers, or whose bodies have been charred like charcoal because of a bombing," the letter said.
"The common regional response to Israel’s crimes—a foreign ministry issuing a statement of condemnation that calls on unnamed members of the international community to stop the genocide—has not stopped the genocide. Neither have calls for the deadlocked, ineffective and unrepresentative UN Security Council to take action," the scholars wrote.
"Business as usual in international affairs is simply not working".
Citing "unused tools at [Muslim countries'] disposal," the letter urged leaders to:
1. End any economic, diplomatic, intelligence, and military relationships with the Israeli government, including the so-called Abraham Accords;
2. Announce consideration of an embargo on global oil and gas sales;
3. Ban the use of their country’s airspace and the use of any military bases in their country to support the Israeli government in any way;
4. Open their side of Gaza entry points like the Rafah crossing and facilitating the travel of aid trucks, medics, journalists, demonstrators and others;
5. Organize a unified diplomatic mission to a Gaza crossing with senior government officials personally leading an aid convoy and refusing to leave until Israel allows unlimited aid to enter.
Over 500 ready to risk arrest to protest Palestine Action ban on Saturday
1 day ago
Over 500 people are set to participate in a protest against the UK government’s ban on the direct action group Palestine Action, putting to the test a pledge by the Metropolitan Police to arrest anyone showing support for the proscribed organization.
Campaign group Defend Our Juries (DOJ) is organising the protest on Saturday in Parliament Square to demand the reversal of the group’s proscription, saying that the protest would only go ahead if at least 500 people committed to joining.
As of Monday evening, the group said that as many as 1,000 people had signed up, confirming on Tuesday that it would go ahead.
The protest will involve participants holding cardboard signs reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
DOJ has called similar protests over the last month since the government moved to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organization on 4 July, making it a criminal offence to be a member of or show support for the group.
Falling foul of the law proscribing the group is punishable by a sentence of up to 14 years in prison.
The proscription followed an incident in which members broke into RAF Brize Norton and spray-painted two planes they said were “used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East".
Since then, over 200 people have been arrested - including priests, vicars and former magistrates - after they were deemed by police officers to have expressed support for the group.
EU's Costa joins list of figures lambasting Israeli plan to occupy Gaza City
1 day ago
The president of the European Council, Antonio Costa, has condemned the Israeli cabinet's decision to take over Gaza City.
"I strongly urge the Israeli government to reconsider," the Portuguese lawyer and politician said in a statement posted on X.
"Such a decision must have consequences for EU-Israel relations," he added.
Costa's statement matched European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's earlier response to the Israeli decision, which similarly urged Israel to "reconsider".
Echoing standard EU policy, Costa added: "the two-state solution remains the only sustainable, long-term solution for peace and security in Israel and the region."
Opinion: After months of deprivation, sugar reminds me why I'm fighting to be here
1 day ago
After more than five months of a near-total closure of Gaza’s borders, leading to the deaths of dozens of Palestinians from starvation or malnutrition, Israel has finally allowed a small number of merchants to bring limited goods into Gaza.
This week, we awoke to find food items on market shelves that had been absent for five months.
The scenes were surreal. People stood before crates of sugar, pressed dates and feta cheese as if seeing them for the first time in their lives. Some reached out cautiously to touch them and inquire about prices, while others simply stared, uncertain whether this was real or some cruel illusion.
These were not luxuries. They were the most basic of staples, but after months of crushing starvation and relentless deprivation, they might as well have been treasures.
In the first phase of starvation, when vegetables, beans and rice disappeared, many families relied on “tea fattah” - pieces of bread soaked in tea and eaten as the main meal of the day.
after more than five months of a near-total closure of Gaza’s borders, leading to the deaths of dozens of Palestinians from starvation or malnutrition, Israel has finally allowed a small number of merchants to bring limited goods into Gaza.
This week, we awoke to find food items on market shelves that had been absent for five months.
The scenes were surreal. People stood before crates of sugar, pressed dates and feta cheese as if seeing them for the first time in their lives. Some reached out cautiously to touch them and inquire about prices, while others simply stared, uncertain whether this was real or some cruel illusion.
These were not luxuries. They were the most basic of staples, but after months of crushing starvation and relentless deprivation, they might as well have been treasures.
In the first phase of starvation, when vegetables, beans and rice disappeared, many families relied on “tea fattah” - pieces of bread soaked in tea and eaten as the main meal of the day.
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