4 h. ago Belgium to recognise Palestinian state at UN and sanction Israel – Middle East crisis live

Foreign minister says move is not aimed at Israeli people but ‘ensuring their government respects international and humanitarian law’The Guardian’s political correspondent Eleni Courea has done an explainer in July with a section looking at what recognising Palestine would look in practice. Here is an extract:Recognition is a symbolic step but one that would infuriate the Israeli government, which argues that it would encourage Hamas and reward terrorism.It is in effect a formal, political acknowledgment of Palestinian self-determination – without the need to engage in thorny practicalities such as the location of its borders or capital city.In light of the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, and in response to the violence perpetrated by Israel in violation of international law, given its international obligations, including the duty to prevent any risk of genocide, Belgium had to take strong decisions to increase pressure on the Israeli government an...

Politics

2 d. ago Russian mass drone and missile attack on southern Ukraine kills 1 and wounds dozens

Russia has launched a mass attack on southern Ukraine, according to local officials

Events

3 d. ago UN human rights staff urge leadership to declare Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide

Internal letter also calls on UN member states to suspend arms sales, saying ‘criticising Israel is not enough’Middle East crisis – live updatesHundreds of employees of the United Nations’ leading human rights agency have backed an internal letter telling its leadership to declare Israel’s offensive in Gaza a genocide and to call on UN member states to suspend arms sales to Israel.The 1,100-word letter, signed by about a quarter of the 2,000 staff of the Geneva- and New York-based Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), says the Israeli offensive in Gaza meets the legal threshold of genocide and that this means “arms sales, transfers and related logistical or financial support to Israeli authorities” constitutes a clear breach of international law by all those involved. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago UN to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission next year after Israeli and US pressure

Unifil mandate extended but troops patrolling Lebanon-Israel border to be withdrawn in December 2026Middle East crisis – live updatesThe UN security council has voted to extend the body’s peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for a further 16 months, but ordered it finished at the end of 2026 under Israeli and US pressure.UNSC members voted unanimously on Thursday to extend the mandate for the UN interim force in Lebanon (Unifil) ahead of its expiration on Sunday, prompting relief from Lebanese officials who rely on it. The approved resolution said Unifil would begin an “orderly and safe withdrawal” of its 10,800 peacekeepers from Lebanon in December 2026. Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago GB News descends into chaos as guests clash in fiery migrant row

GB News was sent into chaos as a heated argument over the migrant crisis broke out live on air

Events

4 d. ago Gaza starvation is real and it is happening now, UN World Food Programme says – Middle East crisis live

Cindy McCain said she had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu about allowing more food into the stripPatrick Wintour is diplomatic editor for the GuardianThe UK, France and Germany have formally notified the UN that they have triggered the restoration of sweeping UN sanctions against Iran, giving Tehran 30 days to make concessions on access to its nuclear sites or face deeper worldwide economic isolation. Continue reading...

Society

5 d. ago Russia launches ‘massive’ attack on Kyiv, killing at least eight and wounding dozens

Zelenskyy says Moscow ‘chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table’ after assault affecting more than 20 locations across Ukraine’s capitalRussian strikes killed at least eight people in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and wounded dozens, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday morning.“These Russian missiles and attack drones today are a clear response to everyone in the world who, for weeks and months, has been calling for a ceasefire and for real diplomacy,” he said in a post on X. “Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table.” Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago A third of wounded outpatients at MSF hospitals in Gaza are children, figures show

Explosive weapons designed to be used in battle are being used in urban areas, says Médecins Sans FrontièresMiddle East crisis – live updatesChildren under 15 years old made up almost a third of outpatients treated for wounds in field hospitals run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Gaza last year, statistics published in The Lancet reveal.The figures were released by MSF in correspondence with the respected medical journal and come from six health facilities in Gaza supported by the international medical NGO. The facilities are predominantly in the south and centre of the devastated territory. Continue reading...

Science

5 d. ago A third of outpatients treated for wounds at MSF’s Gaza hospitals in 2024 were children, figures show

Explosive weapons designed to be used in battle are being used in urban areas, says Médecins Sans FrontièresMiddle East crisis – live updatesChildren under 15 years old made up almost a third of outpatients treated for wounds in field hospitals run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Gaza last year, statistics published in The Lancet reveal.The figures were released by MSF in correspondence with the respected medical journal and come from six health facilities in Gaza supported by the international medical NGO. The facilities are predominantly in the south and centre of the devastated territory. Continue reading...

Science

6 d. ago Donald Trump to chair meeting on Gaza as US says it expects ‘to settle this before the end of this year’ – Middle East crisis live

US special envoy Steve Witkoff says ‘we think we’re going to settle this one way or another’ as Marco Rubio also prepares to meet Gideon Saar Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago ‘There needs to be justice,’ UN tells Israel after Gaza hospital bombing

Human rights office demands that Israeli investigation into ‘double tap’ attack that killed 20 people yields resultsMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe UN has demanded that Israel’s investigations into unlawful killings in Gaza, including its “double tap” bombing of Nasser hospital which killed 20 people, among them five journalists, yield results and ensure accountability.“There needs to be justice,” Thameen Al-Kheetan, the spokesperson for the UN’s human rights office, told reporters on Tuesday in Geneva. He added that the number of journalists killed in Gaza raised many questions about the targeting of media workers. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago UN warns Israel that its probe into IDF attack on Gaza hospital must yield actual results – Middle East crisis live

UN official says investigations have been announced before but ‘we haven’t seen results or accountability measures yet’The UN says that Israel must not only investigate alleged unlawful killings in Gaza like the hospital strike that killed 20 people, including journalists, the previous day, but also ensure those probes yield results.“There needs to be justice,” United Nations rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan told AFP in Geneva, adding that the large number of media workers killed in the Gaza war “raises many, many questions about the targeting of journalists”.The Israeli authorities have, in the past, announced investigations in such killings.It’s of course the responsibility of Israel, as the occupying power, to investigate - but these investigations need to yield results. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Israel to call up 50,000 reservists before planned offensive on Gaza City, says Israeli military official – Middle East crisis live

Call-up notices sent as Israeli plans to increase its offensive; Israel studies Hamas’ response to proposal for 60-day ceasefireGood afternoon, Israel will call up 50,000 reservists before a planned offensive to take Gaza City but most forces that would operate in the Gaza Strip’s largest urban centre would be active duty soldiers, an Israeli military official said on Wednesday. The call-up notices could be sent in the coming days, with reservists to report for duty in September, the military official said.“Most of the troops that will be mobilised in this new stage will be active duty and not reservists,” said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday that he treats leaders of other countries with respect after his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu attacked him over his decision to recognise a Palestinian state. “I don’t take these things personally, I engage with people diplomatically. He has had similar t...

Events

1 week ago Israel to respond by Friday over Gaza truce plan accepted by Hamas

Israel under pressure to accept ceasefire proposal that is said to be almost identical to earlier US-backed planMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael has said it will deliver its response to international mediators by Friday over a new Gaza ceasefire plan accepted by Hamas amid mounting pressure for a truce in a war that has claimed more than 62,000 Palestinian lives.After mass protests in Israel demanding a deal to secure the release of the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza, it appeared that Hamas had reduced its demands for a prisoners-for-hostages exchange as well as over the scope of an Israeli-demanded “security buffer zone”. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump claims to be setting up meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin after talks with European leaders end – live

US president says he began arrangements for bilateral meeting after calling Vladimir Putin following talks with European leaders at White HouseTrump tells Zelenskyy ceasefire not needed for Russia-Ukraine peace dealSketch: All smoke and no fire as Zelenskky emerges unbruised after Trump meetA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump talks with European leaders end, White House says, amid push for ceasefire and trilateral meeting – live

Earlier reports said US president interrupted meeting to speak to Putin as European leaders call for truce and US-Russia-Ukraine talksTrump tells Zelenskyy ceasefire not needed for Russia-Ukraine peace dealSketch: All smoke and no fire as Zelenskky emerges unbruised after Trump meetA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump interrupts talks with European leaders to call Putin amid push for ceasefire and trilateral meeting – live

US president speaks to Russian leaders in middle of talks instead of afterwards, media reports say, as European leaders call for truce and US-Russia-Ukraine talks Trump tells Zelenskyy ceasefire not needed for Russia-Ukraine peace dealSketch: All smoke and no fire as Zelenskky emerges unbruised after Trump meetA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump says Russia will accept security guarantees for Ukraine, but talks of ‘possible exchanges of territory’ – live

US president holds meeting with Zelenskyy and European leaders after touting ‘very substantial progress’ in Putin talks A Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Zelenskyy and Trump speak in the Oval Office ahead of talks with European leaders about Ukraine war – live

Ukrainian president returns to White House; European leaders in Washington to join Volodymyr Zelenskyy in talks with US president on Ukraine warA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘I’ll get it done’, Trump insists, as European leaders arrive at White House for Ukraine talks alongside Zelenskyy – live

Ukrainian president says ‘the war must be ended’ before meeting Donald Trump in Washington DCA Russian drone attack on a five-storey apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv early Monday killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others, Ukrainian authorities said.The attack, which took place just before dawn, reduced part of the building to rubble and sparked fires on at least three floors, the region’s governor Oleg Synegubov said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Politics