Israel / Palestine

Heavy fighting rocked Gaza on Tuesday (4 June) after G7 and Arab powers urged both Israel and Hamas to agree to a truce and hostage release deal outlined by US President Joe Biden.

A staggering one million people have now fled Rafah in southern Gaza, the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday, amid fresh reports of overnight attacks in southern, central and northern locations by Israeli forces.

Efforts by Israel’s intelligence agencies to undermine and influence the international criminal court (ICC) could amount to “offences against the administration of justice” and should be investigated by its chief prosecutor, legal experts have said. 

"We may have another seven months of fighting to consolidate our success and achieve what we have defined as the destruction of Hamas' power and military capabilities," national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told Israeli public radio.

The EU is ready to reactivate its border mission around the besieged southern Gaza city of Rafah. The EU’s foreign ministers on Monday (27 May) agreed on this as part of stepping up their diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in the region. The European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) Rafah could be used to monitor the humanitarian aid crossing point from Egypt.

The International Court of Justice will rule on Friday May 24 on South Africa's request to order a halt to Israel's Rafah offensive in Gaza, it said on Thursday. 

Ireland, Norway and Spain each announced their intention Wednesday to recognize Palestinian statehood, citing the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and a need to achieve a two-state solution for lasting peace in the region.

Hostilities across Gaza reportedly continued on Wednesday, fuelling already alarming aid access problems and dire food insecurity as the main entrance routes for relief convoys remained closed or too dangerous to access, UN aid workers warned.

Arrest warrants are being sought for the leaders of Hamas and Israel for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the war in Gaza, the International Criminal Court (ICC) said on Monday.

The situation in Gaza is so devastating that no words can adequately describe it, a humanitarian officer working in the besieged enclave has said. … She spoke to UN News from Rafah … .