Israel / Palestine

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that attacks by militant group Hamas on Israel did not justify the "collective punishment" of Palestinians, and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Protests erupted Wednesday throughout the Middle East against Israel and its key ally, the United States, after an explosion killed hundreds of Palestinians at a Gaza hospital in the single deadliest incident of the Israel-Hamas war.

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza. The failure by the Council to make its first public intervention on the Israel-Gaza crisis followed the rejection of a Russian-backed draft on Monday evening.

[…] The soldiers will include several units with varying expertise, such as explosives handling and medical support.

[…] The statement said the unity government will not promote any unrelated policy or laws except those related to the ongoing fighting with Hamas in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday voiced grave concern over the escalating conflict in Israel and Gaza and stressed the need to prevent the violence from spreading into the wider region. The UN chief raised alarm over clashes along the Blue Line, the demarcation between Israel and Lebanon, as well as reported attacks from southern Lebanon.

The European Union has expanded its warnings that tech companies must remove illegal content from their platforms, or risk facing severe legal penalties. … In his letters to Musk and Zuckerberg, [EU industry chief Thierry] Breton said their companies had 24 hours to inform the EU how they were stopping harmful content on their platforms.

Israel's siege of Gaza is illegal the EU's top diplomat has said, while insisting that European aid to Palestine will keep flowing.

The move comes amid stepped-up international efforts by Egypt and the UN to defuse tensions and prevent a new round of armed conflict in the enclave.

Almost 50 foreign ministers from Europe and the Middle East met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly this week to unveil a new initiative. The initiative aims to revive the long-dormant peace process between Israel and Palestine. The EU is co-leading alongside Saudi Arabia, the Arab League, Jordan and Egypt.