Israel / Palestine

Israel's new incoming eight-party coalition government could be sworn in within the next week, bringing an end to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's 12-year reign.

The UN Human Rights Council (OHCHR) is discussing launching an investigation into the fighting between Israel and the militant group Hamas earlier this month.

The top U.N. human rights body on Thursday passed a resolution aimed to intensify scrutiny of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, after the U.N. rights chief said Israeli forces may have committed war crimes and faulted the militant group Hamas for violations of international law in their 11-day war this month.

The UN Security Council on Saturday made it’s first statement on the conflict that erupted between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, calling for a “full adherence to the ceasefire” that brought 11 days of fighting to an end early on Friday morning.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that there must be an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, as deaths and destruction mount.   

A ceasefire in the bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be "imminent, possibly within 24 hours," Hamas officials told CNN Wednesday, as world leaders dialed up pressure on both sides to end the fighting. Israel, however, has not commented on the possibility of a ceasefire deal.

US President Joe Biden has voiced his support for a ceasefire after eight days of violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza. Mr Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US was working with Egypt and other countries on halting hostilities. But the US again blocked a UN Security Council statement calling for a cessation of violence.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, said that he understood the “disappointment of the many Palestinians” who had gone nearly 16 years without being able to cast their vote.  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the postponement of the planned parliamentary elections, amidst a dispute over voting rights in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, according to news reports.

Palestine is holding its first general legislative election in 15 years on 22 May. Its president has requested an EU mission to observe the elections but Israel has yet to respond - meaning the mission may not happen.

Israel will tell the International Criminal Court it does not recognise the authority of the tribunal, which is planning to investigate possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.