Israel-Gaza

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The situation will have changed again by the time you read this, but:

As US President Donald Trump claims a ceasefire has been achieved between Iran and Israel on Monday, Tehran has denied the claim. Iran has stated it did not receive any ceasefire proposal from the US which calls for a truce.

In the last few minutes (3:40 am GMT) air raid sirens and people heading to air raid shelters in Tel Aviv, Haifa & Jerusalem.

Oh! and Trump has claimed responsibility for my successful big beautiful bowel movement this morning.

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The history of Iran's nuclear program.

Bowling anyone?

 

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Dozens of Palestinians reportedly killed while seeking aid as more perish in Israeli air strikes

Palestinians go to collect aid from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Khan Younis. (Reuters: Hatem Khaled)

In short: 

At least 31 Palestinians have been fatally shot while on their way to an aid distribution site, while 28 others were killed in an Israeli air strike, according to officials and witnesses. 

The Red Cross said its field hospital saw its largest influx of dead in more than a year of operation after the shootings at the site near Rafah. 

What's next? 

There were no signs of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks following two days of meetings between Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

At least 31 Palestinians have been fatally shot on their way to an aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip, while Israeli air strikes have killed at least 28 Palestinians, including four children, on the same day, according to Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses.

There were no signs of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks following two days of meetings between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Photo shows GHF image Rafah

The United Nations says most of those killed had been close to aid sites managed by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Mr Trump had said he was nearing an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would potentially wind down the war.

Those shot dead were on their way to a distribution site run by the Israeli-backed American organisation Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near Rafah in southern Gaza, hospital officials and witnesses said.

The Red Cross said its field hospital saw its largest influx of dead in more than a year of operation after the shootings, and that the overwhelming majority of the more than 100 people hurt had gunshot wounds.

Air strikes in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah killed 13, including the four children, officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said.

Fifteen others were killed in Khan Younis in the south, according to Nasser Hospital.

Israel's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Intense air strikes continued on Saturday evening in the area of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.

Palestinian woman Somaya Al-Shaer, pictured with her daughter, mourns her son, who medics say was killed by Israeli fire while seeking aid near a distribution point.  (Reuters: Ramadan Abed)

Israelis rallied yet again for a ceasefire deal.

"Arrogance is what brought the disaster upon us," former hostage Eli Sharabi said of Israeli leaders.

Palestinian-American beaten to death in the West Bank

Friends and relatives paid their respects a day after 20-year-old Palestinian-American Sayfollah Musalat and local friend Mohammed al-Shalabi were killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Mr Musalat was severely beaten to death by Israeli settlers on his family's land on Friday evening.

His cousin, Diana Halum, told reporters the settlers blocked paramedics from reaching him.

Mr Musalat's family, from Tampa in Florida, said in a statement that medics tried to reach him for three hours before his brother managed to carry him to an ambulance, but that he died before reaching hospital.

"This is an unimaginable nightmare and injustice that no family should ever have to face,"

the family statement said.

"We demand the US State Department lead an immediate investigation and hold the Israeli settlers who killed Saif accountable for their crimes."

The US Department of State said it was aware of the reports of his death but had no comment out of respect for the family.

A witness, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid Israeli retaliation, said the settlers descended on Palestinian lands and "started shooting at us, beating by sticks and throwing rocks".

Israel's military said Palestinians hurled rocks at Israelis in the area earlier on Friday, lightly wounding two people and setting off a larger confrontation.

Teen's first attempt to pick up food ends in death

The 21-month war has left much of Gaza's population of more than 2 million reliant on outside aid, with food security experts warning of famine.

Israel blocked and then restricted aid entry after ending the latest ceasefire in March.

"All responsive individuals reported they were attempting to access food distribution sites," the Red Cross said after the shootings near Rafah, noting the "alarming frequency and scale" of such mass casualty incidents.

Israel's military said it fired warning shots toward people it said were behaving suspiciously to prevent them from approaching.

It said it was not aware of any casualties.

The GHF said no incident occurred near its sites.

Palestinians collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution centre of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah. (Reuters: Stringer)

Sumaya al-Sha'er's 17-year-old son, Nasir, was killed, hospital officials said.

"He said to me, 'Mom, you don't have flour and today I'll go and bring you flour, even if I die, I'll go and get it,'" she said.

"But he never came back home."

Until then, she said, she had prevented the teenager from going to GHF sites because she thought it was too dangerous.

Photo shows Francesca Albanese holds one finger up while addressing the National Press Club

The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on one of the UN's top advocates for Palestinian rights, Francesca Albanese, accusing her of "spewing unabashed antisemitism".

Mohammed Jamal al-Sahloo, another witness, said Israel's military had ordered them to proceed to the site when the shooting started.

Witnesses, health officials and UN officials say hundreds have been killed by Israeli fire while heading toward GHF distribution points through military zones off limits to independent media.

The GHF denied there had been violence in or around its sites. But two of its contractors told The Associated Press that their colleagues had fired live ammunition and stun grenades as Palestinians scrambled for food, allegations the foundation denied.

The first fuel — 150,000 litres — entered Gaza this week after 130 days, a joint statement by UN aid bodies said, calling it a small amount for "the backbone of survival in Gaza".

Fuel runs hospitals, water systems, transport and more, the statement said.

AP/Reuters

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Which countries recognise the state of Palestine. What would statehood look like?

Currently, 75 per cent of United Nations member countries recognise Palestinian statehood.

As of 2025, there are about 147 countries that officially recognise the state of Palestine.

France is set to recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, bringing the total to 148 countries.

Photo shows A headshot of Emmanuel Macron with a neutral expression in front of a French and European Union flag.

French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement, posted on X, includes a letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the decision. 

Currently, there is no Palestinian state.

Instead, there are the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which include Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Only the Jewish state — Israel — exists.

Some Palestinians live in Israel as citizens. Others live as refugees in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.

Which countries recognise Palestinian statehood?

As of March 2025, the state of Palestine has been recognised as a sovereign nation by 147 of 193 member states of the United Nations, about 75 per cent.

In 2024, a group of UN experts called on all United Nations member states to recognise the State of Palestine, in order to bring about an immediate ceasefire in Gaza amid the Israel-Gaza war.

Since then, nine countries — Armenia, Slovenia, Ireland, Norway, Spain, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados — formally recognised the State of Palestine.

Most of the Middle East, Africa and Asia recognise Palestinian statehood.

On Thursday, France's President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognise a Palestinian state in hopes it would bring peace to the region.

In response to Mr Macron's move, Mr Netanyahu said that such a move "rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy".

"A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it," Mr Netanyahu said in a post on X.

In other parts of Europe, Slovenia, Malta and Belgium are yet to recognise Palestinian statehood.

Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea also do not.

What would Palestinian statehood look like?

The State of Palestine was formally declared by the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) on November 15, 1988.

It claims sovereignty over the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

According to senior lecturer in law at the University of South Australia, Juliette McIntyre, a state has certain defining features under international law.

These features include a permanent population, a determinate territory, an "effective" government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.

"In some ways, the most important thing is recognition by other states — this enables entering into diplomatic relations, and membership of international organisations," Dr McIntyre said.

She added that the governance of a Palestinian state could look like "free and fair elections for all Palestinians exercising their right of self-determination".

"It is up to the Palestinian people to elect their representatives and decide on their form of governance,"

she said.

Recognising a Palestinian state could mean the beginning of a "two-state solution" where both a Jewish state and an Arab state would exist at the same time.

"A two-state solution requires two states. Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory has been found to be unlawful.

"Recognition of Palestine is not hostile to Israel, Israel is an established state and recognition of Palestine does nothing to impact on this,"

Is there a way out of this conflict? Ben Knight looks at the possible solutions to the crisis.

The two-state solution is still widely regarded by world leaders as the only way to end the conflict, but is not as popular in Israel and parts of the occupied Palestinian territories.

"The territorial integrity of both states should be respected, and new borders could only come about by treaty agreement between both states," Dr McIntyre said.

What are the one-state and two-state solutions?

Photo shows Benjamin Netanyahu stands in front of two Israeli flags.

For decades world leaders have agreed the only way to bring about peace between Israelis and Palestinians is through a two-state solution. So why hasn't it happened?

On Wednesday, Israel's parliament, the Knesset, voted 71-13 in favour of annexation of the West Bank, raising questions about the future of a Palestinian state.

The non-binding vote was backed by members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, as well as some opposition members of parliament.

In a recent post on X, Mr Netanyahu said: "Let's be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel."

Both Mr Netanyahu and other members of Israel's parliament have shown their lack of support for a two-state solution.

This year, the UN, which largely supports a two-state solution, will hold an international conference on the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-state solution in New York from July 28 to 29.

The United States has opted out of attendance.

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"The United States has opted out of attendance."

vis the above, a complicating side show, but a big sideshow is:

The Tangerine Mussolini shouting to the rooftops that Hamas will be hunted down.    LINK

Netanyahu the Grinning Chimp, will suck Trump dry, in terms of military support.

 

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Disappointingly Oz has as well. It appears our protective approach to the biggest C#nts on the planet is waning though. Anyone with an ounce of moral conscience it beginning to see how inhumane the actions of the IDF are and need to be stopped.

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Listening to Das Radio this morning...

Netanyahu "There is no starvation in Gaza..."

Trump "They look very hungry..."

Putin "Yawn..." 

Trump then went on to explain that there were queues of people and that they were 30, 40 yards from.. (he didn't say)

...further, he said it was all very simple and indicated that "we" (USA) would go in and fix it... also not saying what "it" was or how "it" would be repaired...

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I'm still waiting for him to claim victory in Thaibodia, or is it Camland?

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12 hours ago, Coss said:

Netanyahu "There is no starvation in Gaza..."

He's an absolute C#NT

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (aka Lying C#nt) says Israel seeks military control of Gaza, but won't 'keep it'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel intends to take over all of Gaza. (Reuters: Ronen Zvulun)

In short:

Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel intends to take full control of Gaza and hand it over to Arab forces to govern.

The comments were made right before a meeting of senior ministers to debate Israel's next steps in the Palestinian territory.

Such a step is opposed by some within Israel's military and the families of hostages in Gaza, but is being backed by far-right members of Mr Netanyahu's coalition government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel intends to take military control of Gaza and hand it over to Arab forces to govern.

Mr Netanyahu made the comments during an interview with the US's Fox News, moments before he was set to meet members of his security cabinet on Thursday evening, local time, to discuss plans for a military takeover of the entire enclave.

When asked if Israel wanted to take control of all of the 42-kilometre strip, he said: "We intend to." 

In the interview, he added that Israel had no intention of governing Gaza, and instead wanted a "security perimeter".

Israel's campaign in Gaza has destroyed much of the territory's built up areas. (Reuters: Dawoud Abu Alkas)

"We don't want to keep it," he said. "We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to govern it. We don't want to be there as a governing body." 

"We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life. That's not possible with Hamas," he added.

The security cabinet session follows a meeting earlier this week with the head of the military, which Israeli officials have described as tense, saying the military chief had pushed back on expanding the campaign.

In a statement, Hamas labelled Mr Netanyahu's comments "a blatant coup" against the negotiation process towards a ceasefire.

"Netanyahu's plans to expand the aggression confirm beyond any doubt that he seeks to get rid of his captives and sacrifice them," the statement said.

Israel already controls approximately three-quarters of Gaza's territory. (AP: Ohad Zwigenberg)

UN says possible expansion 'deeply alarming'

Mr Netanyahu's government has faced international condemnation and growing domestic pressure to find an off-ramp to the 22-month conflict in Gaza.

Within Israel, Mr Netanyahu's desire for a full military occupation of Gaza has faced criticism from both senior figures in the military, as well as from the families of hostages kidnapped by Hamas.

It has been reported the prime minister is also seeking approval from the security cabinet for military operations in densely populated areas where hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023 are believed to be held.

Israel at present controls 75 per cent of Gaza. The United Nations has called reports about a possible expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza "deeply alarming" if true.

Full control would also leave Israel obliged by international law to provide security and ensure the basic needs of the population are met.

Israel's internal split over plans

The ranks of the Israel Defense Forces have been struggling with burn out and fatigue as the conflict in Gaza approaches the two-year mark.

Family members of some of the Israeli hostages have set sail from Israel towards Gaza's maritime border, broadcasting their accusations via loudspeakers that Mr Netanyahu is seeking to prolong the war to satisfy far-right members of his governing coalition.

Meanwhile, the Hostages Families Forum, which represents captives held in Gaza, urged military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to oppose widening the war and the government to accept a deal that would bring the war to an end and free the remaining hostages.

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas are calling for the Netanyahu government to end the war. (AP: Leo Correa)

But far-right members of Mr Netanyahu's coalition government appear to be pushing for the full take-over.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told reporters Wednesday that he hoped the government would approve the military taking control over the rest of Gaza at Thursday's meeting.

The war between Israel and Hamas was sparked by Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people were killed and saw another 251 hostages taken to Gaza.

More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's assault on Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry, which said 98 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire across the enclave in the past 24 hours.

Israel rejects those figures from the Gaza health ministry but does not publish its own, and does not allow foreign news organisations including the ABC access to Gaza to report freely.

ABC/wires