Airdrops of assist to Gaza ‘inefficient’ and a ‘distraction’, UN says
The top of the UN company for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has strongly criticised the usage of airdrops to ship humanitarian assist to Gaza, calling them “inefficient” and a “distraction” from addressing the basis causes of the disaster.
“Airdrops won’t reverse the deepening hunger,” mentioned UNRWA Commissioner-Common Philippe Lazzarini. “They’re costly, inefficient and may even kill ravenous civilians. It’s a distraction and screensmoke”.
A artifical starvation can solely be addressed by political will. Raise the siege, open the gates and assure protected actions and dignified entry to individuals in want.
Driving assist via is way simpler, more practical, quicker, cheaper and safer. It’s extra dignified for the individuals of Gaza.
His feedback come because the UK steps up involvement in worldwide efforts to ship assist by air.
On Friday, Sir Keir Starmer mentioned the UK was working with Jordan on plans to hold out airdrops, after greater than a 3rd of MPs signed a letter calling for the federal government to recognise a Palestinian state.
A small staff of British army planners and logisticians can be being deployed to help Jordan with the logistics of delivering assist, the BBC reported.
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The vast majority of the 25 killed in a single day had been killed by gunfire as they waited for assist vans near the Zikim crossing with Israel, mentioned employees at Shifa hospital, the place the our bodies had been introduced.
Throughout the shootings Friday night time, Sherif Abu Aisha mentioned individuals began operating after they noticed a lightweight that they thought was from the help vans, however as they bought shut, they realized it was from Israel’s tanks. That’s when the military began firing on individuals, he informed The Related Press. He mentioned his uncle, a father of eight, was amongst these killed.
“We went as a result of there isn’t a meals … and nothing was distributed,” he mentioned.
Palestinians battle to get donated meals at a neighborhood kitchen, in Gaza Metropolis, northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, July 26, 2025. {Photograph}: Abdel Kareem Hana/APShare
An assault by the jihadist separatist group Jaish al-Adl on a courthouse in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan killed not less than 9 individuals, together with a mom and baby, and wounded 22, Iranian media reported on Saturday.
Attackers stormed the constructing, taking pictures a lot of individuals inside. They then launched a second assault with mortars and grenade launchers on the courthouse, the place a conflict that lasted three hours started with safety forces, based on the Baluch human rights group Haalvsh.
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Starmer, Macron and Merz to work ‘intently collectively on a plan’ for Gaza safety
Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz have agreed to work “intently collectively on a plan” to “pave the way in which to a long-term answer and safety within the area” of Gaza, Downing Avenue mentioned.
In a readout of the Prime Minister’s name with the French President and German Chancellor, a Quantity 10 spokesperson mentioned: “The three leaders talked in regards to the state of affairs in Gaza, which they agreed is appalling, and emphasised the pressing want for a right away ceasefire, for Israel to elevate all restrictions on assist and urgently present these struggling in Gaza with the meals they so desperately want.
“The Prime Minister set out how the UK will even be taking ahead plans to work with companions corresponding to Jordan to airdrop assist and evacuate youngsters requiring medical help.
Palestinians battle to get donated meals at a neighborhood kitchen, in Gaza Metropolis, northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, July 26, 2025. {Photograph}: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
“All of them agreed it will be important to make sure sturdy plans are in place to show an urgently wanted ceasefire into lasting peace.
“They mentioned their intention to work intently collectively on a plan, constructing on their collaboration thus far, which might pave the way in which to a long-term answer and safety within the area.
“They agreed that when this plan was labored up, they’d search to usher in different key companions, together with within the area, to advance it.”
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Up to date at 08.28 EDT
Syrian and Israeli officers held talks in Paris mediated by america about containing any escalation in southern Syria, Syria’s state-run Ekhbariya TV reported on Saturday, citing a diplomatic supply.
The diplomatic supply mentioned the assembly didn’t lead to any last agreements however they agreed to proceed talks and consider steps aimed toward sustaining stability in southern Syria.
A Bedouin fighter rides a motorbike because the solar units over the village of Busra al-Harir, southern Syria, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. {Photograph}: Omar Sanadiki/APShare
A senior Hamas official has rejected current US accusations that the group has stolen humanitarian assist in Gaza, calling them “politically motivated and baseless”.
In an announcement issued on Saturday, cited by Anadolu information company, Izzat al-Rishq dismissed the allegations and criticised the US narrative round assist diversion.
His feedback come within the wake of an inside examine by the US Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID), which examined 156 instances of misplaced or stolen assist between October 2023 and Might 2025. In keeping with the findings, there was no proof that Hamas had benefitted from assist offered by the US.
Rishq mentioned the give attention to alleged assist theft diverts consideration from what he referred to as “the actual impediment to any ceasefire or humanitarian settlement: the Israeli authorities led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu”.
He additionally criticised current feedback from US officers, together with Donald Trump and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, saying they “don’t align with the assessments of the mediators and contradict the truth of the negotiation course of”.
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Airdrops of assist to Gaza ‘inefficient’ and a ‘distraction’, UN says
The top of the UN company for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has strongly criticised the usage of airdrops to ship humanitarian assist to Gaza, calling them “inefficient” and a “distraction” from addressing the basis causes of the disaster.
“Airdrops won’t reverse the deepening hunger,” mentioned UNRWA Commissioner-Common Philippe Lazzarini. “They’re costly, inefficient and may even kill ravenous civilians. It’s a distraction and screensmoke”.
A artifical starvation can solely be addressed by political will. Raise the siege, open the gates and assure protected actions and dignified entry to individuals in want.
Driving assist via is way simpler, more practical, quicker, cheaper and safer. It’s extra dignified for the individuals of Gaza.
His feedback come because the UK steps up involvement in worldwide efforts to ship assist by air.
On Friday, Sir Keir Starmer mentioned the UK was working with Jordan on plans to hold out airdrops, after greater than a 3rd of MPs signed a letter calling for the federal government to recognise a Palestinian state.
A small staff of British army planners and logisticians can be being deployed to help Jordan with the logistics of delivering assist, the BBC reported.
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Up to date at 08.01 EDT
Palestinian Well being Ministry says 57 killed in previous 24 hours
The demise toll from Israeli army operations in Gaza has reached 59,733, based on the most recent replace from the Palestinian Ministry of Well being in Gaza.
Up to now 24 hours alone, 57 have been killed and 512 have been injured. Emergency crews say a lot of victims stay trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
It additionally says that since 18 March 2025, when it started individually reporting figures after the short-term ceasefire got here to an finish, 8,581 individuals have been killed and 32,436 injured.
The ministry added that 29 individuals had been killed and greater than 165 injured previously 24 hours whereas trying to entry assist.
This brings the whole variety of these killed whereas amassing assist to 1,121, with greater than 7,485 injured, it mentioned.
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Some analysts say French president Emmanuel Macron’s announcement that France would develop into the primary Western member of the United Nations Safety Council to recognise a Palestinian state is an try to make use of the carrot of recognition to extract concessions from Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority which is a average rival to Hamas, and different regional gamers.
“Macron right here is appearing as a catalyst to get the Palestinians to ship on the wanted reforms, to get the Arabs to ship on a stabilization drive and the disarming of Hamas,” mentioned Rym Momtaz, editor-in-chief of the Strategic Europe weblog run by the Carnegie Europe suppose tank.
Others say whereas recognition has symbolic worth, there’ll nonetheless be no functioning Palestinian state at any time when the warfare in Gaza involves an finish.
“Recognition by a European heavyweight like France is indicative of the rising frustration with Israel’s intransigent insurance policies,” mentioned Amjad Iraqi, senior analyst at Worldwide Disaster Group.
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Gaza’s civil defence company mentioned Israeli operations killed 11 individuals on Saturday within the Palestinian territory devastated by over 21 months of warfare.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal informed AFP the toll included 4 Palestinians killed in an air strike on the Al-Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza Metropolis within the territory’s north.
One different individual was killed “after Israeli forces opened hearth on individuals ready for humanitarian assist” northwest of Gaza Metropolis, the company mentioned.
Eyewitnesses informed AFP that a number of thousand individuals had gathered within the space to attend for assist.
Certainly one of them, Abu Samir Hamoudeh, 42, mentioned the Israeli army opened hearth “whereas the individuals had been ready to strategy the distribution level”, positioned close to an Israeli army publish within the Zikim space, northwest of Sudaniyah.
Palestinians pray over the physique of an individual who was killed whereas attempting to achieve assist vans coming into northern Gaza via the Zikim crossing with Israel, at Shifa Hospital, in Gaza Metropolis, Saturday, July 26, 2025. {Photograph}: Abdel Kareem Hana/APShare
A minimum of 25 killed by Israeli airstrikes and gunshots in a single day
A minimum of 25 individuals had been killed by Israeli airstrikes and gunshots in a single day, based on well being officers and the ambulance service on Saturday, as ceasefire talks seem to have stalled and Palestinians in Gaza face famine.
The vast majority of victims had been killed by gunfire as they waited for assist vans near the Zikim crossing with Israel, mentioned employees at Shifa hospital, the place the our bodies had been introduced.
Israel’s military didn’t reply to request for feedback in regards to the newest shootings.
These killed in strikes embody 4 individuals in an condo constructing in Gaza Metropolis amongst others, hospital employees and the ambulance service mentioned.
The strikes come as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have hit a standstill after the US and Israel recalled their negotiating groups on Thursday, throwing the way forward for the talks into additional uncertainty.
Palestinians mourn throughout the funeral of people that had been killed whereas attempting to achieve assist vans coming into northern Gaza via the Zikim crossing with Israel, at Shifa Hospital, in Gaza Metropolis, Saturday, July 26, 2025. {Photograph}: Abdel Kareem Hana/APShare
In an announcement posted on its Telegram account, the Sunni Jaish al-Adl group took duty for the assault in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province and urged “all civilians to instantly evacuate the world of clashes for his or her security”.
Sistan-Baluchestan province, close to the borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, is house to Irans Sunni Muslim Baluch minority, who’ve lengthy complained of financial marginalisation and political exclusion.
The Baluch human rights group HAALVSH, quoting eyewitnesses, mentioned a number of judiciary employees members and safety personnel had been killed or wounded when the assailants stormed the judges chambers.
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Gunmen killed 5 civilians throughout “terrorist assault” in southeast Iran
Gunmen killed 5 civilians throughout a “terrorist assault” on a judiciary constructing in southeast Iran on Saturday earlier than being killed themselves, state media reported.
“Unknown gunmen attacked the judiciary centre in Zahedan,” the capital of southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan province, the judiciary’s Mizan On-line mentioned.
“5 individuals have been killed and 13 injured on this terrorist assault,” the report mentioned whereas including that the counts are “preliminary” and the toll could rise.
Individually, the official IRNA information company reported that three of the attackers had been killed throughout the assault, citing the regional headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
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Three diplomats informed Reuters president Emmanuel Macron needed to go it alone to recognise a Palestinian state as London didn’t need to face the wrath of america, and Ottawa took an identical stance.
“It grew to become more and more obvious that we couldn’t wait to get companions on board,” mentioned a French diplomat, including France will work to get extra states on board forward of convention on a two-state answer in September.
A senior French official mentioned: “If there’s a second in historical past to recognise a Palestinian state, even when it’s simply symbolic, then I might say that second has in all probability come.”
French President Emmanuel Macron on the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, July 24, 2025. {Photograph}: Gonzalo Fuentes/ReutersShare
Eleni Courea
Keir Starmer is beneath intense strain from his most senior cupboard ministers and greater than a 3rd of MPs to maneuver quicker on recognising a Palestinian state in response to Israel withholding assist to ravenous civilians in Gaza.
Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, and Yvette Cooper, the house secretary, are understood to be amongst ministers who imagine the federal government ought to take the lead on Palestinian statehood alongside France.
The prime minister is going through a rising clamour to take motion amid the worldwide outcry over Israel’s actions, with charities saying that instances of extreme malnutrition amongst youngsters beneath 5 in Gaza Metropolis have tripled within the final two weeks.
Learn our unique story on how Rayner and Cooper are understood to again motion as 221 MPs signal a letter calling for UK recognition of statehood:
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France’s determination to recognise Palestine on the subsequent UN basic meeting is an try and construct momentum for change and make a break from the main western powers’ impassivity within the face of Israel’s mass killing of Palestinians in Gaza.
Emmanuel Macron’s declaration, introduced in usually dramatic style on social media late on Thursday night time, attracts a line between the paths adopted by the US and France over the Gaza warfare, and considerably raises the strain on the UK, Germany and different G7 powers to select a aspect.
Macron, Keir Starmer and the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, held what the UK prime minister described as an “emergency name” on Friday, to coordinate positions. It led to a joint name for Israel to elevate its meals blockade instantly, a right away ceasefire and the discharge of hostages held by Hamas. However there was no obvious shift in Merz’s or Starmer’s place on recognition.
The British prime minister dangers both upsetting mutiny in his cupboard and occasion over Gaza or alienating White Home. Learn our evaluation right here:
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Charges of extreme malnutrition amongst youngsters aged beneath 5 at Médecins Sans Frontières’ Gaza Metropolis clinic have tripled within the final two weeks, the charity has mentioned, as hunger within the Israeli-besieged strip worsens.
The worldwide assist neighborhood has sounded the alarm as Gaza descends deeper into mass hunger, with ensuing deaths being reported every day as Israel permits solely a trickle of assist into the territory.
MSF mentioned 1 / 4 of all younger youngsters and pregnant or breastfeeding girls it screened at its clinics final week had been malnourished, with the variety of individuals needing take care of malnutrition at its Gaza Metropolis location quadrupling since Might.
MSF is without doubt one of the largest medical suppliers in Gaza, with greater than 1,000 employees within the strip offering medical companies starting from maternity care to emergency surgical procedure.
The charity blamed what it referred to as an Israeli “coverage of hunger” for the starvation disaster, as international condemnation grows over what greater than 100 assist teams say is Israel’s blockade of most assist into Gaza. Learn our full report right here:
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Which nations have recognised a Palestinian state?
This graphic reveals which nations internationally have recognised a Palestinian state.
81 nations recognised Palestinian statehood in 1988, the 12 months it declared independence, with South Africa recognising it in 1995, Brazil in 2010, Chile in 2011 and Thailand in 2012.
However extra have lately adopted go well with in response to the plight of the individuals in Gaza. Spain and Eire recognised a Palestinian state final 12 months and Mexico made the popularity this 12 months, whereas France has lately introduced it’s due to take action.
Worldwide recognition of the Palestinian stateWorldwide recognition of the Palestinian stateShare
Up to date at 04.10 EDT
Annie Kelly
Twenty-eight docs from Gaza are being held inside Israeli prisons, eight of whom are senior consultants in surgical procedure, orthopaedics, intensive care, cardiology and paediatrics, based on knowledge from Healthcare Staff Watch (HWW), a Palestinian medical organisation.
Twenty-one of these detained have been held for greater than 400 days. HWW mentioned none had been charged with any crimes by the Israeli authorities. Three healthcare staff have been detained for the reason that begin of July.
On Monday, the Gaza Well being Ministry mentioned an Israeli undercover drive detained Dr Marwan al-Hams, head of Abu Youssef al-Najjar hospital in Rafah, exterior the sphere hospital of the Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross within the southern Gaza Strip. His whereabouts are unknown, and the Israeli authorities have but to publish an announcement on his detention. On Tuesday, the World Well being Group (WHO) confirmed that two of its staff had been taken into detention from a facility sheltering employees and their households in Dier al-Balah; one stays in Israeli custody.
A rising variety of docs are amongst tons of of medical employees detained in Gaza, rights teams say. Learn our full story right here:
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Up to date at 03.59 EDT
European nations debate Palestinian state recognition
European nations have gotten break up on the query of whether or not to recognise a Palestinian state, because the determined state of affairs in Gaza continues.
Britain’s prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has rejected calls to instantly recognise a Palestinian state, after some 221 MPs signed a letter urging the British Authorities to recognise the state of Palestine at a gathering of the UN subsequent week. Whereas the PM mentioned he was “unequivocal” about eager to see a Palestinian state, he insisted this wanted to be a part of a “wider plan which in the end ends in a two-state answer and lasting safety for Palestinians and Israelis”.
Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni mentioned on Saturday that recognising the State of Palestine earlier than it’s established could possibly be counterproductive. “I’m very a lot in favour of the State of Palestine however I’m not in favour of recognising it previous to establishing it,” Meloni informed Italian every day La Repubblica. “If one thing that doesn’t exist is recognised on paper, the issue might seem like solved when it isn’t,” Meloni added.
A German authorities spokesperson mentioned on Friday that Berlin was not planning to recognise a Palestinian state within the quick time period and mentioned its precedence now’s to make “long-overdue progress” in the direction of a two-state answer.
It comes after French President Emmanuel Macron drew offended rebukes from Israel and america when he introduced France intends to recognise a Palestinian state in September on the United Nations Common Meeting. Macron, who unveiled the choice on X, printed a letter despatched to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming France’s intention to press forward with Palestinian recognition and work to convincing different companions to observe go well with.
In keeping with an AFP database, not less than 142 of the 193 UN member states – together with France – now recognise the Palestinian state proclaimed by the Palestinian management in exile in 1988.
In the meantime at present:
The Israeli army mentioned a “projectile” was fired from the Gaza Strip in the direction of Israel on Saturday. “A projectile was recognized crossing the Gaza Strip from the south and most certainly falling in an open space,” the army mentioned in an announcement, including that there have been no accidents reported.
4 Palestinian-Individuals have been killed within the occupied West Financial institution for the reason that warfare in Gaza started and their households are shedding hope for justice. They informed AP Israel and its regulation enforcement have made them really feel like culprits – by imposing journey bans and, in some instances, detaining and interrogating them.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Friday his authorities was contemplating “different choices” to ceasefire talks with Hamas after Israel and the US recalled their negotiating groups, throwing the way forward for the negotiations into additional uncertainty. Netanyahu’s assertion got here as a Hamas official mentioned negotiations had been anticipated to renew subsequent week and portrayed the recall of the Israeli and American delegations as a strain tactic.
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