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Activists detained while attempting to reach Gaza by sea have accused Israeli authorities of abuse and humiliation during their detention, following the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Israeli forces detained around 450 people when they stopped the 42-boat flotilla between Wednesday and Friday. The fleet had been attempting to break Israel’s naval blockade and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza, where famine conditions persist. Many detainees remain imprisoned in Israel. Italian journalist Saverio Tommasi said Israeli soldiers confiscated medicines and treated detainees “like monkeys.” On his return to Rome late Saturday, he described the treatment as “torture” and “a denial of even the most basic human rights,” adding that even elderly and ill prisoners were deprived of essential medication. Among those arrested were Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, and several European lawmakers. Tommasi said Thunberg was humiliated by Israeli forces, who tied her hands and mocked her with an Israeli flag. Another Italian journalist, Lorenzo D’Agostino, said prisoners were deprived of sleep, intimidated with dogs, and threatened with weapons. “I felt I was being held by a terrorist organization,” he said after arriving in Istanbul with more than 130 other activists released by Israel. He also accused Israeli authorities of stealing his belongings. Activist Paolo De Montis described being packed tightly into a prison van with his hands bound, enduring “constant stress and humiliation.” Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir defended the treatment, saying he was “proud” of how prison staff handled the detainees, calling them “supporters of terrorism.” He said they “deserved the conditions of terrorists” and should “think twice before approaching Israel again.” Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the allegations as “brazen lies,” saying detainees’ legal rights were “fully upheld” and that Thunberg made no complaints because “they never occurred.” Governments including Turkey, Colombia, and Pakistan condemned the arrests, while Greece lodged a formal protest against what it described as “unacceptable behavior” by an Israeli minister. The flotilla’s interception sparked widespread protests in major cities across the world.

Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 70 Palestinians on Saturday, according to medical sources, even after US President Donald Trump urged Israel to stop its assault following Hamas’s partial acceptance of his 20-point plan to end the war. At least 45 of those killed died in Gaza City, where Israeli forces have intensified operations in recent weeks, driving nearly a million people toward the overcrowded south. Medics said 18 people were killed and several others injured in an Israeli strike on a residential home in the Tuffah neighborhood, which also damaged nearby buildings. Gaza’s civil defence agency said seven children aged between two months and eight years were among the victims. In southern Gaza, an Israeli strike on al-Mawasi — a declared humanitarian zone — killed two children and injured at least eight others. The area has faced repeated attacks in recent months. Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported air raids in Nuseirat refugee camp, saying, “Hospitals are unable to treat all of these Palestinians.” She added, “What is happening on the ground doesn’t show that there is any type of ceasefire.” Trump on Saturday pressed Hamas to swiftly release captives and finalise negotiations under his peace plan, warning, “or else all bets will be off.” He wrote on Truth Social, “I will not tolerate delay… Let’s get this done, FAST. Everyone will be treated fairly!” International journalists taken on rare army-supervised visit to Gaza City Later, Trump said Israel had agreed to an initial “withdrawal line” shared with Hamas. “When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective,” he wrote, outlining the start of a hostage-prisoner exchange and the next phase of Israeli withdrawal. Hamas has accepted key parts of Trump’s proposal — including Israeli withdrawal and prisoner swaps — but has not clarified its position on disarmament. Trump will send envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Egypt to finalise details. Egypt confirmed it will host delegations from Israel and Hamas on Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said from Jerusalem that negotiators will work on a timeline for the release of captives, adding that Hamas’s demilitarisation “will be achieved either through Trump’s proposal or through Israeli military action.” Hamas condemned Israel’s continuing attacks, saying they prove “Netanyahu’s lies” about halting the offensive. “The Zionist occupation army continues to commit its horrific crimes and massacres against our Palestinian people,” the group said, urging international action. Adnan Hayajneh, professor of international relations at Qatar University, said Hamas seeks guarantees that Trump’s plan will be fully implemented, including clarity on Gaza’s future governance. “If you look at the plan, it’s almost a surrender for Hamas,” he said, suggesting the group is keeping the hostage issue “for the last minute.” Netanyahu hopes to announce release of all Gaza hostages 'in coming days' Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israel’s war has killed more than 67,000 people, with experts estimating the true toll could be nearly three times higher.

The Israeli army escorted a group of international journalists through parts of Gaza City on Friday, offering a rare, closely supervised look at a city devastated by nearly two years of war. An armored vehicle moved through deserted streets lined with shattered buildings. Soldiers pointed out a recently discovered tunnel allegedly used by Hamas near a hospital that was once run by the Jordanian government. According to the Israeli military, the latest operation aims to eliminate remaining Hamas strongholds while minimizing civilian casualties. However, access for independent verification remains tightly restricted as Israel continues to bar journalists from entering Gaza except under military supervision. Netanyahu hopes to announce release of all Gaza hostages 'in coming days' The tour took place along the Netzarim corridor, a heavily militarized zone dividing northern and southern Gaza. Most hospitals in Gaza have stopped functioning, and the World Health Organization says only 14 out of 36 remain partially operational. Israeli officials said their current campaign in Gaza City seeks to pressure civilians to move south, while preparations are underway for a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan proposed by President Donald Trump. Source: AP 

Both Israel and now Hamas have signaled support for the new U.S. plan to end the war in Gaza and release all remaining hostages there. President Donald Trump says he thinks Hamas is ready for a “lasting peace” and has told Israel to stop bombing the territory, but he warns that “all bets will be off” if Hamas doesn't move quickly. Bombing has slowed in Gaza City as Israel's military prepares for the plan's first phase, but Palestinians are still being killed. Many uncertainties remain around the plan as negotiating teams are expected to return to Egypt for talks. Tuesday marks two years since the war began. Here’s what we know. The plan’s essentials All hostilities would immediately end. Within 72 hours, Hamas would release all hostages it holds, living or dead. The militants still have 48 hostages. Israel believes 20 of them are alive. Israel would free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in its prisons and 1,700 people detained from Gaza since the war began, including all women and children. Israel also would hand over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for each body of a hostage handed over. Israeli troops would withdraw from Gaza after Hamas disarms, and an international security force would deploy. The territory would be placed under international governance, with Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it. An interim administration of Palestinian technocrats would run day-to-day affairs. Hamas would have no part in administering Gaza, and all its military infrastructure, including tunnels, would be dismantled. Members who pledge to live peacefully would be granted amnesty. Those who wish to leave Gaza can. Palestinians will not be expelled from Gaza. Large amounts of humanitarian aid would be allowed and would be run by “neutral international bodies,” including the U.N. and the Red Crescent. What Hamas has said A Hamas statement on Friday said it was willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but that other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. The statement made no mention of Hamas disarming, which is a key Israeli demand. The statement also reiterated its longstanding openness to handing power over to a politically independent Palestinian body. What Israel has said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday said Israel was prepared for the implementation of the “first stage” of Trump’s plan, apparently referring to the release of hostages. But his office said in a statement that Israel was committed to ending the war based on principles it has set out before. Netanyahu has long said Hamas must surrender and disarm. Israel’s army on Saturday said the country’s leaders had instructed it to prepare for the first phase of the U.S. plan. What remains uncertain Questions include the timing of key steps. One Hamas official said it would need days or weeks to locate some hostages' bodies. And senior Hamas officials have suggested there are still major disagreements requiring further negotiations. It’s not clear Hamas officials can agree among themselves on the plan. One official, Osama Hamdan, told Al Araby television that Hamas would refuse foreign administration of the Gaza Strip and that the entry of foreign forces would be “unacceptable.” Parts of the plan remain unclear. Hamas wants Israel to leave Gaza completely, but the plan says Israel would maintain a “security perimeter presence,” which could mean it would keep a buffer zone inside the territory. And the future of Gaza remains in question. The plan says that if the Palestinian Authority, which administers the West Bank, reforms sufficiently and Gaza redevelopment advances, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” What happens next A senior Egyptian official on Saturday said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt to lead the U.S. negotiating team. Delegations from Israel and Hamas will join the talks under way. The official also said Arab mediators are preparing for a comprehensive dialogue among Palestinians aimed at unifying their position toward Gaza’s future. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief the media. What Palestinians and Israelis say There is cautious hope but also memories of negotiations failing earlier in the war. “We want to end the war by any means possible because we are tired,” one displaced Palestinian in Gaza, Arafa al-Amour, said Saturday. Others said they hoped Arab nations would pressure Hamas to end it. A group representing some families of hostages in Gaza said Saturday that the prospect of seeing loved ones return home “has never been closer.” They appealed to Trump to keep pushing “with full force” and warned that “extremists on both sides” will try to sabotage the plan.

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City have “significantly subsided,” though at least five Palestinians were killed Saturday, as Israel’s army confirmed it was preparing for the first phase of a US-backed peace plan to end the war. An Israeli official said the military has shifted to a defensive posture in Gaza but no troops have been withdrawn. Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiyah told AP that five people were killed as bombing intensity sharply dropped across Gaza City. The development came after Hamas said it accepted parts of President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the nearly two-year conflict. Trump praised the move, saying he believed “they are ready for a lasting peace.” Israel’s leadership, under mounting US pressure, has begun preparations for the plan, while a US delegation led by envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt for hostage-release and ceasefire talks involving Israel and Hamas, an Egyptian official said. Under Trump’s proposal, Hamas would release the remaining hostages and relinquish control of Gaza in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal, prisoner releases, and a major influx of humanitarian aid. Palestinian Islamic Jihad said it supports Hamas’ response, while Arab mediators prepare a broader dialogue on Gaza’s postwar governance. In Gaza, residents cautiously welcomed the apparent lull. “We want a truce on the ground,” said Sameer Qudeeh from Khan Younis. “We are truly tired,” added another resident. Gaza’s Health Ministry said more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October 2023, with women and children comprising about half of the casualties.

Israeli forces on Friday intercepted the last remaining boat of an international flotilla that attempted to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of war-torn Gaza, while protests against the operation spread worldwide. The vessel, named Marinette, was trailing behind the others in the Global Sumud Flotilla and continued sailing toward Gaza early Friday, a day after Israeli forces stormed 41 other boats and detained around 450 activists. Authorities said those detained would be deported. A livestream from the Marinette captured the moment Israeli troops boarded the ship. The flotilla, carrying only symbolic amounts of aid, marked the largest effort so far to break the blockade on Gaza. Among those arrested earlier were climate activist Greta Thunberg, Mandla Mandela — the grandson of Nelson Mandela — and several European lawmakers. Israel had warned in advance that the Marinette would also be stopped if it pressed ahead. The interception of the flotilla triggered demonstrations across continents. In Europe, tens of thousands rallied Thursday night in Madrid and Barcelona, while protests also erupted in Rome, Paris, and Geneva. Italy’s largest trade union called for a one-day nationwide strike Friday. Demonstrations were also reported in parts of Latin America and Asia. In Israel’s southern port city of Ashdod, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir confronted detained activists, accusing them of supporting “terrorism” and ridiculing their aid effort. In video footage circulating Friday, the activists are seen sitting cross-legged on the ground as Ben-Gvir delivers his accusations. One activist can be heard shouting back “Free Palestine.” Hundreds of police officers were deployed in Ashdod during Yom Kippur, one of Judaism’s holiest days, as authorities processed the detainees. Israel has long claimed that flotilla participants had ties to Hamas, but has provided little evidence. Activists from more than 40 countries have rejected those allegations.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla vessels, calling the mass detention of activists a “serious threat to maritime safety and freedom of navigation.” In a statement, the ministry demanded the immediate release of all those held and called for accountability for those responsible. “The ministry reiterates Qatar’s appeal to the international community to uphold its legal and moral duties by taking firm action against ongoing violations of international law by Israeli occupation authorities,” the statement said. It also emphasized the need to guarantee the safe, uninterrupted, and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid to all areas of the Gaza Strip. Source: Al Jazeera

Israel’s Defense Minister on Wednesday ordered all Palestinians remaining in Gaza City to leave, calling it their “final opportunity” and warning that anyone staying behind would be considered a militant supporter and face the “full force” of Israel’s ongoing military campaign. At least 21 Palestinians were killed across Gaza, according to local hospitals, as Hamas reviewed a U.S. proposal from President Donald Trump aimed at ending the conflict and securing the release of hostages captured during Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack. A senior Hamas official said parts of the plan are unacceptable and require amendments, adding that an official response will follow consultations with other Palestinian factions. Nearly 400,000 residents have already fled southern Gaza since Israel launched a major offensive last month, but hundreds of thousands remain, many unable to leave due to financial constraints or illness. Defense Minister Israel Katz urged residents to move south, warning those who stay will be treated as “terrorists and terror supporters.” Israel intercepts Gaza-bound flotilla with activists Several Israeli airstrikes struck a school sheltering displaced people, killing at least seven, while other strikes in Gaza City and central Gaza killed at least 14 more, according to hospitals. Meanwhile, a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid from Spain was intercepted by the Israeli navy as it attempted to reach Gaza. The war has claimed over 66,000 Palestinian lives and wounded nearly 170,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, while around 48 hostages remain in Hamas custody. Source: AP

Activists aboard a flotilla sailing toward Gaza said late Wednesday that Israeli naval forces intercepted three of its vessels as they neared the blockaded Palestinian territory. Israeli authorities confirmed the operation, saying the activists – including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg – were safe and being transferred to Israel. The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of nearly 50 boats and about 500 activists, had set out with symbolic humanitarian aid for Gaza. Organizers said the boats Sirius, Alma and Adara were stopped roughly 70 nautical miles (80 miles) from Gaza’s coast. The convoy includes Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau, and several European lawmakers. Greg Stoker, an American veteran aboard the Ohwayla, said about a dozen Israeli naval ships approached without transponders. “They are hailing our vessels, ordering us to cut engines or face seizure,” he said in a video posted online, adding that some boats were hit with water cannons. Israel’s Foreign Ministry later released footage of Thunberg on deck, saying she and others were “safe and healthy.” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told state television that the operation would last two to three hours, after which the boats would be towed to Ashdod port and the activists deported. Turkey strongly condemned the interception, calling it “an act of terrorism” and a breach of international law, and demanded the release of its citizens and other passengers. ‘Danger zone’ encounter The flotilla, which began its journey from Barcelona a month ago, was broadcasting live as it sailed north of Egypt in international waters. Activists called it a “danger zone” – an area where the Israeli navy has previously intercepted Gaza-bound boats. Earlier Wednesday, flotilla members reported spotting unidentified vessels on radar, put on life vests and livestreamed the moment Israeli forces approached. Some threw their phones into the sea before boarding began. Organizers had acknowledged reaching Gaza was unlikely, but said this was the largest attempt yet to challenge Israel’s 18-year blockade of the territory. Demonstrators carried banners reading “Free Palestine” and played music as they pressed forward. Israel and global reaction Israel’s Foreign Ministry warned the flotilla earlier that it was nearing an “active combat zone” and offered to deliver the aid to Gaza through established channels. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar denounced the convoy as a “provocation” and accused some members of links to Hamas – a charge activists dismissed as baseless. European governments were split: Italy urged activists to turn back, while Spain defended their mission. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, “It is a humanitarian mission that wouldn’t exist if Israel had allowed aid in. Spaniards taking part will have full diplomatic protection.” The legal dispute Under international maritime law, states have jurisdiction up to 12 nautical miles from their coast. Beyond that, ships in international waters cannot normally be seized – though exceptions apply in wartime blockades. Israeli legal experts argue the Gaza blockade is militarily justified to prevent weapons smuggling, giving Israel the right to intercept vessels after warnings. But flotilla organizers and other experts counter that international law protects unarmed humanitarian missions. “If the basic needs of Gaza’s population are not being met, there is a right to deliver humanitarian aid by sea under certain conditions,” said Omer Shatz, an Israeli international law scholar. “Israel can inspect the cargo – but stopping the mission altogether violates that principle.” Source: AP

The United States has begun reducing its military presence in Iraq under a deal signed with Baghdad last year, with troop levels set to be cut by about 20 percent as responsibility for countering the Islamic State (IS) shifts to Iraqi forces, officials confirmed Wednesday. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the reduction reflects the “combined success in fighting ISIS” and marks the next phase in Washington’s long-running military engagement in Iraq. A senior US defense official said the drawdown will consolidate troops largely at a base in Irbil, in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region, with fewer than 2,000 service members expected to remain once the process is completed. That is down from just over 2,500 at present, and far below the roughly 20,000 troops deployed a decade ago. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Iraqi forces trained by the US over the past decade are now capable of leading operations against IS, though the group still stages deadly attacks in both Iraq and Syria. Iraqi officials also confirmed that American forces have already begun leaving positions in Baghdad and Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq, leaving only “a very small number of advisers” at the joint command. The shift in Iraq comes months after the Trump administration pulled about 600 troops from Syria, leaving fewer than 1,000 to support Kurdish partners there. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani told AP in July that the two governments will meet before the year’s end to finalize the terms of a new bilateral security arrangement. Washington has pledged close coordination with Baghdad and coalition partners to ensure what it calls a “responsible transition.”