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Portugal has announced it will officially recognise a Palestinian state on Sunday, joining a growing number of Western nations ahead of a high-level United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) conference on Palestinian statehood. In a statement on Friday, Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the formal declaration will take place on September 21, a day before the UNGA conference. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro finalised the decision after consultations with the president and parliament, ending nearly 15 years of debate in the Portuguese legislature, local daily Correio da Manhã reported. The proposal was first introduced in 2011 by the country’s Left Bloc political party. Portugal’s move comes just days after a UN inquiry concluded that Israel’s war on Gaza amounts to genocide. Since October 2023, at least 65,141 Palestinians have been killed and 165,925 wounded in Israeli attacks, with thousands more believed to be trapped under rubble. Lisbon had first signaled its intention to recognise Palestine in July, citing the worsening humanitarian crisis and Israel’s ongoing threats to annex Palestinian land. Earlier on Friday, an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron said that Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and San Marino also plan to extend recognition, alongside France, at Monday’s high-level meeting in New York co-hosted with Saudi Arabia. Canada and the United Kingdom have announced similar steps. These countries will join around 147 UN member states — nearly 75 percent of the global body — that had already recognised Palestinian statehood as of April this year. Portugal was also among 145 countries that voted on Friday to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the UNGA by video after the United States denied him a visa. The US, Israel, Paraguay, Palau and Nauru voted against the motion, while six countries abstained. Israel and the US have strongly criticised the wave of recognitions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called France’s decision “reckless” and accused it of serving “Hamas propaganda.” Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich previously warned that Tel Aviv would establish a new illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank for every country that recognised Palestine. Meanwhile, Luxembourg has indicated it will follow suit. Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel told a parliamentary commission that the country intends to recognise Palestine at the UNGA. Bettel also said he would propose legislation to enable sanctions against Israel, broadcaster RTL Letzebuerg reported. Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, has urged countries to go further by imposing sanctions and an arms embargo on Israel. The UNGA’s 1947 partition plan had allocated 45 percent of the land for an Arab state. At the time, the assembly had only 57 members, with many nations still under colonial rule unable to vote.  

Israeli troops advanced deeper into Gaza City on Wednesday, the second day of a ground offensive that has drawn widespread international condemnation, as thousands of Palestinians fled the area. Israel’s military said air and artillery strikes hit the city more than 150 times in recent days, destroying high-rise towers in densely populated neighborhoods sheltering displaced residents. Overnight strikes killed at least 16 people, including women and children, hospital officials reported. Since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, Gaza health authorities say nearly 65,000 Palestinians have been killed. A new evacuation corridor south of Gaza City opened for two days on Wednesday, allowing some residents to leave, though many in northern Gaza remain cut off after Israeli strikes damaged internet and phone lines. Palestinian health officials reported attacks on hospitals, including Rantisi Children’s Hospital, forcing patients and staff to evacuate. Aid organizations and Qatar sharply condemned the offensive. A coalition of over 20 international aid groups urged governments to take decisive action, citing the UN commission’s finding of genocide. Qatar’s foreign ministry called the operation “an extension of the war of genocide” against Palestinians. Israeli forces aim to seize control of Gaza City and most of the Strip. Military officials estimate 2,000–3,000 Hamas fighters remain in the city, using tunnels and conducting guerrilla-style attacks. The conflict began when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, with fewer than half believed alive. The ongoing war has left hundreds of thousands displaced, widespread destruction, and mounting humanitarian crises across the enclave.

A coalition of major humanitarian organizations on Wednesday called on the international community to take stronger steps to stop Israel’s assault on Gaza City, after a UN commission concluded that Israel is committing genocide in the enclave. Israel, meanwhile, pressed ahead with its offensive in the war-ravaged north as the death toll in Gaza approached 65,000. “What we are witnessing in Gaza is not only an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, but what the UN Commission of Inquiry has now concluded is a genocide,” the aid groups said in a joint statement. “States must use every available political, economic, and legal tool at their disposal to intervene. Rhetoric and half measures are not enough. This moment demands decisive action.” More than 20 organizations, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Anera and Save the Children, signed the appeal. The statement came a day after Israel declared its full-scale operation in Gaza City was underway, vowing to subdue a city already shattered by nearly two years of war. UN inquiry accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, urges international action Hospital officials said Israeli strikes overnight killed at least 16 Palestinians, including women and children. A mother and child were among those killed in the Shati refugee camp, while other strikes hit the Nuseirat camp and Muwasi area, killing families, including a pregnant woman. Gaza’s Health Ministry said over 64,900 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, with women and children making up about half the deaths. Israel on Wednesday opened a new evacuation route south via Salah al-Din street, while Qatar strongly condemned the offensive, calling it an “extension of the war of genocide.” The Israeli military estimates 2,000–3,000 Hamas fighters remain in Gaza City. Hamas has shifted to guerrilla tactics after heavy losses. Rubio visits Israel amid escalating strikes in Gaza The conflict erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting 251. Forty-eight hostages are still held in Gaza, fewer than half believed alive. Source: Agency 

Israel carried out airstrikes on Yemen’s port city of Hodeida on Tuesday, prompting Iran-backed Houthi rebels to activate their air defenses. The Israeli military said it targeted “military infrastructure” at the Hodeida port, claiming it was being used by the Houthis to transfer Iranian weapons for attacks against Israel and its allies. “Our air defenses are currently confronting Israeli aircraft launching aggression against our country,” Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree wrote on X. He added that Houthi defenses “caused great confusion” for Israeli fighter jets, forcing some formations to withdraw before carrying out deeper strikes inside Yemen. Funerals for slain journalists The latest strikes came as hundreds attended funerals in Sanaa for 31 Yemeni journalists reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes last week. Those attacks followed a Houthi drone strike that penetrated Israel’s air defenses and hit a southern Israeli airport, injuring one person. According to the Houthi-run health ministry, last week’s Israeli strikes killed dozens in Sanaa, including the journalists, and damaged residential areas, a military headquarters, a fuel station, and the National Museum of Yemen. A government facility in Hazm, the capital of northern Jawf province, was also hit. Israel said the strikes targeted Houthi intelligence and propaganda facilities, as well as a fuel depot. Al-Masirah TV broadcast Tuesday’s funerals, showing coffins carried into a mosque. Despite what mourners described as a “huge loss,” turnout was lower than expected, with heavy rain blamed for keeping many away. Concerns for press freedom The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it is still working to verify the reported deaths but noted that strict Houthi censorship makes confirmation difficult. Human Rights Watch added that Israeli strikes also hit a media center in Sanaa housing two newspapers, calling it another example of the grave risks facing journalists in Yemen. The Houthis, who say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza, have been targeting Israel with drones and missiles, and striking ships in the Red Sea for more than 22 months.

Hundreds attended funeral services Tuesday for 31 Yemeni journalists reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes last week targeting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Sanaa, the capital. The strikes followed a Houthi-launched drone that penetrated Israel’s multilayered air defenses and struck a southern Israeli airport, shattering windows and injuring one person. In Yemen, dozens were killed, including the journalists, in attacks on residential areas, a military headquarters, and a fuel station, according to the health ministry in rebel-held northern Yemen. The National Museum of Yemen in Sanaa was also damaged, with footage showing the building’s façade impacted, and a government facility in Hazm, the capital of northern Jawf province, was hit. Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV broadcast the funerals, showing dozens inside a mosque as caskets were carried for burial with an honor guard standing beside them. Attendance was lower than expected, likely due to heavy morning rain, according to attendees Khaled Rageh and Ahmed Malhy. Israel has previously conducted waves of airstrikes in response to Houthi missile and drone attacks, which the Houthis say are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza war. The group has also targeted ships in the Red Sea for more than 22 months. The Committee to Protect Journalists told AP that it is investigating the reported deaths but is facing difficulties verifying facts in rebel-held Sanaa, citing strict censorship by Houthi authorities, including bans on sharing photos or videos related to the strikes. Human Rights Watch said the Israeli airstrikes also hit a media center housing two newspapers, highlighting the dangers journalists face in Yemen from both domestic and external warring parties. Yemen analyst Mohammed al-Basha noted on X that the attacks struck as staffers at the “September 26” newspaper gathered to prepare the next edition.

Qatar on Monday prepared to host a high-level summit in Doha in response to last week’s Israeli strike on Hamas leaders, aiming to rally Arab and Islamic nations behind efforts to restrain Israel as the war in Gaza drags on. The summit comes despite Qatar’s role as a key mediator in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas — a role Doha has pledged to continue even after the assault. Since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted, Israel has expanded its retaliatory strikes across Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Syria, Qatar and Yemen. More than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, about half of them women and children, according to local health officials. The widening conflict has fueled anger across the region and deepened doubts about U.S. security guarantees in the Gulf. “It is time for the international community to stop applying double standards and punish Israel for all the crimes it has committed,” Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Sunday. Analysts note that while assembling such a summit on short notice highlights regional urgency, it remains unclear whether it will lead to stronger measures against Israel, such as diplomatic downgrades, economic restrictions, or airspace limitations. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who traveled to Doha for the meeting, accused Israel of attacking “many Islamic countries, including Qatar, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran and Yemen,” while criticizing U.S. and European support for Israel. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed the sentiment, writing on X that “Iran stands with Qatar and indeed all Muslim brothers and sisters.” Neither mentioned Iran’s own strike on Qatar earlier this year. Qatar, which has hosted Hamas’ political office for years at Washington’s request, remains central to back-channel talks. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Hamas leaders in Doha could be targeted. On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated Washington’s support for Qatar, calling it “a great ally” facing unique challenges due to its strategic location. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Israel on Monday for talks with Netanyahu, focusing on the attack on Qatar and Israel’s planned offensive in Gaza City. Meanwhile, Netanyahu faces mounting public pressure over the fate of 48 hostages still held in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.  

Turkey has expressed growing concern over a recent Israeli airstrike on a Hamas meeting in Qatar, fearing it could be targeted next, officials said. Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk, a spokesman for the Turkish Defense Ministry, warned on Thursday that Israel could “expand its reckless attacks” and drag the entire region, including Turkey, into crisis. The strike in Qatar comes amid already strained ties between Ankara and Tel Aviv over the ongoing Gaza war and competition for influence in Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a longstanding supporter of the Palestinian cause, has repeatedly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of genocide and likening him to Adolf Hitler. Hamas officials regularly visit Turkey, and some have taken residence there, prompting past Israeli accusations of Turkey allowing attacks to be planned from its territory. Experts said the Qatar attack highlighted Israel’s ability to strike across borders with relative impunity, raising concerns in Ankara. “Israel’s actions resonate with Turkish anxieties that such operations could eventually extend to Turkish territory,” said Serhat Suha Cubukcuoglu, director of Trends Research and Advisory’s Turkey program. Turkey, a NATO member, maintains significant military strength and has recently boosted its defenses, including inaugurating the “Steel Dome” air defense system and fast-tracking the KAAN fifth-generation fighter program. Analysts said Ankara may also use the situation to solidify its role as a defender of Palestinian causes. Tensions could extend to Syria, where both countries support opposing factions. While Turkey pursues a mix of military deterrence and diplomacy, experts warned that Israel’s cross-border operations signal there is “no limit to what the Israeli government can do,” underscoring Ankara’s ongoing security concerns.

Palestinian Oscar-winning director Basel Adra said Israeli soldiers raided his home in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, searching for him and inspecting his wife’s phone while his 9-month-old daughter was inside. Adra told The Associated Press that Israeli settlers also attacked his village, injuring two of his brothers and one cousin. He accompanied them to the hospital, where he learned that nine soldiers had stormed his home and briefly detained one of his uncles. Adra spent the night outside the village, unable to check on his family because soldiers were blocking the entrance. Israel’s military said its forces were in the area after Palestinians reportedly threw rocks, injuring two Israeli civilians, and were conducting searches and questioning residents. Adra denied any rock-throwing and accused settlers of attacking villagers on their land. Videos recorded by Adra’s cousin showed settlers assaulting his brother, Adam Adra, who sustained bruises to his hand, elbow, and chest. Another video showed a settler chasing a solidarity activist through an olive grove and tackling her. Adra, a journalist and filmmaker documenting settler violence in Masafer Yatta, said the raid reflected intensified targeting since his documentary No Other Land won an Oscar for best documentary this year. The film portrays the struggle of Masafer Yatta residents against Israeli military demolition orders. Co-director Yuval Abraham expressed concern over Adra’s safety, saying, “The Israeli settlers brutally attack a Palestinian village and later the army targets the Palestinians.” Masafer Yatta, designated a live-fire military training zone in the 1980s, is home to about 1,000 Palestinians. Israeli settlements in the West Bank house more than 500,000 settlers, while Palestinians live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority administering limited areas. Settler attacks and Israeli military operations in the West Bank have surged amid the ongoing Gaza war, increasing tensions and fears of further expulsions in Masafer Yatta.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Sunday as Israeli airstrikes in northern Gaza escalated, flattening a high-rise building and killing at least 12 Palestinians. Rubio’s two-day visit comes amid heightened tensions following Israel’s recent attack on Hamas operatives in Qatar, which disrupted efforts to broker a ceasefire. Ahead of his trip, he said he would seek clarity from Israeli officials on the way forward in Gaza. The visit also signals U.S. support for Israel as the United Nations prepares for a contentious debate on the recognition of a Palestinian state, opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The strike in Doha drew criticism from President Donald Trump, who said the U.S. had not been informed in advance. Rubio and Trump met Qatar’s prime minister on Friday to discuss the fallout, highlighting Washington’s efforts to balance relations among key Middle East allies. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes across Gaza killed at least 13 Palestinians and injured dozens more, including a family of six in Deir al-Balah who had recently fled northern Gaza. Israeli forces also demolished the Kauther Tower in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, less than an hour after issuing an evacuation warning. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the building’s destruction. In addition, Gaza’s health ministry reported two adult deaths from starvation in the last 24 hours, bringing malnutrition-related fatalities to 277 since June. The ongoing conflict, triggered by Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel, has killed at least 64,803 Palestinians, displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population, and left large parts of major cities in ruins. Forty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, of whom Israel believes 20 are still alive. The Israeli military has denied accusations of committing genocide, while residents warn of widespread destruction and forced displacement in Gaza.

Qatar on Saturday announced it will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on September 15 to address the recent Israeli attack on its capital. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari told the state-run Qatar News Agency that foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries will gather Sunday to draft a statement ahead of the leaders’ meeting. Al Ansari said the summit comes at a critical time, underscoring Arab and Islamic solidarity with Qatar in the face of what he called the “cowardly Israeli aggression” that targeted the homes of several Hamas leaders in Doha. He added that the summit also reflects a united rejection of what he described as “state terrorism” carried out by Israel. On Tuesday, Israel carried out an unprecedented airstrike in Doha, hitting a building where Hamas officials were holding talks on a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal. The strike killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, while key members of the Hamas negotiating team survived. The attack sparked swift condemnation from Qatar and drew criticism from across the international community.