United News of Bangladesh

Peace talks between Israel and Hamas resumed on Tuesday at Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, coinciding with the second anniversary of the militant group’s surprise attack on Israel that triggered the devastating war in Gaza. The renewed round of indirect negotiations is centered on a peace plan proposed last week by U.S. President Donald Trump, which aims to end the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya told Egypt’s Qahera TV that the group seeks guarantees of a permanent ceasefire as part of any agreement involving the release of the remaining 48 hostages—around 20 of whom are believed by Israel to still be alive. It marked his first public appearance since an Israeli airstrike in Qatar last month targeted him and other top Hamas figures, killing six people, including his son and office manager. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already accepted Trump’s plan, which calls for the immediate release of hostages, Hamas’s disarmament, and placing Gaza under international administration—conditions yet to be endorsed by Hamas. Netanyahu’s office said Israel was “cautiously optimistic,” describing the ongoing discussions as technical negotiations on a framework both parties have tentatively approved. Trump’s initiative has drawn wide international support. Speaking to reporters Monday, the U.S. president said he believed there was a “really good chance” of reaching a lasting peace deal. Global rallies mark Oct 7 anniversary as Gaza war’s toll deepens, protests grow worldwide Momentum appeared to build further as Qatar announced that its prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, would travel to Egypt on Wednesday to join the mediation efforts. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Netanyahu’s senior adviser Ron Dermer are also expected to participate. Trump’s peace plan The U.S.-brokered proposal envisions Israel withdrawing its forces from Gaza once Hamas disarms, to be followed by the deployment of an international security force. The plan also calls for Gaza to come under international governance, overseen by Trump and former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. In a statement Tuesday, Hamas reiterated its demands for a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, without mentioning the issue of disarmament. The war erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251 others. Most hostages have since been released through ceasefire deals. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 67,160 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 170,000 injured in the ensuing conflict. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters but says about half of the dead are women and children. The United Nations and independent analysts regard its data as the most credible estimate of casualties. Gaza peace talks continue on war's two-year anniversary Several international experts, including those commissioned by a U.N. body, have said Israel’s military campaign amounts to genocide—an allegation Israel vehemently rejects. On Tuesday, thousands of Israelis gathered at the sites attacked two years ago to commemorate victims and hostages. During the memorial, a rocket fired from northern Gaza exploded nearby, though no damage or casualties were reported. In Gaza City, residents said Israeli strikes continued until early Tuesday, though there were no immediate reports of casualties. Humanitarian lifeline in focus Ahead of the latest talks, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres described the Gaza conflict as “a humanitarian catastrophe on a scale that defies comprehension.” Trump’s proposal, he said, “offers an opportunity that must be seized to end this tragic conflict.” Egypt and Qatar, which have mediated between Israel and Hamas throughout much of the war, are again facilitating the current round of discussions. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Monday’s talks lasted around four hours. Witkoff, Kushner, and Dermer are due to arrive in Egypt on Wednesday, according to U.S. and Israeli officials who spoke on condition of anonymity as their trips had not yet been formally announced. A key element of Trump’s plan is to accelerate the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where over 2 million Palestinians are facing severe hunger and, in some areas, famine conditions. Source: AP

At least 25 members of the same family were killed when Israeli warplanes bombed a cluster of homes in Gaza City’s Sabra neighbourhood early Sunday, amid intensifying attacks across the besieged territory. The strikes hit as Israeli tanks pushed further into Sabra, part of a broader plan to seize control of the area. Rescue efforts were underway, with at least 17 people pulled from the rubble. Family members feared as many as 50 others remained trapped, with survivors saying they could still hear voices beneath the debris. “We keep hearing their screams from under the rubble, but we cannot reach them,” one family member pleaded. “I appeal to the whole world: Please lend us a helping hand. Our relatives are buried alive.” Rescue workers said their efforts were being hampered by Israeli drones firing at those digging through the rubble. “For every five men making an attempt, four are killed and only one survives,” a relative said. Push for two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict faces hurdles and risks backfire Video circulating online showed casualties being carried away in small vehicles, including a grieving mother who cried that she had lost “all of my children” in the attack. Israeli forces also carried out air raids on the Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City and the Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood to the southwest, as well as targeting Laval Tower in the Nasr district and a nearby house. Separately, seven Palestinians — including four children — were killed in a strike on the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, near a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) clinic, according to emergency sources. Medical sources cited by the Wafa news agency said at least 68 people had been killed across Gaza since dawn on Sunday. The Gaza Health Ministry reported Saturday that overall casualties since October 2023 had reached 65,283 dead and 166,575 wounded. It also confirmed four more deaths from Israeli-induced starvation, raising that toll to 440, including 147 children. Israel continues demolishing buildings and forcing residents to flee as it presses its ground assault. The military said three divisions are advancing in Gaza City and northern Gaza, while another is operating in Khan Younis. It claimed its forces killed “many terrorists” in the past 24 hours. Gaza authorities estimate nearly 900,000 people remain in Gaza City, though Israel says more than 450,000 have already been displaced since early September. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, Pope Leo condemned the forced displacement of civilians, stressing, “There is no future based on violence, forced exile, and revenge.” Meanwhile, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Portugal announced formal recognition of Palestinian statehood just days ahead of the 80th United Nations General Assembly. Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin welcomed the move, calling Israel’s actions “a systematic assault on the very fabric of humanity, designed to erase the Palestinian people’s existence, culture and future.” Source: Agency

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.  

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has called upon the international community to take immediate and decisive action against what he terms Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. “The world must now take immediate action to take genuine steps enshrined in international law and human morality against Israeli genocide,” he said in a statement on his verified Facebook page early Wednesday.  The BNP leader also urged the international community to use all economic, political and diplomatic avenues to ensure there is an immediate and lasting ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. Citing the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948), he pointed to the definition of genocide as "the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group," emphasising that Israel's actions meet this criteria. Reject cruelty, embrace humanity: Tarique Rahman Tarique said a new UN commission report has been detailed and direct in concluding that Israel is responsible for this crime against Palestinians in Gaza.  “No more excuses or hiding behind propaganda can continue. History teaches us many lessons about acting morally and bravely, even when it may not be the easiest path. We cannot stand by when the very existence of Palestinians is at risk,” he said. Tarique called upon Bangladeshis around the world, whether at home or abroad, to use their collective voice and ensure their leaders stand with Palestine in the face of brutal destruction by Israel. "States have the tools to make a difference. They always do" he said, emphasising that this is a moment where global leadership is needed more than ever.  

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain has reiterated Bangladesh’s unwavering solidarity with the people of Palestine and reaffirmed support for a two-State solution based on pre-1967 borders. He also stressed the urgency of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, accountability for the atrocities committed by Israel, and the need for lasting peace in the region. The Adviser made the remarks when Chief Justice of Palestine Dr Mahmoud Sidqi Al-Habbash met with at State guesthouse Padma on Tuesday. Bangladesh has been a great support to Palestine: Ambassador The Chief Justice of Palestine expressed deep gratitude to the leadership and people of Bangladesh for their steadfast support to the Palestinian cause and underscored the importance of greater unity within the Muslim Ummah on this issue. Dr Al-Habbash is visiting Bangladesh on a three-day official trip at the invitation of the Chief Justice of Bangladesh.

Israeli airstrikes killed 14 people in the Gaza Strip, while a separate incident left 10 more Palestinians dead as they tried to access food in the war-ravaged enclave, hospital officials in Gaza told on Saturday. Meanwhile, two American aid workers from the Israel-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) were wounded in southern Gaza during an attack at a food distribution point. The organization blamed Hamas for the assault but did not provide any evidence to support the claim. The latest wave of violence comes as U.S.-mediated ceasefire efforts to end the nearly 21-month conflict show signs of progress. Hamas gave a “positive” response to Washington's latest proposal for a 60-day ceasefire on Friday night but stressed that further negotiations were necessary to settle implementation details. The group is seeking assurances that the temporary truce would eventually lead to a full cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. U.S. President Donald Trump has been pressing for a breakthrough and plans to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week to advance the talks. Palestinians killed in southern Gaza Israeli airstrikes targeted tents in the Muwasi area along the southern Mediterranean coast of Gaza, killing seven people, including a Palestinian doctor and his three children, according to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Additionally, four more people were killed in the town of Bani Suheila in southern Gaza, while three others died in separate airstrikes across Khan Younis. The Israeli military has not yet commented on these incidents. In a separate development, eight Palestinians were killed near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) food distribution site in the southern city of Rafah, the hospital reported. Another Palestinian was killed near a different GHF site in Rafah. It remains unclear how close the victims were to the aid distribution locations. GHF denied the killings happened near their sites. Previously the organization has said no one has been shot at its sites, which are guarded by private contractors but can only be accessed by passing Israeli military positions hundreds of meters away. The army had no immediate comment, but has said it fires warning shots as a crowd-control measure and it only aims at people when its troops are threatened. One Palestinian was also killed waiting in crowds for aid trucks in eastern Khan Younis, officials at Nasser Hospital said. The United Nations and other international organizations bring in their own supplies of aid. It was unclear to which organization the aid trucks the Palestinians were waiting for belonged to, but the incident did not appear to be connected to GHF operations. Crowds of Palestinians often wait for trucks and unload or loot their contents before they reach their destinations. These trucks must pass through areas under Israeli military control. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident.

Pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action on Friday sought to block the British government’s decision to ban the organization under anti-terrorism laws, following a high-profile incident in which activists broke into a military base and vandalized two planes. The ban, which was approved by Parliament earlier this week, is scheduled to take effect at midnight. Once in force, membership in the group or support for its actions will be considered a criminal offense, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Raza Husain, a lawyer representing Palestine Action co-founders Huda Ammori, argued against the decision in court on Friday. “My client had never encouraged harm to any person at all,” Husain told the court. He also read a statement from Ammori, saying: “We ask you, in the first instance, to suspend until July 21 what we say is an ill-considered, discriminatory and authoritarian abuse of statutory power which is alien to the basic tradition of the common law and is contrary to the Human Rights Act." Justice Martin Chamberlain is expected to announce his decision at the conclusion of Friday’s hearing. 82 Palestinians killed in Gaza, including 38 people waiting for aid, authorities say The British government’s move to ban the group follows a break-in at the Royal Air Force base in Brize Norton last month, where activists damaged two military planes using red paint and crowbars. The protest targeted the UK government’s continued military support for Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Authorities estimated the damage at approximately 7 million pounds ($9.4 million), and four people have been charged in connection with the incident. The suspects, aged between 22 and 35, face charges of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and conspiracy to enter a prohibited place for purposes prejudicial to the interests of the United Kingdom. During a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday, no pleas were entered. The four are scheduled to appear before the Central Criminal Court on July 18. Following the break-in, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. She described the vandalism of the military aircraft as “disgraceful” and added that the group had a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage.”

At least 22 Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured on Monday after Israeli forces opened fire on people near food aid sites in southern and northern Gaza, according to witnesses, hospitals, and the territory’s Health Ministry. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving the bodies of 11 individuals shot while returning from an aid distribution center operated under the Israeli and U.S.-supported Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF). The program, aimed at addressing severe food shortages, has seen over 500 Palestinians killed in incidents during aid distributions in the past month, health officials say. Additionally, 10 more Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on a U.N. aid warehouse in Gaza City, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Witnesses describe troops firing on civilians The southern Gaza incident occurred roughly 3 kilometers from the GHF aid site in Khan Younis. Witnesses said Israeli forces fired at crowds traveling along one of the few accessible routes to reach the center. “They shot at us without warning,” said Yousef Mahmoud Mokheimar, who sustained a leg injury during the incident. He claimed troops initially fired warning shots before targeting the crowd directly. Mokheimar also reported seeing Israeli forces detain six people, including three children, though their fate remains unknown. Another survivor, Monzer Hisham Ismail, said those returning from the aid hub faced artillery fire. One more person was killed near a GHF center in Rafah, hospital officials added. The Israeli military acknowledged the reports and said it was reviewing the incidents. The army maintains it fires warning shots when individuals approach troops suspiciously, including near aid sites. Israel, backed by the U.S., seeks to replace U.N. and international aid efforts with the GHF system, accusing Hamas of diverting aid for its own use—an allegation the U.N. denies. Israel’s military says it has introduced new measures, including additional routes, fences, and signage, to better organize aid distribution. Israeli settlers attack military base in the West Bank Escalating strikes across northern Gaza In northern Gaza, at least 10 Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces struck a U.N. aid warehouse in Gaza City. It is unclear whether aid was present at the facility during the attack. The Gaza City strike coincided with intensified Israeli bombardment of the city and the Jabaliya refugee camp. Israeli authorities issued sweeping evacuation orders on Sunday and Monday, warning residents of military operations targeting Hamas command centers. Palestinians reported heavy airstrikes overnight, describing the offensive as a “scorched earth” campaign against buildings and infrastructure. “They’re destroying everything left,” said Gaza City resident Mohamed Mahdy, who fled his damaged home early Monday. Israeli airstrikes kill at least 72 in Gaza as ceasefire hopes grow Emergency officials said vast parts of Gaza City and Jabaliya are inaccessible due to the strikes, preventing ambulances from reaching people trapped under rubble. The Israeli military says its operations focus on targeting Hamas militants and command centers, and blames civilian casualties on the group’s use of densely populated areas for military purposes.  

At least 93 people were killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza on Friday as US President Donald Trump wrapped up his regional trip. Strikes overnight hit across Gaza, including the outskirts of Deir al-Balah and the city of Khan Younis. Gaza's health ministry said hundreds more were injured in addition to those killed, reports AP. The widespread attacks across come as Trump finishes his visit to Gulf states but not Israel. There had been widespread hope that his regional trip could usher in a ceasefire deal or renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza. An Israeli blockade of the territory is now in its third month.  Israeli strikes kill at least 64 people in Gaza as Trump wraps up his Middle East visit Speaking to reporters at a business forum in Abu Dhabi on the final day of his trip, Trump said he was looking to resolve a range of global crises, including Gaza. “We’re looking at Gaza,” he said. “And we’ve got to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving. A lot of people are — there’s a lot of bad things going on.” Israel said Friday it was continuing its operations against militants in Gaza and that it struck 150 targets in the past day, including anti-tank missile posts and military structures. In northern Gaza, it eliminated several militants who were operating in an observation compound, it said. The strikes lasted for hours into Friday morning and sent people fleeing from the Jabaliya refugee camp and the town of Beit Lahiya. They followed days of similar attacks that killed more than 130 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. After the strikes, dark smoke was seen rising over Jabaliya as people grabbed what they could of their belongings and fled on donkey carts, by car and foot. “The army entered upon us, bombing, killing. ... We got out of the house with difficulty, killing and death, we did not take anything,” said Feisal Al-Attar, who was displaced from Beit Lahiya. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed earlier in the week to push ahead with a promised escalation of force in Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip to pursue his aim of destroying the Hamas militant group, which governs Gaza. In comments released by Netanyahu’s office Tuesday, the he said Israeli forces were days away from entering Gaza “with great strength to complete the mission ... It means destroying Hamas.”  54 killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on Southern Gaza’s Khan Younis

In a High Court hearing starting Tuesday, the U.K. government will defend its decision to continue supplying parts for F-35 fighter jets that may be used by Israel in Gaza, The legal challenge was brought by human rights groups, which argue that the government is breaking domestic and international law and is complicit in atrocities against Palestinians by allowing essential components for the warplanes to be supplied to Israel. UK’s Starmer  announces stricter immigration plan; pledges sharp drop in migration numbers  The government said in September that it was suspending about 30 of 350 existing export licenses for equipment deemed to be for use in the conflict in Gaza because of a “clear risk” that the items could be used to “commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.” Those equipment included parts for helicopters and drones. But an exemption was made for some licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets, which have been linked to Israel’s bombardment campaign in the Gaza Strip. Rights groups argue that the United Kingdom shouldn't continue the export of the parts through what they call a “deliberate loophole” given the government's own assessment of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law. Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq and the U.K.-based Global Legal Action Network, which brought the legal challenge, say the components are indirectly supplied to Israel through the global spare parts supply chain. U.K. officials have argued that stopping the export of F-35 fighter jet components would negatively impact international peace and security. Compared to major arms suppliers such as the U.S. and Germany, British firms sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel. The Campaign Against Arms Trade nonprofit group estimates that the U.K. supplies about 15% of the components in the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, including its laser targeting system. “British-made F-35s are dropping multi-ton bombs on the people of Gaza, which the U.N. secretary-general has described as a ‘killing field,’” said Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, a lawyer for the Global Legal Action Network. “The U.K. government has expressly departed from its own domestic law in order to keep arming Israel. This decision is of continuing and catastrophic effect," she added. The hearing is expected to last four days and a decision is expected at a later date. Israel resumed its bombardment in Gaza in March, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. More than 52,800 people, more than half of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. The ministry’s count doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed thousands of militants, without giving evidence. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza.  UK urges India-Pakistan to show restraint, engage in dialogue