IDF Moves Into Deir Al-Balah Where 'Hostages Are Held', Families Blast Israel's "Aimless" Gaza War
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The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
State for the stateless: on France and Palestinian statehood
France's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood, in September, reflects President Emmanuel Macron's deep frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the ongoing war on Gaza, as well as his willingness to adopt a more pro-active and constructive approach towards finding a durable solution. Of the 193 members of the UN, 147, including India, China and Russia, have already recognised the Palestinian state. But powerful western nations, with close ties to Israel, have always stopped short of granting official recognition even if professing support for a two-state solution. But this position began to shift after the Gaza war in October 2023, with more European countries taking formal steps towards its recognition. Last year, Spain, Ireland, Norway and Slovenia recognised Palestine's independence. If Mr. Macron follows through, France will be the first G-7 member nation to do so. Such a move may not have an immediate, direct impact on the peace process. That more western European countries are now ready to take irreversible measures in favour of Palestinian statehood, ignoring strong opposition from Tel Aviv and Washington, marks a clear change in sentiment towards one of the modern world's most contentious conflicts. Mr. Macron's announcement comes at a critical juncture for the Palestinians. The war has devastated the enclave with confirmed deaths reaching 60,000 in 21 months — roughly 2.5% of its total population. In the West Bank, settler violence has displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians. Israeli Ministers have openly threatened to ethnically cleanse Gaza and annex the West Bank. Images of starving and malnourished children, which came out of Gaza last week, have jolted global conscience. Even Israel's closest allies, including Britain, Canada and France, issued a rare joint statement, urging Mr. Netanyahu to 'immediately end the humanitarian catastrophe'. Under mounting pressure, Israel has announced 'tactical pauses' in its attacks. But this is far from sufficient. What Gaza urgently needs is a complete end to the bombings and shelling, and the full opening of its borders to humanitarian aid. Given that pressure is the only language Israel appears to understand, and with the Donald Trump presidency showing no willingness to apply it, Europe must do more. Efforts to end the war, which in terms of mass killings, devastation and displacement is comparable to the 1948-49 Nakba, must be accompanied by initiatives to ensure that such a catastrophe is never repeated. There should be concrete measures from the international community to pursue a durable political solution, which is the two-state solution. The first step in that direction is the recognition of Palestinian independence and statehood. France has promised to join, though belatedly, most member-countries of the UN in the statehood push. Other nations in the West must follow.
India Today
28 minutes ago
- India Today
School assembly news headlines today- July 29: Top national, sports and world news curated for you
Here is the School Assembly News Update for July 29, 2025. This bulletin highlights significant national, international, and sports developments. It is aimed at keeping students informed and encouraging a regular habit of staying updated with current affairs. On July 29, 2025, many school students are preparing to present the news during their morning assembly. This daily routine not only helps them stay informed about major events in India and around the world but also improves their public speaking and confidence. To support their efforts, here are 12 important headlines covering national, international, and sports news: National News Parliament Monsoon session: After first week washout, Houses set for fiery debate on Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor After a week of disruptions, Parliament's Monsoon session is expected to see a heated debate from Monday (July 28, 2025) over the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. The ruling party and the Opposition are likely to clash over these key matters related to national security and foreign policy. 6 Dead, Several Injured In Stampede At Haridwar's Mansa Devi Temple Six people lost their lives and many others were hurt in a stampede at Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The incident happened on the stairs leading to the main temple. Police said the stampede may have started after rumours of possible electrocution caused panic among the devotees. Indian doctors use robot tech to operate on patients in Indore from 10,000 km away in France Indian doctors successfully carried out a gastric bypass and heart defect surgery on patients in Indore while attending a conference in Strasbourg, France - almost 10,000 km away. They used a made-in-India surgical robot to perform the operations in real time, with help from SS Innovations and Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS) teams. India's 78% railway tracks upgraded to over 110kmph: Vaishnaw To bring high-speed trains and make travel safer, the Ministry of Railways has improved 78% of India's rail tracks to support speeds over 110 kmph by early 2025. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that upgrades are happening all over the country. The total railway track length has grown from 79,342 km in 2014 to over 1 lakh km in 2025. World News Israel announces daily 10-hr humanitarian pauses in areas of Gaza The Israeli army said it will stop military action in crowded parts of Gaza for 10 hours each day to help deliver and share humanitarian aid. On Saturday, the Israeli Air Force dropped aid from the air for the first time, following government orders. This comes after Israel faced criticism for stopping aid from reaching Gaza. Attack on Indian man sparks calls for tougher laws in Melbourne The brutal attack on 33-year-old Saurabh Anand, who was badly injured and nearly lost his hand, has brought fresh attention to youth crime in Melbourne. The incident has led to calls for stricter bail rules and harsher punishments for violent crimes. Police have arrested four teenagers in connection with the attack, as concerns grow over the increase in knife-related violence in the city. Thai-Cambodia border clashes continue despite Trump's truce call Cambodia and Thailand both accused each other of firing artillery across their disputed border on Sunday. This happened just hours after US President Donald Trump said the two sides had agreed to try for a ceasefire. The fighting, now in its fourth day, has killed 33 people and forced over 1,30,000 people to leave their homes near the border. Russia cancels annual navy parade due to 'security reasons' Russia has called off its yearly navy parade due to "security reasons." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not explain the exact threat but said it was because of the overall situation and that safety is the top priority. The parade, held every year on the last Sunday of July, is meant to honour the country's sailors. Sports News WUG 2025: Sahil Jadhav wins compound gold as Indian archers finish with 5-medal haul Indian archers had a great day at the World University Games on Saturday. Sahil Jadhav gave an almost perfect performance and won a gold medal. India won five medals in archery that day - gold in the mixed team event, silver in the men's team, bronze in the women's team, and two individual medals: Jadhav's gold and Parneet Kaur's silver. Shubman Gill becomes 3rd Indian in history to score 700 runs in a Test series Team India captain Shubman Gill is now the third Indian player to score over 700 runs in a single Test series. He reached this milestone during the second innings of the fourth Test against England in Manchester. Before him, only Sunil Gavaskar (who did it twice) and Yashasvi Jaiswal had achieved this record. Stokes creates history after scoring 100 and taking 5fer in Test England captain Ben Stokes has become the first from his country to score a century and take five wickets in the same Test match. He achieved this rare feat on day four of the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford in Manchester. He now joins legends like Imran Khan, Mushtaq Mohammed, Gary Sobers, and Denis Atkinson who have done the same. Messi and Alba suspended for one match for missing MLS All-Star Lionel Messi has been given a one-match suspension because he missed the MLS All-Star Game without getting permission in advance, the league announced on Friday (July 25, 2025). Students are advised to keep checking this page for the latest news information.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Israel Begins Daily Pause In Fighting In Parts of Gaza Amid Surging Hunger
The Israeli military on Sunday began a limited pause in fighting in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day, part of measures including airdrops as concerns grow over surging hunger and as Israel faces international criticism over its conduct in the 21-month war. The military said the "tactical pause" in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi, three areas with large populations, would increase humanitarian aid entering the territory. The pause runs from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily until further notice. "Whichever path we choose, we will have to continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian supplies," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. As the military had warned, combat operations continued otherwise. An airstrike on a Gaza City apartment killed a woman and her four children. Another strike killed four people, including a boy, his mother and grandfather, in the eastern Zaytoun neighborhood. Israel's military had no immediate comment. Food experts have warned for months of the risk of famine in Gaza, where Israel has restricted aid to the population of over 2 million because it says Hamas siphons off goods to help bolster its rule, without providing evidence. Images in recent days of emaciated children in Gaza have fanned global criticism of Israel, including by close allies, who call for an end to the war and the humanitarian catastrophe it has created. Much of Gaza's population, squeezed by fighting into ever tinier patches of land, now relies on aid. Israel's military also said it would put in place secure routes for aid delivery. It said the new steps were made in coordination with the United Nations and other humanitarian groups. Neighboring Jordan said it carried out three airdrops over Gaza, including one in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, dropping 25 tons of food and supplies on several locations. The U.N. World Food Program welcomed the steps and said it had enough food in, or on its way, to feed all of Gaza for nearly three months. It said a ceasefire was needed to ensure goods reached everyone in need. WFP has said a third of Gaza's population were not eating for days and nearly half a million were enduring famine-like conditions. Dr. Muneer al-Boursh, director-general of Gaza's Health Ministry, called for a flood of medical supplies and other goods to help treat child malnutrition after an increase in hunger-related deaths. "This (humanitarian) truce will mean nothing if it doesn't turn into a real opportunity to save lives," he said. "Every delay is measured by another funeral." The local pauses in fighting came as ceasefire efforts between Israel and Hamas appeared to be in doubt. Israel and the U.S. recalled their negotiating teams from Qatar on Thursday, blaming Hamas, and Israel said it was considering "alternative options" to talks. Israel says it is prepared to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile, something the group has refused. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawi said Israel's change of tack on the humanitarian crisis amounted to an acknowledgement that there were starving Palestinians in Gaza, and asserted that the move was meant to improve its international standing and not save lives. After ending the latest ceasefire in March, Israel cut off the entry of food, medicine, fuel and other supplies to Gaza for 2 months, saying it aimed to pressure Hamas to release hostages. Fifty of them remain in Gaza, over half of them believed to be dead. Under international pressure, Israel slightly eased the blockade in May. Since then, it has allowed in around 4,500 trucks for the U.N. and others to distribute. The average of 69 trucks a day, however, is far below the 500 to 600 trucks a day the U.N. says are needed. The U.N. says it has been unable to distribute much of the aid because hungry crowds and gangs take most of it from arriving trucks. As a way to divert aid delivery away from the U.N.'s control, Israel has backed the U.S.-registered Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which in May opened four centers distributing boxes of food. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food, mostly near those new sites, the U.N. human rights office says. Israel has railed against the U.N. throughout the war, saying its system allowed Hamas to steal aid. The U.N. denies that claim and says its delivery mechanism was the best way to bring aid to Palestinians. The Awda Hospital in Nuseirat said Israeli forces killed at least 13 people, including four children and a woman, and wounded 101 as they were headed toward a GHF aid distribution site in central Gaza. GHF, which denies involvement in any violence near its sites, said there were no incidents at or near its sites. Israel's military said it was looking into the report. Ten other people were killed seeking aid in other areas of Gaza, including northwestern Gaza City, where over 50 people were wounded, hospital officials and medics said. Israel's military announced that two more soldiers were killed in Gaza, bringing the total to 898 since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the war. Hamas killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in that attack, and took 251 hostages. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 59,700 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says over half of the dead are women and children. The ministry operates under the Hamas government. The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.
