Emma Graham-Harrison

Israeli troops forced two Palestinian families from homes in Qusra after Israeli settlers besieged the properties, cutting water and electricity and blocking medical access. Soldiers also occupied eight homes during a stated operation to remove the settlers, later leaving six, while residents reported property damage and missing equipment. Despite a promise from West Bank commander Maj Gen Avi Bluth to evacuate the settlers, the siege continued and critics accused Israeli security forces of lacking the will to confront them. Former prime minister Ehud Olmert called the events an attempt at ethnic cleansing, while the Israeli military said residents should remain in their homes but declined to explain why that order was violated. The report places the incident within a broader pattern of settler violence and Palestinian displacement in the occupied West Bank.

Swimming classes have resumed on Gaza’s coast in five makeshift pools built from sandbags and rubble, giving children a rare opportunity to play, learn and escape the trauma of war. Founded by swimming coach Amjed Tantesh, the free morning sessions serve children whose parents were killed in Israeli attacks, while afternoon classes are open to others. About 700 children have attended so far, despite the destruction of Gaza’s previous pools, the deaths of students and coaches, and the wider collapse of schooling and basic services. Tantesh hopes to expand the programme with funding, seeing it both as support for Gaza’s children and as a tribute to his brother, who was killed during the war.

Israeli defence and finance ministers detailed plans to establish new settlements in Gaza and expand construction across the West Bank with more than $400m in funding as elections approach. Military commanders openly praised extremist settler outposts, while rights groups and former Israeli leaders warned of escalating violence and illegal annexation efforts. Israel’s control of Gaza was reported to exceed levels set by a previous US‑brokered ceasefire, and casualty figures showed tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians killed. Rights organisations accused the government of enabling settler violence as part of a broader strategy to entrench control over occupied territory.

A new wave of US strikes targeted Iranian military sites, naval infrastructure and missile capabilities around Bandar Abbas, Greater Tunb Island and other southern regions as part of efforts to restrict Iran’s ability to threaten shipping in the strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with drone and missile attacks on US-linked sites in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, prompting air defence activations across multiple countries. Iranian officials reported dozens killed and hundreds injured from US attacks in recent days, while the US disabled an oil tanker accused of attempting to breach the blockade. Donald Trump warned Iran to return to negotiations or face expanded attacks, as regional tensions escalated amid collapsed ceasefire efforts and ongoing diplomatic strains.

A German activist who joined a Gaza aid flotilla has filed a criminal complaint in Israel alleging rape and repeated sexual assaults by female prison guards during her detention after Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla. She describes the attacks as part of a wider pattern of abuse aimed at intimidating foreign and Palestinian detainees. Her lawyer, from the human rights group Adalah, argues the case challenges systemic impunity in Israeli prisons. The allegations come amid rising international scrutiny, including UN censure and investigations by Australian and French authorities into mistreatment of detainees. Israeli officials deny all accusations. The activist continues to speak out publicly, framing her experience as part of broader political advocacy against abuses in Israeli detention facilities.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed strikes on US Fifth Fleet facilities in Bahrain in retaliation for US actions in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that regional energy exports could be threatened if the US restricts shipping. The US continued its fourth day of strikes on Iranian military sites and reinstated a naval blockade aimed at curbing attacks on commercial vessels. Donald Trump threatened further escalation, including targeting Iranian power plants and bridges unless negotiations resume. Kuwait reported intercepting Iranian drones, while Bahrain issued siren alerts amid rising regional tensions. The US imposed new sanctions targeting a network tied to Iranian oil exports, as military officials reported civilian casualties from recent ship attacks, and political opposition in Washington criticized the administration’s conduct of the conflict.

Israel will hold national elections on 27 October, giving voters their first chance to judge Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government since the Hamas attacks of 2023. Netanyahu faces declining support amid corruption charges, controversial legislation, escalating settler violence in the West Bank and international isolation. Polls show opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot slightly ahead. The government is pushing last-minute laws to weaken the attorney general and boost ultra-Orthodox interests. Regional conflicts, including the war with Iran and the Gaza campaign that caused mass civilian casualties, frame the political stakes as Israelis debate security, leadership and accountability.

US–Iran hostilities re‑escalated as Donald Trump declared the ceasefire over and warned of further US strikes following American attacks on Iranian sites in response to assaults on commercial vessels near the strait of Hormuz. Iranian cities reported explosions, regional militaries intercepted drones and missiles, and oil markets surged amid shipping disruptions. Diplomatic tensions deepened as Israel blocked the Arab League chief’s visit to Ramallah and Lebanon conditioned participation in upcoming Rome talks on Israeli withdrawal from designated zones. Rights groups said a photo of an abused Palestinian detainee corroborated longstanding torture allegations. Nato summit statements highlighted widening divides as Trump suggested renewed port blockades, while regional governments urged de‑escalation amid rising risks of broader conflict.

A verified photo showing a Palestinian detainee from Gaza bound, blindfolded and semi-naked supports extensive reports of torture in Israeli detention facilities, according to multiple human rights groups. Experts say both the treatment depicted and the public sharing of the image may constitute war crimes. Families searching for missing relatives identified the detainee as their sons, underscoring ongoing lack of information about Palestinians taken into custody. Rights organisations report years of abuses, forced disappearances and denial of detainee status updates, while the Israeli military states the incident violates its regulations and is under investigation.

A mass funeral procession for former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei drew millions to Tehran amid heightened regional tensions following his killing in a US–Israel airstrike. Senior Iranian officials made rare public appearances, while his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, remained absent due to security concerns. Calls for revenge and anti‑Trump sentiment marked the ceremonies. Regional developments included Hamas agreeing to hand governance of Gaza to a UN‑backed committee, ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon despite a ceasefire, and Palestinian civilian suffering highlighted by rights groups. Israel faced scrutiny over its digital targeting system that identified 850,000 targets during the wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Tensions also rose over potential US sales of F‑35 components to Turkey, opposed by Israel’s leadership.

A UK charity, Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron, transferred nearly £200,000 to a Hebron-based religious school central to new Israeli settlement expansion, raising concerns over potential violations of its trust deed and UK charity rules. The settlement’s growth follows Israeli government moves to assert planning authority in Hebron, prompting warnings from Palestinian activists, Israeli advocacy groups and international figures about increased violence, displacement and apartheid conditions. UK officials, including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, have signaled concerns about charities funnelling funds to illegal settlements, with the Charity Commission reviewing cases identified by MP Melanie Ward. The school’s expansion is linked to heightened military presence and settler aggression, while the charity’s UK operational ties and financial practices face scrutiny.

A prominent Gaza doctor, Hussam Abu Safiya, is reported by his lawyer to be in life-threatening condition after severe injuries allegedly suffered during 18 months of detention without charge in Israeli prisons. He described repeated beatings, solitary confinement, and deteriorating health following transfers between facilities, including the reopened Rakefet prison. Human rights groups assert his case reflects broader systemic abuses against Palestinians and the undermining of healthcare access. The article also recounts the death of a four-month-old Palestinian baby after Israeli soldiers allegedly blocked his family from reaching an ambulance, further highlighting concerns about restrictions on medical care in the occupied territories.

Countries across the world describe a sharp deterioration in their relationships with the United States as Trump’s second term reshapes global perceptions. Longstanding allies express feelings of betrayal, coercion, or uncertainty, while adversaries register a mix of opportunism, disappointment, and strategic recalculation. Once viewed as a stabilizing democratic power, the US is increasingly seen as unpredictable and transactional. Although admiration for American culture and economic dynamism persists in many regions, trust in its leadership has eroded, driving countries to strengthen regional ties, seek new partnerships, or brace for a future world order less anchored by American reliability.

Former Israeli prime ministers, security chiefs, legal authorities and cultural figures have issued a final warning to the government demanding immediate action to halt what they describe as Jewish terrorism against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The leaked letter accuses the government, military and security services of enabling a campaign of extreme violence that violates Israeli and international law, threatens national security and fuels global antisemitism. The signatories warn they will petition Israel’s high court if the prime minister and senior officials fail to intervene. The letter cites years of impunity for attacks by settlers and soldiers, criticizes far‑right ministers for advancing an agenda of ethnic cleansing and annexation, and challenges recent official claims that the violence is limited or under control.

An investigation by the legal non-profit Global Echo found that Israeli exporters have routinely mislabelled agricultural products grown in illegal settlements in occupied Palestine and the Syrian Golan Heights as Israeli, enabling them to receive preferential tariffs in the UK and EU. Analysis of more than 30,000 export documents revealed that a significant share of settlement goods entered Europe under false labeling through regulatory loopholes, misleading practices and fraud. The findings indicate systemic failures in EU and UK enforcement, allowing consumers and governments to unknowingly subsidize the settlement economy. Testimony from Palestinians and industry insiders describes land confiscation, restricted access to resources and intensified pressures on Palestinian farmers. Despite long-standing recognition of settlements as illegal under international law, European governments have not taken meaningful action to curb the trade, while Israeli subsidies continue to support settlement expansion.

The UN placed Israel and Russia on a blacklist for conflict-related sexual violence after verifying extensive abuses by their security forces, including rape, genital mutilation and systematic torture, despite both governments blocking investigators. Israel was found to have abused Palestinian detainees in multiple facilities, with restrictions on UN access and a lack of accountability contributing to ongoing violations. Russia was described as conducting systemic sexual torture against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war across nearly all detention centres. Hamas remains listed for sexual violence during the October 7 attacks, while Ukrainian forces were also found responsible for limited cases and have cooperated with monitors. The report highlights a global rise in sexual violence in conflict and details widespread impunity among major perpetrators.

Negotiations between the US and Iran remain unresolved as JD Vance says key disputes over uranium enrichment persist, despite progress toward a memorandum of understanding. Donald Trump has circulated a draft peace agreement, while conflicting claims emerged over whether Iran intercepted a US aircraft near Bushehr. Israel faces criticism after being included in a UN report detailing conflict-related sexual violence, prompting a break in contact with António Guterres. Intensifying Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed civilians and damaged heritage sites, drawing strong condemnation from Lebanese officials. Regional tensions continue to rise as Iran fires warning shots near the Strait of Hormuz and reports missile launches, while diplomatic efforts proceed through regional and international channels.

Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz stated that the government intends to pursue large-scale Palestinian migration from Gaza, described by critics as ethnic cleansing. The policy conflicts with terms of Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan, which emphasised redevelopment for Gazans. Human rights groups argue conditions imposed by Israel make any departure involuntary and therefore a war crime. With elections approaching, analysts suggest Benjamin Netanyahu and allies are emphasising security actions for political gain while signalling continued exclusion of Hamas from governance.

US strikes on Iranian targets prompted accusations from Tehran of violating the April ceasefire, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have shot down a US drone and vowed to respond. Israel escalated its ground operations in southern Lebanon, expanding beyond the Yellow Line and conducting airstrikes that caused multiple casualties. Regional tensions deepened as Hezbollah-Israel clashes intensified and warnings were issued to civilians in several Lebanese towns. Peace talks between the US and Iran continued despite the escalation, with Turkey and Qatar maintaining mediation efforts. Brent crude prices rose amid uncertainty over shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz. Additional developments included Israeli expropriation of land in the West Bank, reports of detainee operations linked to the PFLP, and partial restoration of Iran’s internet after months of blackout.

US–Iran negotiations showed limited progress as top Iranian officials met Qatar’s prime minister while new US strikes hit southern Iran, which Washington described as self‑defensive. Marco Rubio said the strait of Hormuz must remain open and indicated deal language may take days to resolve. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensified after Benjamin Netanyahu ordered escalation, prompting retaliatory attacks from Hezbollah and civilian displacement in Lebanon. Oil prices fluctuated sharply amid expectations of a potential reopening of the strait. Two Iranian boats allegedly laying mines were destroyed by US forces, and missile sites were targeted around Bandar Abbas. Diplomatic efforts continued despite the renewed military activity.

Israel ends its longstanding informal moratorium on executions by passing two new laws enabling the death penalty, with indications they would apply primarily to Palestinians. Itamar Ben-Gvir’s public support reflects a broader shift within the government, while Emma Graham‑Harrison outlines the legal and political context and Annie Kelly examines whether dissenting voices exist within Israel regarding the policy.

Israel faces growing alarm over a potential US-Iran deal being pursued by Donald Trump that offers weaker nuclear constraints than the 2015 agreement and leaves Israel excluded from negotiations. Critics accuse Benjamin Netanyahu of jeopardizing bipartisan US support and failing to achieve strategic goals promised at the start of the joint US‑Israel war on Iran. Israeli commentators warn that the fallout may accelerate Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition urge renewed conflict in Lebanon. Public backing for the government has declined amid stalled progress on regime change in Tehran and continued security threats from Iran and its allies.

Israel has ended its long informal moratorium on capital punishment by passing two laws that would apply the death penalty largely to Palestinians. Emma Graham-Harrison explains the political backdrop, including far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s support, and discusses how the shift reflects a broader change in the Israeli justice system and the extent of dissent inside the country.