Middle East

French President Emmanuel Macron has publicly disputed statements made by Donald Trump about Gaza. According to the claim, the French leader rejected the US president's assertions regarding the situation in the Palestinian territory. The exchange adds to ongoing tensions between Western leaders over policy on the Middle East, though further details of the dispute and both sides' exact arguments remain unclear.

French President Emmanuel Macron publicly responded to Donald Trump's proposal for Gaza, saying that the peace Trump describes does not exist. Speaking about the situation in the enclave, Macron cast doubt on the viability of the plan and pushed back on the American approach to ending the war. The exchange has drawn wide attention, with commentators weighing the rift between the two leaders over one of the most contentious diplomatic questions of the moment.

The Israeli military says it has found a 600-meter-long tunnel in Gaza, which it describes as a Hamas terror hideout, and footage shows its subsequent demolition. The discovery is being widely shared and discussed amid the ongoing war, with observers debating the scale of Hamas's underground network and the IDF's continued operations to destroy tunnel infrastructure across the territory.

Egypt warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that an attack on Israel was imminent shortly before Hamas launched its October 7 assault, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The disclosure raises new questions about how Israeli leadership assessed the threat ahead of the deadliest attack in the country's history, and could intensify scrutiny of the security and intelligence failures that allowed it to happen.

Israeli forces say they have killed a global jihadist terrorist involved in the kidnapping of Noa Argamani during the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. Argamani was later rescued by Israeli troops in June 2024 and became one of the most recognisable faces of the hostages. The strike is being reported by Israeli media and has drawn attention to ongoing Israeli operations against those responsible for the October 7 abductions.

Al Jazeera reports that UNRWA has been given no role in Gaza under the Board of Peace framework, raising questions about whether the body is aligning with Israeli positions. Critics argue sidelining the UN agency, long the main provider of aid and services to Palestinians, sets a troubling precedent, while backers say Gaza's reconstruction needs new structures.

The head of Hamas has called for direct talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and endorsed a roadmap for Gaza's future, according to The New Arab. The move signals a possible thaw between the rival Palestinian factions and could shape international efforts over Gaza's governance and reconstruction after the war.

An Israeli drone strike has killed a Palestinian man in Gaza City, according to reporting by Middle East Eye. The strike adds to the ongoing toll of violence in the territory, where Israeli military operations continue. Details about the victim's identity and the circumstances of the strike were not immediately available.

An Israeli airstrike struck a car in Gaza City, killing one person and injuring several others, according to news reports carried by multiple outlets. Details on the identity of those killed and wounded were not immediately available. The strike comes as the conflict in Gaza continues to draw sustained international attention.

Gaza's civil defense agency says it has recovered the remains of 28 Palestinians from a house in the territory that was destroyed in an Israeli strike in 2023. The recovery effort comes as crews continue to pull bodies from rubble across Gaza, where thousands remain missing under destroyed buildings and ceasefire and recovery operations remain a focus of international attention.

Thousands of people are heading toward the Gaza border in a march calling for the renewal of Israeli settlement in the northern Gaza Strip. Israel withdrew its settlements from Gaza in 2005, and any effort to re-establish them would be highly contentious, touching on one of the most sensitive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The march is drawing significant attention and reaction across the region.

Egypt has rejected calls from Israeli officials to expand military operations in the occupied West Bank, after far-right Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich urged a Gaza-style war there. Cairo warned such a escalation would destabilise the region further, deepening tensions between Israel and a key mediator in the conflict.

The US-led Board of Peace has announced that UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, will have no role in Gaza going forward. The statement marks a significant decision about the administration of humanitarian aid and services in the territory, and is likely to draw strong reactions from the UN, Palestinian representatives and humanitarian organisations.

Israeli military material reportedly published by mistake has shown the scale of destruction in Gaza as well as images of army posts that were meant to stay secret. Bangladeshi news outlet Jamuna TV highlighted the incident, and the story is drawing wide attention as Israel continues to face scrutiny over its military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

TBN Israel reports an exclusive look inside an area known as 'Little Gaza', where Israeli Defense Forces troops are preparing for a possible next war with Hamas. The report shows soldiers training and the facilities used to simulate Gaza combat conditions, drawing large public attention amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hamas.

The BBC is reviewing the cases of 53 Gaza-based journalists following allegations that some of them have links to Hamas. The review, first reported by i24NEWS, has intensified an ongoing debate about the sourcing and vetting of material coming out of Gaza, with critics pressing the broadcaster on its editorial standards and supporters warning of pressure on press freedom in the territory.

Ireland beat Israel heavily in a Nations League match, with Irish players staging a protest over the situation in Gaza during the game. The combination of a decisive result on the pitch and a politically charged demonstration by the players is drawing wide attention, adding sport to the growing list of arenas where the Israel-Gaza conflict has sparked public statements.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and MK Strock have publicly called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reject the newly proposed Gaza Board of Peace plan. The demand highlights tensions within Israel's governing coalition over international proposals for Gaza's postwar administration, with hard-line figures opposing any framework they see as ceding control or rewarding Hamas.

Ireland defeated Israel in a football match, but the usual post-match handshakes between the two sides did not take place because of the war in Gaza. The result itself was overshadowed by the visible tensions, with players avoiding contact as the conflict continues to cast a shadow over sporting encounters between the two countries.

Ireland defeated Israel in a football match played against a backdrop of political tension. Israel's captain reportedly refused to shake hands with opponents before kickoff, sparking debate around the fixture. The result and the pre-match gestures are drawing attention, with the intersection of sport and the Middle East conflict fuelling much of the discussion.

Heretic Coffee, a Portland coffee roaster, has withdrawn from a planned project to open a coffee shop in Gaza. The company's decision ends its involvement in the initiative, which had aimed to establish a cafe in the Palestinian territory. Details on the reasons for the withdrawal or the project's partners have not been widely reported, and reaction to the move remains limited so far.