The head of the main UN agency serving Palestinians has said his frontline staff are fainting from hunger<\/a><\/strong>, as the number of people dying of starvation in Gaza<\/a> continued to rise.<\/p>\n It comes as Emmanuel Macron has announced France will recognise Palestinian statehood<\/a><\/strong>, saying he hoped it would bring \u201clasting peace\u201d to the Middle East.<\/p>\n Macron announced the decision on X<\/a> on Thursday evening and published a letter sent to the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, confirming France\u2019s intention to become the first major western power to recognise a Palestinian state.<\/p>\n The move prompted angry responses from Israel<\/a>, while Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said it was\u2019 \u201creckless\u201d<\/strong>. It was welcomed by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.<\/p>\n Stay with us as we follow the developments.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Gaza running out of specialised food to save malnourished children, UN agencies say<\/p>\n Gaza<\/strong> is on the brink of running out of the specialised therapeutic food needed to save the lives of severely malnourished children<\/strong>, United Nations and humanitarian agencies say.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are now facing a dire situation, that we are running out of therapeutic supplies,\u201d Salim Oweis, a spokesperson for Unicef in Amman, Jordan, told Reuters on Thursday, saying supplies of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a crucial treatment, would be depleted by mid-August if nothing changed.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s really dangerous for children as they face hunger and malnutrition at the moment,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Oweis said Unicef had only enough RUTF left to treat 3,000 children. In the first two weeks of July alone, Unicef treated 5,000 children facing acute malnutrition in Gaza.<\/p>\n Nutrient-dense, high-calorie RUTF supplies, such as high-energy biscuits and peanut paste enriched with milk powder, are critical for treating severe malnutrition.<\/p>\n \u201cMost malnutrition treatment supplies have been consumed and what is left at facilities will run out very soon if not replenished,\u201d a World Health Organization spokesperson said on Thursday.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Gaza ceasefire talks expected to resume next week as Israel studies Hamas response, Egypt’s Al Qahera news says<\/p>\n Gaza ceasefire talks<\/strong> are expected to resume next week following Israel\u2019s review of the response by Palestinian Hamas militants<\/strong>, Egyptian state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV said on Friday, citing an Egyptian source.<\/p>\n Al Qahera said the Israeli delegation left one day after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu recalled the negotiating team for consultations, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n Close Israeli ally the United States also recalled its delegation from the talks for consultations on Thursday, with US envoy Steve Witkoff accusing Hamas of failing to act in good faith in the talks.<\/p>\n Hamas said it was surprised by Witkoff\u2019s remarks, adding that the group\u2019s position had been welcomed by mediators and had opened the door to reaching a comprehensive agreement.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Iranian and European<\/strong> diplomats have met in Istanbul<\/strong> to embark on the latest drive to unpick the deadlock over Tehran\u2019s nuclear programme<\/strong>, AP reports.<\/p>\n Representatives from Britain<\/strong>, France<\/strong> and Germany<\/strong> gathered at the Iranian consulate building on Friday for the first talks since Iran\u2019s 12-day war with Israel in June, when US bombers struck nuclear-related facilities.<\/p>\n The talks are centred on the possibility of reimposing sanctions on Iran that were lifted in 2015 in exchange for Iran accepting restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear programme.<\/p>\n European leaders have said the reinstating of sanctions will start by the end of August if there is no progress on containing Iran\u2019s nuclear programme.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Gaza is starving. So are its journalists. CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists<\/p>\n \u2018These are not the usual risks faced by reporters in conflict: a stray bullet, a landmine, ambush. This is something else.\u2019 Photograph: Omar Al-Qattaa\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n In May, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) wrote<\/a> about the desperate situation facing journalists in Gaza<\/strong>, who were having to report while dangerously hungry. My colleagues documented the gnawing hunger, dizziness, brain fog and sickness all experienced by an exhausted Palestinian press corps already living and working in terrifying conditions. Eight weeks later, that desperate situation is now catastrophic<\/a>.<\/p>\n Several news organizations are now warning that their journalists \u2013 those documenting what is happening inside Gaza \u2013 will die unless urgent action is taken to stop Israel\u2019s deliberate refusal to allow sufficient food into the territory. \u201c\u200b\u200bSince AFP was founded in August 1944, we have lost journalists in conflicts, we have had wounded and prisoners in our ranks, but none of us can recall seeing a colleague die of hunger,\u201d an association of journalists from the Agence France-Presse wrote in a statement on Monday<\/a>. \u201cWe refuse to watch them die.\u201d Two days later, the Qatari broadcast network Al Jazeera said its journalists \u2013 like all Palestinians in Gaza\u2013 were \u201cfighting for their own survival\u201d and warned: \u201cIf we fail to act now, we risk a future where there may be no one left to tell our stories.\u201d<\/p>\n You can read the full article here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n An internal US government<\/strong> analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by the Palestinian militant group Hamas<\/strong> of US-funded humanitarian supplies, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n The analysis, which has not been previously reported, was conducted by a bureau within the US Agency for International Development and completed in late June.<\/p>\n It examined 156 incidents of theft or loss of US-funded supplies reported by US aid partner organisations between October 2023 and this May.<\/p>\n It found \u201cno reports alleging Hamas\u201d benefited from US-funded supplies, according to a slide presentation of the findings seen by Reuters.<\/p>\n The findings challenge the main rationale that Israel<\/strong> and the US<\/strong> give for backing a new armed private aid operation.<\/p>\n A State Department spokesperson disputed the findings, saying there is video evidence of Hamas looting aid, but provided no such videos.<\/p>\n The spokesperson also accused traditional humanitarian groups of covering up \u201caid corruption.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n UK foreign secretary David Lammy<\/strong> said on Friday the deteriorating situation in Gaza<\/strong> was \u201cindefensible\u201d, repeating calls for a ceasefire, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n \u201cThe sight of children reaching for aid and losing their lives has caused consternation over much of the world. And that is why I repeat my call today for a ceasefire,\u201d Lammy said in a joint news conference with the Australian defence minister in Sydney.<\/p>\n \u201cThe deteriorating situation we\u2019ve seen in Gaza over the last few weeks is indefensible.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Keir Starmer<\/strong> said he would hold an \u201cemergency call\u201d on Friday with France<\/strong> and Germany<\/strong> on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza<\/strong>, urging a ceasefire and steps towards Palestinian statehood.<\/p>\n \u201cThe suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza<\/a> is unspeakable and indefensible,\u201d the UK prime minister said. \u201cWe are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n France\u2019s<\/strong> plan to formally recognise a Palestinian<\/strong> state runs counter to the stance held by Palestinian militant group Hamas, Paris said on Friday, AFP reports.<\/p>\n \u201cHamas has always ruled out a two-state solution. By recognising Palestine, France goes against that terrorist organisation,\u201d foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on X, a day after President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognise Palestinian statehood in September.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n We have more from M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res<\/strong> (MSF).<\/p>\n The medical charity said that \u201crates of severe malnutrition in children under five have tripled in the last two weeks alone\u201d.<\/p>\n It blamed Israel\u2019s \u201cpolicy of starvation\u201d, AFP reports.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Opening summary<\/p>\n Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Middle East.<\/p>\n The humanitarian crisis inside Gaza deepens<\/a> as M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res<\/strong> has said a quarter of Gaza\u2019s<\/strong> young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women screened at its clinics in Gaza last week were malnourished<\/strong>, AFP reports.<\/p>\n The head of the main UN agency serving Palestinians has said his frontline staff are fainting from hunger<\/a><\/strong>, as the number of people dying of starvation in Gaza<\/a> continued to rise.<\/p>\n It comes as Emmanuel Macron has announced France will recognise Palestinian statehood<\/a><\/strong>, saying he hoped it would bring \u201clasting peace\u201d to the Middle East.<\/p>\n Macron announced the decision on X<\/a> on Thursday evening and published a letter sent to the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, confirming France\u2019s intention to become the first major western power to recognise a Palestinian state.<\/p>\n The move prompted angry responses from Israel<\/a>, while Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said it was\u2019 \u201creckless\u201d<\/strong>. It was welcomed by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.<\/p>\n Stay with us as we follow the developments.<\/p>\n![\"Jodie](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jodie-Ginsberg.jpg\")
Jodie Ginsberg<\/p>\n