Gaza/MidEast May 2025

Guardian: "Israel-Hamas war" — (LINK)

Al Jazeera: "Israel-Hamas war live": now "Israel War on Gaza" — (LINK)

Netanyahu says war will continue until all parts of Gaza under Israeli control (LINK) 21 May 2025

In first delivery since March, UN dispatches 90 aid trucks to Gaza (LINK) 21 May 2025

Jewish Chronicle: UN corrects claim 14,000 Gazan children could die in 48 hours after it was debunked: The figure came from an independent report into instances of starvation in the Strip, but was projected over a whole year rather than two days (LINK) 21 May 2025

— The same day, buried in a story about how aid in Gaza has yet to reach the population, BBC News issued a correction to UNOCHA head's claim. However, by then, the claim had already been widely reported across the UK and global media and cited as true by nine Members of Parliament in the Commons during a debate.

Gazans wait for aid as UN says supplies sitting in warehouse despite Israel easing blockade (LINK) 21 May 2025

Swiss government pledges CHF11 million to UNRWA but not for Gaza: a further CHF9 million is being allocated to support four other humanitarian organisations (LINK) 21 May 2025

Two Israeli Embassy staff members killed outside Jewish museum in Washington, DC (LINK) — ground.news: 93 media reports (LINK) 21 May 2025

— The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, was observed pacing outside the museum before the shooting, walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security.

UN says no aid distributed so far in Gaza, as UK suspends Israel trade talks. The EU orders a review of its free trade agreement with Israel (LINK) 20 May 2025

— A branch of the Israeli military says 93 aid trucks have entered Gaza.

SWISS not flying to Tel Aviv until June 8 (LINK) 20 May 2025

First aid trucks enter Gaza after almost three-month Israeli blockade, UN says (LINK) — ground.news: 34 media reports (LINK)19 May 2025

— Just after the aid announcement, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer and Mark Carney — the leaders of France, the UK and Canada — issued a joint statement threatening "concrete actions" if Israel continues its renewed military push in Gaza.

New Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar reportedly killed in Israeli Airstrike on Gaza Tunnel (LINK) — ground.news: 89 media reports (LINK)19 May 2025

— Saudi and Gaza media reported Sinwar's body and those of ten aides were found inside a tunnel near Khan Yunis, alongside the death of Rafah Brigade commander Mohammed Shabana.

Gary Lineker to leave BBC after social media 'error' sharing a social media post about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult (LINK) 19 May 2025

— He will leave the BBC after presenting his final episode of Match of the Day on Sunday. Lineker, 64, reiterated that he didn't know about the post's antisemitic connotations, adding that he "recognises the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action. I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic — it goes against everything I stand for." The repost was an Instagram story from the group Palestine Lobby. Along with 500 high profile people, in February 2025 he signed an open letter urging the BBC to reinstate a documentary on Gaza removed from iPlayer after it was revealed the narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

— BBC's director general Tim Davie, said in a statement: "Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made."

— In March 2023 he was suspended temporarily after a Tweet comparing UK to 1930s Germany for its asylum policy.

Israel says it will allow 'basic amount of food into Gaza' to prevent hunger crisis, ending 10-week blockade (LINK) 18 May 2025

Israel open to 'ending fighting' as part of Gaza deal if hostages released and Hamas fighters exiled, PM indicates (LINK) 18 May 2025

Israeli strikes across Gaza overnight kill at least 103 people, hospitals and medics say (LINK) — ground.news: 222 media reports (LINK)18 May 2025

Austria wins Eurovision, as protesters 'throw paint' during Israel's performance (LINK) 17 May 2025

— The song, which was not dissimilar to that of last year's winner Nemo, told the story of unrequited love, with a techno breakdown near the end.

— Israel's Yuval Raphael, who survived the 7 October 2023 attacks which were the catalyst for Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza, was the runner-up with piano ballad New Day Will Rise, performed in Hebrew, French and English. The singer was left "shaken and upset", after two pro-Palestinian protesters rushed towards her during her grand final performance in the St Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland. Organisers confirmed a backstage crew member was hit with paint but was not hurt.

Audio analysis: Eurovision broadcaster SVT of Sweden muted sounds of crowd booing and shouting "Free Palestine!" on 9 May 2024 despite Eurovision denials — (LINK)

— The song, originally titled "October Rain", was initially barred from Eurovision, prior to undergoing a title as "Hurricane" and lyric adjustment for violating the contest's rules on political neutrality with its reference to Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel.More than 56,000 people signed a petition calling for Israel to be banned from the current season of Eurovision, while 72 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter urging the EBU to exclude Israel and its broadcaster, KAN, from the competition. The EBU again decided Israel may participate.

— In an interview shortly after last year's Eurovision competition, Eden Golan was played an online video of booing during her live-audience rehearsal. "Well, that happened in every single performance," Golan said in response. "There were some days that were more extreme." Golan said she was prepared for a negative reaction and had hoped her in-ear monitors for live performances would block out the crowd noises. "And I was very wrong," she said, "because after the first rehearsal with the audience I remember not hearing myself, only hearing the boos and the screaming and the yelling."

Israel launches major offensive in Gaza after airstrikes that killed more than 100 (LINK) 16 May 2025

Earlier on Friday, Donald Trump acknowledged that people are starving in Gaza and claimed the US would have the situation in the territory "taken care of".

— The US president told reporters in Abu Dhabi: "We're looking at Gaza. And we're going to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving."

UN says it won't take part in US-backed Gaza aid plan as it isn't impartial or neutral (LINK)15 May 2025

Israeli strikes in northern Gaza kill at least 48, including 22 children, hospital says (LINK) 14 May 2025

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher defends using 'genocide' in Gaza remarks to the Security Council that Israel rejects (LINK) 15 May 2025

— Fletcher is the first U.N. official to use the term "genocide" concerning Israel's war in Gaza, a charge that Israel vehemently denies

Israel agrees to resume Gaza aid before end of May after two month freeze, GHF foundation says (LINK) 14 May 2025

Trump and Saudi Arabia announce $600 billion investment deal, including $142 billion in defence (LINK) — ground.news: 338 media reports (LINK) — 14 May 2025

Trump meets Syrian president in Saudi Arabia before heading to Qatar: hails Islamist leader as 'attractive guy, tough guy' (LINK) — ground.news: 182 media reports (LINK) — 6 May 2025

Trump says U.S. will remove all sanctions on Syria: had been designated a state sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. government since 1979 (LINK) 14 May 2025

Amnesty report exposes abuse of Kenyan domestic workers in Saudi Arabia (LINK) — ground.news: 13 media reports (LINK) — 13 May 2025

Gaza: In Edan Alexander's New Jersey hometown, crowd cheers, sings, dances as he's freed after 584 days in Hamas captivity (LINK) 12 May 2025

Hamas set to free US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander Monday in goodwill gesture to Trump (LINK) 12 May 2025

US imposes sanctions on over 20 companies it says helped send Iranian oil to China and used the proceeds to fund terrorist activities: sanctions target a network controlled by Sepehr Energy, the commercial affiliate of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, which uses front companies to conceal oil shipments. (LINK) — ground.news: 38 media reports (LINK) — 13 May 2025

One in five people in Gaza face starvation, report warns, as Israel's months-long blockade continues, warns UN partnership IPC (LINK) — ground.news: 35 media reports (LINK) — 12 May 2025

UN agencies warn Israel plans for aid distribution endanger lives in Gaza: would only provide food and aid to around 60 percent of Gaza's civilians initially (LINK) — ground.news: 84 media reports (LINK) — 9 May 2025

US pressuring humanitarian groups to get behind Israeli aid plan for Gaza (LINK) 8 May 2025

World Central Kitchen says it is forced to halt aid operations in Gaza — (LINK)

Trump announces US, Houthis to stop bombing each other — Houthis argue they will 'evaluate' ceasefire proposal (LINK) 6 May 2025

US: 'Important announcement regarding entry of aid to Gaza will be issued in next few days' (LINK) 6 May 2025

UN humanitarian agency rejects new Israeli plan for Gaza aid deliveries: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says proposal 'contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles', appears aimed at using vital supplies as 'pressure tactic' (LINK) 5 May 2025

Seven Iranians among 8 men arrested in two separate anti-terror operations, Met police say: plot to "target a specific premises" (LINK) 4 May 2025

Houthi missile strikes near main Israel airport, several airlines cancel flights into Tel Aviv (LINK) 4 May 2025

Israeli airstrikes kill at least 40 people in Gaza, officials say (LINK) 3 May 2025

Israeli forces to demolish more than 100 homes in Israeli-occupied West Bank, local governor says (LINK) 2 May 2025

Yemen's internationally recognized prime minister resigns over a political dispute (LINK) 3 May 2025

FoxNews: Iran talks in Rome not happening this weekend and were never confirmed, State Department says (LINK) — 1 May 2025

Netanyahu claims 18 arrests in Israel fires, police surprised (LINK) — 1 May 2025