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ISRAEL - Israel intensified its bombardment of Rafah in Gaza’s south and over a dozen members of one family were killed in an air strike, residents said, as the ruined Palestinian enclave’s health ministry announced 29 313 deaths in the war so far.
In Jerusalem, Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz cited ‘promising early signs of progress’ on a new deal to release hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza amid talks conducted by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to secure a pause in the war.
The Israeli army (IDF) said it had stepped up operations in Khan Younis, a city just north of Rafah. It made no mention of attacks on Rafah itself in its daily summary of events in Gaza and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
About 1.5 million people are estimated to be crammed into Rafah, on the southernmost fringe of the enclave close to the border with Egypt, most of them having fled their homes further north to escape Israel’s military onslaught.
The flow of aid entering Gaza from Egypt has almost dried up in the past two weeks and a collapse in security has made it increasingly difficult to distribute the food that does get through, according to UN data and officials.
–Daily Mail
LONDON - Speaker Lindsay Hoyle was given 24 hours to save his job today after sparking a Commons meltdown by ‘bending the rules’ to save Keir Starmer from a Gaza revolt.
Some 33 MPs have already signed a parliamentary motion voicing no-confidence in the presiding officer following extraordinary scenes in the chamber overnight.
The SNP and Tory MPs walked out after Sir Lindsay upended parliamentary convention by selecting Labour’s bid to amend an SNP motion calling for an ‘immediate ceasefire’.
The step - taken in defiance of advice from the Commons Clerks - meant the Scots nationalists did not get a chance to vote on their own Opposition Day debate.
But Sir Lindsay initially tried to leave one of his deputies to field anger in the House, before MPs finally dragged him in to face the music.
In a grovelling and near-tearful apology, Sir Lindsay acknowledged he regretted the choice, arguing that he was motivated by anxiety about the safety of MPs from pro-Palestinian protesters.
He flatly denied that he had been influenced by partisan concerns, despite claims Keir Starmer personally lobbied him and he was told he would have ‘blood on his hands’ if the amendment was not selected.
Sir Lindsay is set to meet party leaders later as he fights to cling on and could suffer a fresh barrage from critics during Business Questions in the House this morning.
But many MPs are already convinced his situation is ‘terminal’, with jockeying for his job already under way.