Spotlight
The United Nations' highest court opened hearings Monday into Israel's obligation to "ensure and facilitate" urgently needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories, bringing the ongoing conflict in Gaza back into focus in The Hague.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the hearings part of a "systematic persecution and delegitimization" of his country. Speaking in Jerusalem as the hearings began in The Hague, Saar said the court was "becoming completely politicized." He called the proceeding "shameful."

Iran accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday of trying to dictate U.S. policy in negotiations, after he called for the complete dismantling of Tehran's nuclear program and for the inclusion of its ballistic missile capabilities in any deal.
"What is striking... is how brazenly Netanyahu is now dictating what President Trump can and cannot do in his diplomacy with Iran," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.

Israeli strikes on the northern Gaza Strip killed at least 17 Palestinians early Monday, according to local health officials.
Israel has carried out daily strikes on Gaza since ending its ceasefire with Hamas last month. It has cut off the territory's 2 million Palestinians from all imports, including food and medicine, since the beginning of March in what it says is an attempt to pressure the militant group to release hostages.

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Monday alleged a U.S. airstrike hit a prison holding African migrants, killing at least 68 people and wounding 47 others. The U.S. military had no immediate comment.
The strike in Yemen's Saada governorate, a stronghold for the Houthis, is the latest incident in the country's decadelong war to kill African migrants from Ethiopia and other nations who risk crossing the nation for a chance to work in neighboring Saudi Arabia.

The Israeli military said Sunday it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, where the Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the launch, saying it targeted an air base in southern Israel.

Hours after Pope Francis' death was announced, Israel's Foreign Ministry posted a short message on X: "Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing." Several hours later, it was deleted without explanation.
Coming at a time of effusive global mourning over Francis' death, the decision to delete the post appeared to reflect the tensions that have emerged between Israel and the Vatican over Francis' frequent criticism of Israel's conduct during the war in Gaza. The Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the deletion.

Israel's military said Saturday it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, whose Houthi rebels have launched attacks throughout the Gaza war, as well as a drone approaching "from the east".
"Following the sirens that sounded recently in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted" before "crossing into Israeli territory", a military statement said.

Hamas seeks an agreement to end the Gaza war that would include the one-time release of all remaining hostages and a five-year truce, an official from the Palestinian group said Saturday.
"Hamas is ready for an exchange of prisoners in a single batch and a truce for five years," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity, as a delegation from his group was set to meet mediators in Cairo later in the day.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has voted to establish the position of vice president, potentially paving the way for a successor to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Gaza's civil defense agency reported on Friday that the death toll from an Israeli air strike the day before on a house in the north of the Palestinian territory had risen to 23.
