A senior United Nations official has called for countries supplying weapons to Israel to fund Gaza’s reconstruction, while international developments unfold across various fronts from ongoing conflicts to diplomatic tensions and humanitarian concerns.
**UN Rapporteur Demands Gaza Reconstruction Aid, Faces US Sanctions**
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, asserted that nations providing weaponry to Israel for its operations in Gaza—specifically the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy—should bear the cost of the besieged strip’s eventual reconstruction.
Albanese disclosed that her professional life has been impacted by financial sanctions imposed by the U.S. government, preventing her from travelling to the country and making her feel “treated like a criminal.” She further criticized Israel’s approach towards Palestinians, likening it to British colonial practices that routinely involve detention and torture.
**Israel-Palestine Updates: Settlements and Conflict Claims**
Amidst the ongoing conflict, the Israeli military has claimed to have killed Hamas commander Raed Saad in a recent drone strike. Concurrently, Israel has moved to formalize 19 additional Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move likely to draw international condemnation and further complicate peace efforts.
Gaza has also recently been hit by a severe storm, not a typhoon as originally reported, bringing torrential rains, strong winds, and the collapse of vulnerable structures. The extreme weather resulted in the deaths of at least 14 Palestinians, including several children, highlighting the humanitarian fragility of the region.
**Global Security Briefs and Diplomatic Stances**
In other international news, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned an attack on a peace mission, warning that “unjustified attacks can amount to war crimes” and violators could face significant penalties, including imprisonment and substantial fines.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that its forces conducted operations in response to Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets within Russia. Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump, in past remarks, vowed retaliation for any American troop casualties in Syria and pledged a forceful response to future attacks.
In migration news, a report indicates that no irregular migrants have crossed from France to the United Kingdom via the English Channel for 28 consecutive days. Separately, an incident in Syria saw Syrian and U.S. forces come under fire during a joint patrol in the city of Tadmur (Palmyra).
